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Economy & Business

An aerial view shows the destruction across Yarmouk camp, Damascus, Syria, on November 8, 2025. Established in 1957, Yarmouk was once the largest Palestinian refugee community in Syria, but years of conflict left much of it in ruins. (Photo by Omar Albaw / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by OMAR ALBAW/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Feature

Syria’s new order faces old problems: Sanctions, reconstruction and volatility

Although President Ahmed al-Sharaa has obtained major commitments from potential foreign investors, the economic and political challenges ahead remain significant.

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

This picture taken on December 11, 2019, shows an oil tanker at the port of Ras al-Khair, about 185 kilometres north of Dammam in Saudi Arabia's eastern province overlooking the Gulf. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia advances gas ambitions as $100B Jafurah plant comes online

The Finance Ministry reported that initial output at the massive Jafurah gas field has begun, with a capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day.

An aerial view shows the destruction across Yarmouk camp, Damascus, Syria, on Nov. 8, 2025.

What role is Jordan playing in Syria's reconstruction?

As Syria’s southern neighbor, Jordan is already positioning itself as a logistics hub and diplomatic broker for Syria’s reconstruction.

RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi PIF eyes $27B Japan portfolio as kingdom courts Asian investment

Saudi Arabia is strengthening economic ties with Asian countries as it pursues its economic transformation goals.

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

Latest News

Analysis

US-Gulf critical minerals ties grow in bid to weaken China’s grip on industry

Spots of gold-rich ore speckle a stone pictured during a press tour at the Al-Amar Gold Mine, in the Riyadh region on May 28, 2008.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Saudi Arabia opens Nomu Parallel Market to new investors: What to know

A man monitors the board at the Stock Exchange Market (Tadawul) bourse in Riyadh, Dec. 12, 2019.

Jordan-Syria trade surges as Damascus restores transit routes

Salah Malkawi/Getty Images

UAE showcases global AI ambitions with $1B Africa pledge at G20

His Excellency President CyrilRamaphosa welcomes G20 Heads of State and Government to the G20 Leaders’ Summit, hosted by South Africa at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Gauteng, on Nov. 22, 2025.

United Arab Emirates

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

China's Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang (C) delivers his speech.

At Africa summit, China elevates ties with Libya, invests $14M in Egypt

The Sino-Libyan pact was announced Wednesday by Chinese President Xi Jinping and President of the Libyan Presidency Council Mohamed al-Menfi at the FOCAC summit in Beijing.

A bank teller counts money as a customer looks on at a bank in Libya's western coastal city of Misrata on Aug. 25, 2024.

Libya factions agree to appoint new central bank chief to end crisis: UN

The House of Representatives, based in the eastern city of Benghazi, and the High State Council in Tripoli in the west signed a joint statement after two days of talks hosted by the UN Support Mission in Libya.

Police officers stand guard outside Libya's Central Bank headquarters in Tripoli on Aug. 27, 2024.

Interview

From Turkey, exiled Libyan Central Bank governor decries 'coup d'etat'

Governor Sadiq al-Kabir spoke exclusively to Al-Monitor after he and other senior officials at the Libyan Central Bank fled to Istanbul at the end of last month, as militias linked to Libya's internationally recognized government threatened them.

Sadiq al-Kabir

Sadiq al-Kabir

Governor of the Central Bank of Libya

Saudi Hawks

China, Russia, UAE make strong showing at Egypt International Airshow

China sent military aircraft to fly over the pyramids ahead of the event, which followed a joint naval exercise between Egypt and the People’s Republic.

King Abdullah Centre

Middle East fintech funding sees 650% spike in 2020-2023

Fintech is one of the most funded and transacted industries across the MENA region, according to a MAGNiTT report, accounting for 24% of all venture investment in the region in the first half of 2024.

Boeing

Analysis

Turbulent skies: How Israel-Iran tension is disrupting global aviation

Military action — and even the mere anticipation of conflict — often trigger widespread disruptions in airspace management, affecting commercial and cargo flights across the globe.

Mehran Haghirian

By Mehran Haghirian

A clerk counts banknotes at a currency exchange office in Lebanon's capital Beirut, on January 20, 2023.

Analysis

How close is Lebanon to being added to FATF grey list for money laundering?

The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is considering adding Lebanon to its ‘’grey list’’ of countries that enable money laundering by terror groups.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Libyan Central Bank Governor Sadiq al-Qabir speaks during a news conference in Tripoli, Jan. 13, 2012.

Libya central bank governor flees the North African country to avoid militias: Report

The Central Bank has been in crisis for several days, since its head of IT was kidnapped and released.

AFP via Getty Images

Libya's Sarir oil field latest to shut down amid central bank standoff

The Sarir oil field has halted almost all production of around 209,000 barrels per day, engineers said.

A vendor selling dates walks across a street in Islamabad on July 8, 2024, as cash-strapped Pakistan adopted a $68 billion budget laced with tax-raising measures on June 28, seeking to secure a new bailout from the IMF.

Pakistan to raise $4B from Middle East banks amid economic turbulence

For many years, Pakistan has relied on China and Gulf allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to roll over some of its debt to avoid having to repay it sooner.

Solar pannels cover the rooftops of the buildings of the Makhtar boarding school on September 29, 2022, in the Tunisian central-west region of the same name. - The Makthar boarding school, a unique business initiative is both generating income and opening pupils' minds to the outside world. Lotfi Hamadi, founder of the NGO "Wallah (Swear to God) We Can", is hoping that helping schools boost their resources through food and energy production can breathe new life into Tunisia's failing, cash-strapped educatio

Tunisia’s green hydrogen strategy will need domestic stakeholders

Francisco Serrano

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Saudi Arabia's oil revenue falls to three-year low as OPEC+ cuts bite

A low price environment and sustained production cuts have impacted Riyadh's ability to earn more oil revenue.

Jennifer Gnana

Samuel Wendel

By Jennifer Gnana , Samuel Wendel