Oil has Oman over a barrel

Low oil prices have put Oman’s government under pressure, while regional political turmoil could make life even more uncomfortable. A new economic model is called for, but can the leaders in Muscat find one quickly enough?

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Oman is a country that finds itself surrounded by turmoil. To the southwest there is war in Yemen, to the north a fractious Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and to the east the question marks that hang over Iran’s relationship with the rest of the world. Domestically, the local economy is also being undermined by low oil prices

There are opportunities as well as threats, however. The Qatar crisis in particular offers an opportunity for Oman to increase trade with Qatar, which is now forced to bypass its old trading partners in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

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