Economy and trade

Venezuela

Qatar PM arrives in Venezuela on first trip since Maduro’s ouster: What to know

Qatar is moving to shore up ties with Venezuela as the US seeks greater control over the South American country’s oil revenues.

An Egyptian vendor fills dates for a customer at a market in Cairo's central Sayyida Zeinab district on Feb. 12, 2026, as Muslims prepare for the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which begins early next week.

Analysis

Egyptians in for another expensive Ramadan despite recovering economy

Egyptians tend to spend more during the Islamic holy month relative to the rest of the year, but high inflation and low wages have reduced their purchasing power.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Several trucks carrying humanitarian aid cross the border between Armenia and Turkey at the village of Margara, Armenia, on March 21, 2025.

Exclusive

Direct Turkey-Armenia land trade to begin amid US-led Caucasus peace push

New transit arrangement via Georgia cuts re-export costs, marking accelerating normalization between Ankara and Yerevan amid broader US-led peace efforts.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Fahad

Meet Fahad Al-Saif, PIF exec and Saudi Arabia's new investment minister

Saif previously led investment strategy at the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund and has held senior roles at the Saudi Awwal Bank and HSBC Saudi Arabia.

Latest News

Analysis

Why Algeria's nixing of UAE air deal is more diplomatic than economic

Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune (L) speaks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed during the G7 Summit hosted by Italy, in Savelletri, on June 14, 2024.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Crypto crash collides with UAE’s big bet on digital assets

Participants visit the Token 2049 crypto conference in Dubai on May 1, 2025.

United Arab Emirates

Merz courts Gulf as Germany seeks energy alternatives to US, China

Merz

Gulf markets recover after gold rout, buoyed by Iran de-escalation hopes

A woman checks a window shop at a jewelry store in Dubai, on March 10, 2025.

United Arab Emirates

Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly (R) meets with China's Premier Li Qiang at his office in Cairo on July 10, 2025.

Egypt banks on Beijing as premier visit seals yuan, payment deals

The deals were announced during the visit by a senior Chinese delegation led by the country’s premier to Cairo this week.

US President Donald Trump holds up a chart while speaking during a “Make America Wealthy Again” trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025, in Washington.

From Iraq to Algeria, Trump’s looming tariffs could target 4 MENA countries

The United States has a trade deficit with Iraq, Algeria, Libya and Tunisia, according to the US government, prompting the president to send them letters warning of new tariffs.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev at Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi.

UAE, Azerbaijan sign trade deal as officials meet in Abu Dhabi for Armenia peace talks

The deal is expected to contribute around $680 million to the UAE’s gross domestic product by 2031, according to UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.

United Arab Emirates

Egypt's Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly (L) welcomes China's Premier Li Qiang upon his arrival at Cairo International Airport in Egypt's capital, on July 9, 2025.

China’s premier makes first visit to Egypt as ties grow: What we know

Egypt and China have significantly deepened their ties in recent years across various sectors such as trade, defense, technology and the economy.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto pose for a family photo.

Egypt urges BRICS to deepen financial ties after Trump threatens tariffs

Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly said that due to the global decline in multilateralism and crises engulfing the world, members of the bloc of developing nations should bolster their financial and economic ties.

Hisham Ezz Al Arab CIB CEO

Interview

How Red Sea attacks prepared Egypt’s economy for future shocks

The CEO of Egypt's third-largest bank tells Al-Monitor why he is hopeful about the country's economic recovery.

Hisham Ezz Al-Arab

Hisham Ezz Al-Arab

CEO, Commercial International Bank

General view of the opening session of the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum at the Federal Senate in Brazil, taken on June 4, 2025.

Analysis

At Brazil summit, BRICS welcomes new Middle East members as divisions continue

A year after formally joining at the Kazan summit, Iran, Egypt and the UAE attend their first BRICS summit hosted outside Russia — as Saudi Arabia continues to weigh whether to join.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

This photo shows Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar's principal site for production of liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquid, administrated by Qatar Petroleum, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the capital, Doha, Qatar, Feb. 6, 2017.

Analysis

Gulf bets on LNG boom power ahead amid regional energy shifts, war risks

Gulf oil powers are emerging as key LNG players, leveraging rising consumer demand to justify strategic global gas investments and to scale up their own LNG production at home.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Iranian rial banknotes bearing a portrait of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, sit on the stand of an Iraqi money dealer on June 19, 2014, in Arbil, Iraq.

Iran’s rial falls by 3% as Tehran grapples with war aftermath

The rial has fallen considerably since May, as officials lash out against the US despite the recent conflict coming to a close.

CORRECTION / A picture taken in Riyadh shows the sign in Arabic of an Aramco gas station on the outskirts of the Saudi capital Riyadh on November 5, 2024. Energy giant Saudi Aramco reported a 15 percent year-on-year drop in third quarter profit on November 5, 2024, citing low oil prices. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP) / "The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Fayez Nureldine has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: changing the second phrase to refer to Saudi

Saudi PIF reports 60% profit drop as inflation, low oil prices bite

The PIF said that the impairments were mainly related to changes in operational plans and increases in budgeted costs.

The sun sets behind overhead power lines in Kuwait City as the Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity requested that citizens ration their electricity usage at peak times due to outages, on June 19, 2024.

Analysis

Kuwait's heatwaves, high demand strain fragile power grid: What to know

Amid rising temperatures and increasing demand, Kuwait's energy crisis is forcing authorities to seek alternatives and consider reforms.

Sebastian Castelier

By Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin arrives to attend a church service for former French President Jacques Chirac at the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris on September 30, 2019. - Former French President Jacques Chirac died on September 26, 2019 at the age of 86.

Interview

Former French PM says Trump has ‘immense opportunity’ in Mideast

Dominique de Villepin, who recently announced a new political party, says in an exclusive written interview with Al-Monitor that France has a vital role to play in promoting regional cooperation.

Dominique de Villepin

Dominique de Villepin

Former French prime minister