The article is devoted to the national economy transformations of the GCC States (Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf countries). This paper analyzes the dynamics of socio-economic development of the Gulf Group countries for the last 10 years, compares and systematizes the traditional and unique statistical data in order to prove the hypothesis that the positive dynamics was not only due to the high hydrocarbon prices on the global market but also to the successful structural transformation. The growth of the regional economy in the conditions of an almost threefold drop in world oil prices over the past three years is shown. We use systemic approach, comparative and statistical analysis. As the analysis of economic situation and development in the GCC countries at the current stage shows, all of them need to change the structure of the national economy and diversify it in order to reduce the dependence from mining industries, world prices fluctuations. This paper proposes a number of practical considerations and appropriate measures for the formation of more rational structure of the national economies, including the diversification of the sources of budget revenues through expanding industrialization; accelerating development of solid minerals and the creation of new industries using them. As Gulf States belong to the group of emerging countries and the structure of their national economies is similar with the Russian economy, the factors of the positive changes of the national economies will be useful for Russian and foreign researchers.

Considering that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in the economy of country and taking into account the changes in the modern world economy, we investigated the problem of increasing the SMEs’ contribution into national economy by using new opportunities of business environment. The problem can be solved through the participation of SMEs in the links of the global value chain with high added value. However, it is necessary to find new instruments for SMEs’ support. The study is aimed at discovering relevant SMEs support tools focused on increasing the added value. The research is based on content and comparative analysis of the European Union and China experience using the material from the European Commission reports, national programs of European countries and China. The research terminology and analysis algorithm were refined. The set of new tools of SMEs support is presented in the context of groups and national characteristics. In European countries non-financial tools dominate among state support forms. They include creating special niches for small enterprises in the global value chain and giving SMEs access to the national supply base. In China non-state support forms dominate with a larger share of financial tools, including the provision of resources by participants of the value chains within regional integration associations, by financial units of large companies. The research results are addressed to the representatives of SMEs, large companies, public authorities.

Growing interest of international and Russian business in the cooperation with modern Africa and the strengthening of the developing countries’ positions in the world brought us to explore the foreign trade of African countries. The research aims to identify trends and new segments for the development of economic relations. We hypothesise that, despite the difficulties in national development, African countries has managed to create areas of successful development by changing the foreign trade structure under the influence of regionalization. The research is based on statistics gathered from international organisations, including the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, African Development Bank Group, and foreign trade statistics from Côte d’Ivoire. We used the academic literature in the field of foreign trade as the methodological base. The article analysed all types of foreign trade structure (geographical, territorial, organisational, and commodity ones) simultaneously at the global, regional and country levels. As a result of the analysis at the global level, we created a classification of African countries, which identified groups with positive changes in foreign trade structure. Thus , such countries can become leaders in the modern international cooperation. The analysis at the regional level determined some regional integration groups belonging to the category of "growth platforms". The main research result at the country level (on the example of Côte d’Ivoire) is the authors’ typology of internal districts. It allowed us to identify "core-regions" and "growing regions" and offer them as perspective points of interaction. These results can be used for economic cooperation with Africa in the framework of implementing the decisions of the "Russia-Africa" summit and economic forum (October 24, 2019, Russian Federation).