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

Business and Economy Cover Image

Economy & Business

A picture taken at the port of Dilovasi, outside Istanbul, on June 20, 2019, shows the drilling ship Yavuz scheduled to search for oil and gas off Cyprus.

Turkey eyes offshore energy pact with Syria in 2026 amid East Med isolation

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has offered up details on a deal with Syria that could unsettle regional rivals in the gas-rich Eastern Mediterranean.

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Australian LNG deal marks latest step in Turkey's energy diversification push

Although Turkey does not have abundant oil and gas resources, Ankara wants to position itself as a regional gas hub linking Europe and Asia.

A picture taken from a station of Dubai's Palm Monorail shows traffic on a road in Palm Jumeirah on Aug. 28, 2025.

Feature

Cheap oil, tighter finances, wars constrained Mid East economies in 2025

Low oil prices, tighter financial conditions and elevated geopolitical risk hampered growth across much of the Middle East and North Africa this year.

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

View of Damietta Segas LNG Terminal, in Damietta, Egypt, which is an export terminal belong to Spanish Egyptian Gas Company.

Analysis

Egypt’s $35B Israel gas deal buys time, tests fragile energy partnership

The agreement is a critical stopgap as Cairo grapples with domestic power demands, but the last two years have tested Egypt-Israel energy cooperation in unprecedented ways.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Latest News

Turkey hits renewable milestone as solar surpasses gas in power capacity

Employees install new solar panels at the Kalyon Energy's Karapinar Solar Power Plant on December 02, 2021 in Karapinar, Turkey.

Analysis

Gulf finance hubs race to expand as hedge funds flock to Dubai, Abu Dhabi

Traffic moves on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai on March 24, 2025.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Maersk resumes Red Sea passage after two-year halt amid easing Houthi threat

A ship sails along Egypt's Suez Canal near Ismailia, April 16, 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

Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

Jennifer Gnana

Gulf Correspondent

In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics

A picture taken on Sept. 25, 2011, shows a worker loading palm oil fruits onto a lorry at a plantation in Bintulu Sarawak.

Egypt turns to Malaysia, Indonesia for vegetable oil amid food export bans

Amid a severe shortage and soaring local prices, Egypt is exerting efforts to resume imports of vegetable oil from Indonesia and Malaysia.

Palestinian bread baker

World Bank official: Lebanon, Yemen, Syria most food-insecure in region

Many states across the Middle East and North Africa meet the criteria for food insecurity, experts said at a US Institute of Peace event.

Egyptian farmers harvest wheat in Bamha village.

World Bank approves $500 million loan to Egypt for food security

Egypt, like other countries in the region, is contending with food security and price increases related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

A man looks on near the stand of US multinational technology conglomerate Meta.

Qatar partners with Meta on digital economy

Gulf states are working to increase the size of their digital economies.

An aerial view taken on Oct. 2, 2021, shows people swimming and paddling off the coast of the northern Lebanese city of Batroun.

Outrageous prices keep Lebanese from swimming

Many Lebanese have been complaining about high entrance fees to swimming pools and water resorts amid low salaries due to the local currency depreciation.

ECOWAS flag with various member flags.

UAE to increase exports to countries in West Africa

The Emirates is one of the biggest investors in Africa. Turkey, Qatar and Israel have significant interests on the African continent as well.

Bedouin men eat their dinner in a tent on Oct. 9, 2013, in the Bedouin village of Al-Arakib, Israel.

Israel to build first solar plant on Bedouin land

A unique agreement with the State offers a Bedouin tribe in the south of Israel real ownership of its land, enabling it to rent out space for the construction of a giant solar plant.

A vendor sells fruits at the central market during the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan, Rabat, Morocco, May 6, 2020.

Imports up pressure on Morocco’s foreign reserves

Energy and food imports alongside a growing trade deficit put pressure on Morocco’s foreign currency reserves.

Digital currency.

Gaza YouTuber scams million dollars, vanishes

Dozens of citizens in Gaza fell victim to the fraud of Palestinian YouTuber Jalal al-Najjar who collected one million US dollars and vanished.

A general view of the Egyptian Exchange, Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 6, 2013.

Islamic finance grows despite global economic turmoil

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Ankara forces companies to sell hard currency as circle tightens

The Turkish government’s latest loan restriction may help the embattled lira recover to some extent, but not without the risk of damaging side effects.

Morocco drought

Morocco invests in desalination plants as drought worsens

Located in an arid zone characterized by rain disruption, Morocco seeks solutions to solve water scarcity and ensure supply for domestic, industrial, and agricultural purposes