Climate crisis stokes growing challenges amid Middle East economic diversification drives
June 2024 Al-Monitor Trend Report
2,332 words
Leadership turnover fuels new uncertainty as Mideast economies navigate Gaza fallout
May 2024 Al-Monitor Trend Report
2,298 words
A region beset by unending upheaval faced more in May 2024, with top Mideast powers bracing for major leadership changes after the sudden death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. That came as Saudi Arabia’s 88-year-old King Salman simultaneously fell ill, underlining potential for an imminent royal succession.
Mideast passes stress test as Iran-Israel trade blows, but economic challenges remain
April 2024 Al-Monitor Trend Report
2,404 words
Months of scorching hot Mideast tensions sparked by the Gaza war finally boiled over into open attacks between Israel and Iran in April, giving shape to a long-feared eruption of a regional war that — alongside adding to the human toll — could deliver another jolt of economic pain locally and globally.
Growing Middle East economic and investment cooperation caught between tailwinds and headwinds
March 2024 Al-Monitor Trend Report
2,410 words
Middle East economic powers gamble on new realities, from oil demand to Egypt’s future
February 2024 Al-Monitor Trend Report
2,430 words
A historic deal has Egypt’s battered economy nearing a potential turning point. On Feb. 23, Cairo unveiled a $35 billion investment from the UAE centered on developing a prime slice of the Mediterranean coastline. Touted as Egypt’s largest ever deal, the investment changes the outlook for a government grappling with a crippling financial crisis.
Middle East economic outlook dims amid turbulent start to 2024
January 2024 Al-Monitor Trend Report
2,572 words
Heading into 2023, Middle East economies were riding high after the region posted a 5.6% growth rate over the prior year, making it a global bright spot in a generally gloomy environment clouded by recession fears. A year later, the Middle East again stands out as an outlier but for the opposite reason, as the escalating Israel-Hamas war teeters on the brink of producing widespread economic pain.
How 2023 shaped the Middle East’s post-oil future amid Gulf energy transitions laden with controversy
December 2023 Al-Monitor Trend Report
2,247 words
The curtain has closed at COP28 in Dubai after delivering a historic global agreement to “transition away” from fossil fuels, but the UAE continues pumping out dealmaking shaping the path to a post-oil future. On Dec. 18, Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio announced a $2.2 billion investment from Abu Dhabi-backed fund CYVN, the same day that Dubai-based decarbonization company Positive Zero revealed it could receive up to $400 million from BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager.
How the Israel-Hamas war is impacting Middle East economies, from energy to arm sales
November 2023 Al-Monitor Trend Report
2901 words
As billion-dollar deals took flight during the Dubai Airshow in November 2023, a noticeable absence hovered over proceedings: exhibition stands for Israeli weapons makers Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael stood empty and unstaffed at the start of the weeklong expo, Reuters reported Nov. 13.
Tourism tipping point: Middle East travel boom delivering economic boost as Israel-Hamas war threatens recovery
October 2023 Al-Monitor PRO Trend Report
3,391 words
Introduction
Empty hotels, canceled flights and travel advisories. The outbreak of fighting between Israel and Hamas in October 2023 has undercut a fledgling tourism rebound in the Holy Land after years of struggle. The fallout could spread further, with the prospect of a wider war looming over an even bigger tourism boom unfolding across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
