Burdened with a huge current account deficit and rising tensions in the Kurdish south-east of the country, Turkey has its fair share of challenges. But the country's finance minister believes that with the help of foreign investment it can reduce the size of the deficit and provide better prospects in the struggling districts.

The mayor of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, Giorgi Ugulava, tells Courtney Fingar at the Sixth Tbilisi Local Economic Development Forum how the country's growing tourism sector and the minimal political influence on its economy has aided its recovery.

The Wallonia region of Belgium is seeking to lose its heavy industry image of previous decades, and its government is using public-private partnerships to steer it down a more creative and innovative path.

Companies setting up shop in Brazil, Russia, India and China are becoming increasingly dependent on financial outsourcing to navigate unfamiliar and often complex local legislation. While there are many advantages to outsourcing financial operations, there are myriad factors to consider before these can be realised.

Adel Ali, CEO of Air Arabia, explains how the global economic downturn has benefited the low-cost carrier, as the increasing number of passengers opting for a cheaper service has allowed it to increase its fleet and service more destinations, putting it on course for continued international expansion.

The aviation industry was one of the main casualties of the global economic crisis in many regions around the world, but in the Middle East its growth has continued unabated. Central to this growth has been the expansion of Qatar Airways, which, according to its CEO, has no plans to slow down.

Armenia's prime minister, Tigran Sargsyan, is optimistic about his country's future, which will be based around utilising its strengths in high-tech industries and exploiting its large global diaspora. However, poor relations with neighbouring countries still hamper its development efforts, he tells Courtney Fingar in an interview in his Yerevan offices.

The world's economic balance is shifting, and sovereign wealth funds are starting to cut their exposure to developed economies and head towards emerging markets. But facing challenges such as limited availability of 'free-float' equity, the move does not come without risk.