Stronger protection and transparency measures key to attracting more investors to Gulf markets – The National

Stronger protection and transparency measures key to attracting more investors to Gulf markets – The National

Stronger protection and transparency measures key to attracting more investors to Gulf markets. Gulf nations need to strengthen protections offered to investors and offer greater transparency as they look to ramp up efforts to attract investment and diversify economies, a new study argues.. The report highlighted 2020 as an important year for Gulf economies given Dubai's Expo 2020 and Saudi Arabia's presidency of the G20.. It also said significant progress has been made in terms of recent reforms, highlighting the inclusion of Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in leading emerging market indices.. The study ranked the UAE as the most-investor friendly of the six Gulf nations, and the 26th most attractive out of 146 countries globally.. Saudi Arabia was ranked as the least investor-friendly of the six Gulf states but was still 66th overall globally.. Investor protection is one of the most important of these, it said, particularly the "recovery and resolution process", which covers factors such as the cost and time involved in enforcing contracts and in resolving the insolvency process.. Many Gulf states have only recently established bankruptcy laws, and these remain largely untested in terms of working through major bankruptcies.. The UAE's bankruptcy law was