Oman’s GDP grew 4.6% between 2013 and 2014 according to the Oman Central Bank, with hydrocarbons the main driver of the economy at almost 50% of GDP. Although the dip in oil prices has put pressure on government revenues, authorities are pressing ahead with spending plans for the sector, particularly in the downstream segment. The country’s infrastructure expansion plans are also moving forward, particularly at the country’s three ports as the country seeks to leverage its strategic position on the Strait of Hormuz and establish itself as a global transport and logistics hub. Feeding off this development drive are the sultanate’s banks, with project finance regarded as one of the most promising areas for lending growth. In the longer term, Oman Vision 2020 seeks to boost private sector participation in the economy and fuel SME growth in key sectors, including construction, retail, tourism and transport.

Oman’s economy contracted by 13.8% in nominal terms in 2015 as the ongoing low oil price environment squeezed growth and led to the largest budget deficit in over a decade. In a bid to tackle the shortfall the government is taking a number of revenue-raising measures such as cutting subsidies and increasing corporation tax, while remaining focused on its long-term diversification goals. Though hydrocarbons still account for 33.9% of GDP and 78.7% of state revenues, non-oil sectors are playing an increasingly prominent role in the country’s economic profile. Authorities are targeting heavy industries in particular with plans to boost their GDP contribution to from 19.8% today to 29% by 2020. Meanwhile annual growth of 6% is being targeted in the mining sector, with a host of regulatory initiatives being implemented as the government seeks to boost investor interest. Start reading

“An inside account of Hillary Clinton’s relationship with Barack Obama that brims with insight and high-level intrigue.”—Jane Mayer, bestselling author of Dark Money The deeply reported story of two trailblazers who share a common sense of their historic destiny but hold very different beliefs about how to project American power—from veteran New York Times White House correspondent Mark Landler In the annals of American statecraft, theirs was a most unlikely alliance. Clinton, daughter of an anticommunist father, was raised in the Republican suburbs of Chicago in the aftermath of World War II, nourishing an unshakable belief in the United States as a force for good in distant lands. Obama, an itinerant child of the 1970s, was raised by a single mother in Indonesia and Hawaii, suspended between worlds and a witness to the less savory side of Uncle Sam’s influence abroad. Clinton and Obama would later come to embody competing visions of America’s role in the world: his, restrained, inward-looking, painfully aware of limits; hers, hard-edged, pragmatic, unabashedly old-fashioned. Spanning the arc of Obama’s two terms, Alter Egos goes beyond the speeches and press conferences to the Oval Office huddles and South Lawn strolls, where Obama and Clinton pressed their views. It follows their evolution from bitter rivals to wary partners, and then to something resembling rivals again, as Clinton defined herself anew and distanced herself from her old boss. In the process, it counters the narrative that, during her years as secretary of state, there was no daylight between them, that the wounds of the 2008 campaign had been entirely healed. The president and his chief diplomat parted company over some of the biggest issues of the day: how quickly to wind down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; whether to arm the rebels in Syria; how to respond to the upheaval in Egypt; and whether to trust the Russians. In Landler’s gripping account, we venture inside the Situation Room during the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound, watch Obama and Clinton work in tandem to salvage a conference on climate change in Copenhagen, and uncover the secret history of their nuclear diplomacy with Iran—a story with a host of fresh disclosures. With the grand sweep of history and the pointillist detail of an account based on insider access—the book draws on exclusive interviews with more than one hundred senior administration officials, foreign diplomats, and friends of Obama and Clinton—Mark Landler offers the definitive account of a complex, profoundly important relationship.

The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) has been at the epicenter of global energy markets because of its substantial endowment of hydrocarbons. Yet countries in the region have also stated their intent to be global leaders in renewable energy. This collection explores the drivers for the widespread adoption of renewable energy around the GCC, the need for renewable energy and the policy-economic factors that can create success. All six countries within the GCC have plans to include renewable energy power generation in their energy mix for various reasons including: a growing demand for electricity because of increasing populations, an increasing government fiscal deficit due to inefficient subsidies, the need to diversify the economy and global pressure to meet climate change requirements. However, the decision of when and by how much to introduce renewable energy is fraught with complications. In this book, a stellar cast of regional policy and academic experts explore the reasons behind these renewable energy plans and the potential impediments to success, whether it be the declining cost of producing energy from hydrocarbons, an infrastructure which needs to be updated, social acceptance, lack of financing and even harsh weather. Weighing up all these factors, the book considers the route forward for renewable energy in the Gulf region. The Economics of Renewable Energy in the Gulf offers an excellent examination of the adoption of renewable energy in the area. It will be of great interest to academic researchers and policy makers alike, particularly those working in the areas of energy economics, public policy and international relations.

The sultanate’s economy continues to enjoy the benefits of petroleum wealth, which has provided budget surpluses in most years and served as a backbone for growth. However, planning is well under way for an era in which oil will not be the main economic driver, with the twin goals of diversification and creating an increased number of private sector jobs at the top of the government’s current agenda. Indeed, in recent years, the non-OPEC oil exporter’s economy has been undergoing a steady transformation, reorienting from oil toward a more diverse set of service and industry-based economic activities. So far, progress has been promising. In 2011 oil and gas accounted for 38.8% of GDP. With the continuation of higher-than-expected energy prices in 2012, the government has increased economic investments accordingly. These investments, which include infrastructure, social programmes and small-business development, are aimed toward better preparing the country for its post-fossil fuel future.

"The report, "'I Was Sold': Abuse and Exploitation of Migrant Domestic Workers in Oman," documents how Oman's kafala(sponsorship) immigrant labor system and lack of labor law protections leaves migrant domestic workers exposed to abuse and exploitation by employers, whose consent they need to change jobs. Those who flee abuse--including beatings, sexual abuse, unpaid wages, and excessive working hours--have little avenue for redress and can face legal penalties for "absconding." Families rely on migrant domestic workers to care for their children, cook their meals, and clean their homes. Yet many migrant domestic workers, who rely on their salaries to support their own families and children at home, face cruel and exploitative conditions"--Publisher's description.

The 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report highlights the successes achieved and the remaining challenges before us on this important issue. The primary focus is to showcase the responsibility of governments to criminalize human trafficking and hold offenders accountable. This year's report theme is increasing criminal accountability of human traffickers and addressing challenges in prosecution - an essential component of 3P- paradigm of prosecution, protection, and prevention. It provides an overview of the type of human trafficking offenses that are taking place around the world in violation of human rights. The text includes side bars of situational human trafficking experiences to allow the reader to understand the different types that occur throughout the world. High school students and above may find this report helpful for research and writing essays about human rights and law enforcement of human trafficking. American citizens, policy analysts and decision-makers, law enforcement personnel, and human rights policy activists and advocates and world leaders may refer to this report as a reference on these crimes. Related products: Explore ourHuman Rights resources collection and other products produced by the U.S. State Department.