With capital Malé overcrowded and the rest of its population scattered across almost 200 islands, providing key services to the people of the Maldives provides the country's authorities with a headache. With this in mind, the government has been developing a 'second city' on an island near Malé, in which it hopes a large number of Maldivians will choose to live. Natasha Turak reports.

Environmental issues are a prime concern for the Maldives, as rising sea levels threaten its twin industries of tourism and fishing. Besides lobbying on international measures to mitigate climate change, the government is focusing on managing sanitation and promoting renewable energy locally, as Natasha Turak discovers. 

Fish are a major natural resource for the Maldives, providing dietary protein and supporting an industry employing one-fifth of the population. Now the country, which is proud of its credentials in sustainability, is keen to develop value-added production, fisheries and agriculture minister Mohamed Shainee tells Natasha Turak.

The Maldives is renowned all over the world as an idyllic beach destination, a reputation it has worked hard to cultivate. However, as Natasha Turak discovers, investment opportunities abound on the island chain, as it looks to diversify its economy and safeguard its future.

Diamniadio Lake City is a development 30 kilometres from Dakar which is being built to ease pressure on Senegal's overcrowded capital. Natasha Turak speaks to representatives from Semer Group, which will soon start construction work on the project, to discover what it will entail.

Nakheel, developer of Dubai’s iconic Palm Jumeirah, visited the Mipim exhibition to showcase the country’s latest real estate projects, which include a mall and four reclaimed islands. Natasha Turak reports.

Despite geopolitical challenges, Turkey is keeping its FDI levels respectable through new traction in the real estate sector, spurred by a large-scale urban renewal plan. Arda Ermut, president of the Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey, talked to Natasha Turak at the Mipim international property fair in Cannes. 

After a period of stagnation typified by an abundance of red tape stymieing investment and construction, Kaunas is entering a new age of growth. The city’s mayor, Visvaldas Matijosaitis, explains to Natasha Turak how his private sector experience gave him the edge.