Qatar locks in US LNG through 2054 as it looks beyond Hormuz The Gulf state agreed to buy up to 4 million tons of US liquefied natural gas annually through 2054. Qatar
China-Saudi consortium wins $306M World Cup stadium deal: What to know The project is a vote of confidence to Saudi Arabia's ambitious Vision 2030 agenda to diversify the economy away from oil, despite an uptick in attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on the kingdom in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia
Newsletter: Business & Tech Saudi economic ambitions under strain Saudi Arabia postponed its flagship investment conference, known as “Davos in the Desert,” on Monday as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels continued attacks on the kingdom. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Gulf oil exports surpass prewar levels despite escalating tanker attacks According to data from Kpler, oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and alternative routes across the Middle East averaged more than 24 million barrels a day last week, surpassing prewar levels of 23.3 million. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Analysis As Iran’s oil lifeline runs dry, can it outlast Trump's economic siege? By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Egypt's Sisi meets Modi, inks 'strategic partnership' on landmark India visit The trip could lead to greater cooperation between India and Egypt on trade, the Suez Canal, green hydrogen and more. Egypt
Saudi Arabia leads Middle East's luxury property buyers in London The Middle East made up some of the top buyers of London luxury real estate in late 2022, only falling behind European and UK buyers. By Salim A. Essaid
Qatar's energy giant joins Lebanon gas exploration group France’s TotalEnergies, which is also part of the consortium, said they hope to start drilling in Lebanese waters for oil and gas in 2023. Lebanon
Tunisia’s food crisis will worsen without an IMF deal Francisco Serrano In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business
Protests in Iraq amid local currency devaluation, Central Bank changes Restrictions from the US Federal Reserve, corruption, and Iraq’s lack of an electronic banking system have all led to the dinar’s recent fall in value against the dollar. Iraq
South Korea’s Samsung to help Saudi Public Investment Fund with construction projects Saudi Aramco has also strengthened its ties to South Korean companies recently. Legacy: Gulf
Cruise ship terminal opens in Jordan’s port of Aqaba The agreement with Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports Group could help bolster Jordan’s tourism sector. Jordan
Iran bolsters ties with China and Venezuela despite US sanctions Iranian oil exports to China are on the rise, and the Islamic Republic’s relations with Venezuela are moving beyond energy matters, as the South American country recently received 1,000 vehicles from the Iranian automobile firm Saipa. Iran
Algeria-Italy energy ties strengthen with emission reduction deal Italy’s Eni and Algeria’s Sonatrach pledged to work together on carbon capture, green hydrogen and more during Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s official visit to Algeria. The North African country is exporting more gas to Europe in response to the Ukraine war. North Africa
Oman continues economic reforms by listing drilling company on stock exchange Oman’s fiscal performance has improved in the last year, and the country wants to produce more alternative forms of energy, such as hydrogen. Legacy: Gulf
OPEC Fund raises $1 billion via sustainability bond Gulf states in the organization are showing increasing interest in funding projects related to the environment, renewable energy and green technology. Legacy: Gulf
Middle East green finance to see further boost from COP28 PRO Trend Report: The Middle East's green finance space is growing rapidly, but it's still relatively small compared to the world's largest markets. The region is poised to become a bigger player ahead of COP28, though. (subscribers only, access with free trial)