Egypt’s tourism sector continues to lure private investors despite economic difficulties

Opportunities in the sector are set to increase following the government’s renewed bid to double the number of annual visitors from pre-pandemic levels and nearly triple annual tourism revenues to $30 billion by 2028, up from $12.2 billion in 2022.

Marc Español

From roads to routers: The future of China-Middle East connectivity

Latest Trend Report: China is deepening its engagement in the Middle East, and the region, by and large, is welcoming it.

Qatar forum warns of economic downturn, shift in cryptocurrency

One Qatar Economic Forum participant says it will take at least a generation to reach a point where the world can depend on clean power.

Qatar

Turkey Elections: Fears of internet restrictions mount with over a dozen under Erdogan

With a critical presidential election runoff on Sunday, Turks are on high alert for potential censorship and internet shutdowns.

Turkey

ADNOC boosts Middle East IPO activity as Saudi Aramco debates next moves

Amid an enduring global IPO slump, the Middle East continues to produce new listings in 2023 — headlined by Abu Dhabi’s national oil company ADNOC with the largest IPO globally of Quarter 1.

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

UAE unlikely to remove oil CEO as COP28 head despite Western protests

With his experience in both renewables and fossil fuels, the United Arab Emirates sees Sultan Al Jaber's role as important in bridging climate negotiators' interests and creating energy company buy-in.

United Arab Emirates

Qatar Airways struggles to rebound in China with post-COVID labor shortages

CEO Akbar Al Baker said that his airline was seeing a huge demand for travel post-pandemic but a “massive shortage” of capacity due to supply chain issues.

Qatar

Iran's Raisi visits Indonesia, announces agreement to ditch dollar

The Iranian government has signed a dozen agreements with Indonesia, pressing ahead with its pushback on sanctions that has also involved strategic deals with China, Russia and India. 

Iran

Qatar rolls out $275M market program in latest foreign investment push

The Qatar Investment Authority is setting up a market-making initiative to draw in more foreign investor interest and build up its capital markets.

Qatar

Double trouble: Lebanon’s Salameh gets second arrest warrant from Germany

Riad Salameh is under increased scrutiny in Europe on suspicions of money laundering at a time Lebanon is grappling with a deteriorating financial and economic crisis.

Lebanon

Egypt’s mounting debt raises doubts amid stalled reforms and inflows

High allocations and revenues tied to debt in the draft budget for the next fiscal year are causing concern at home and abroad.

Egypt

Israel raises interest rates to highest level since 2006

The Israeli economy was also affected by the government’s controversial judicial reform plans earlier in the year, though the situation may normalize following the reform’s pause.

Israel