Economy & Business - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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Economy & Business

Pictured in this undated image is the Al-Thawra oil field in Raqqa governorate, as rehabilitation works continue to restore production capacity.

Syria restores Raqqa oil field in former ISIS stronghold: What to know

Before Syria's civil war erupted in 2011, national oil production stood at between 400,000 and 500,00 barrels per day before falling to under 100,000 bpd during the conflict.

Guests stand at the Aramco booth during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 3, 2025.

Aramco profits jump 26% as Hormuz disruption chokes supply

Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said the market has already lost around 1 billion barrels of oil supply since the US-Israel-Iran war erupted on Feb. 28.

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

Kaja Kallas

EU restores economic pact to pursue fuller trade ties with Syria

The move marks a major economic step for Syria's recovery after its 13-year civil war and the fall of the Assad regime.

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China’s overland trade routes offer Iran wartime economic lifeline: What to know

CN-STR / AFP via Getty Images

What to know about Iran's 'Persian Gulf Strait Authority' to control Hormuz traffic

In this picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency on May 4, 2026, the Iran-flagged tugboat Basim sails near a ship anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.

Egypt ramps up energy investments amid war-driven price pressures

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly speaks in Beirut on Dec. 19, 2025.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

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

Sabena Siddiqui

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

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

Israel gas

Lebanon asks TotalEnergies to start gas exploration 'quickly'

The move follows Israel and Lebanon finally reaching an agreement on their disputed sea border.

A man walks in front of a screen showing rates against Turkish lira near a currency exchange agency at Kaarakoy in Istanbul on Dec. 16, 2021 in Istanbul.

Erdogan’s staunchest backers 'tired' of interest rate debate

The Turkish president’s controversial economic policies have led to rare public criticism by a business group that has long backed his party.

The national flag of Algeria flies near the Bay of Algiers with the old town of the capital known as the "Kasbah" (L) and cargo containers (R) in Algiers, Algeria, Aug. 25, 2022.

Algeria relaxes rules for foreign investors

Following years of social and political uncertainty triggered by popular uprisings in 2019, Algeria has updated laws to attract investment.

A Japanese and an Emirati man in traditional clothes check their phones at the Arabian Travel Market.

UAE and Japan agree to visa-free travel

The two countries also recently pledged to boost economic, industrial and energy cooperation.

United Arab Emirates

Palestinian men gather to apply for work permits in Israel.

Gazan workers fall prey to brokers claiming to offer work permits

Amid the poor economic conditions and as thousands of Gazans seek to obtain work permits inside Israel, fraudulent brokers have spread in the besieged enclave claiming to be able to secure permits.

RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia, South Africa sign agreements worth $15 billion

Saudi Arabia is increasing its economic footprint on the African continent, in part because of its rivalry with Iran.

VLADIMIR SIMICEK/AFP via Getty Images

OPEC members back Saudi Arabia in dispute with US

The oil cartel and Russia recently agreed to a significant oil production cut, leading to public criticism from the United States.

A worker prepares an order at a cafe after authorities relaxed the coronavirus lockdown measures, Cairo, Egypt, June 27, 2020.

Can coffee be grown in Egypt?

Decades of experiments have proven that coffee crops can be grown on Egyptian soil.

beekeeper

Lebanese women find sweet success with beekeeping

Beekeeping, once a niche hobby, is flourishing in Lebanon, providing women with a means of surviving the financial crisis.

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) provided a soft loan to light roads using solar energy in the Central African Republic.

Saudi economic relations with sub-Saharan Africa continue to grow

South Africa's president will soon visit the Saudi kingdom, and the Saudi Fund for Development recently agreed to help the Central African Republic develop solar energy.

Plastic Coca-Cola bottles.

Coca-Cola to sponsor COP27 in Egypt, sparking criticism

The company has been ranked as the world’s top corporate plastic polluter for years and is blamed for spending millions of dollars greenwashing its brand and lobbying to derail regulations.

A picture shows the headquarters of UAE's state oil company ADNOC in Dubai on July 27, 2022.

Abu Dhabi announces nearly $1 billion drilling contract

Oil and gas remain a major part of the Emirati economy, despite recent investments in renewable energy and green technology. The contract comes as the UAE gets ready to provide gas to Germany amid the war in Ukraine.

United Arab Emirates