Saudi investment minister visits Morocco, Senegal on Africa trade drive Saudi Arabia has pledged more than $41 billion in investment in sub-Saharan Africa over the next decade. Saudi Arabia
Iran, Russia, Central Asia states ink Caspian Sea pact, plan naval drills The navies of Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement on Wednesday, aimed at strengthening security in the Caspian Sea basin as the four countries deepen their relations. Iran
World Bank ups Middle East 2025 economic outlook as oil, tourism rebound The lender expects gross domestic product growth in the region to average 2.8% this year, up from its April forecast of 2.6%. Iran
UAE deepens Asia ties as Malaysia, Australia trade deals kick in Asia accounts for around 60% of the world’s gross domestic product and pursuing trade deals there helps the UAE hedge against dependence on both the US and China. United Arab Emirates
Analysis OECD forecasts 3.7% growth for Saudi Arabia, citing US tariff shield By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Pharmacies in Lebanon shut, as bankrupt government plans airport expansion Gas stations are also threatening to close as long as authorities continue to ignore the economic collapse, while protests resumed on Tuesday. Lebanon
Analysis Jordan economic rating shows upswing, but problems remain Jordanians in the private sector are praising their government's ambitious economic strategies, but still see systemic inefficiencies as a barrier to making them a reality. By Salim A. Essaid
Qatar's Manchester United takeover could monetize new Mideast fan base A Qatari takeover of the English soccer club would “turbocharge” the global presence of the English Premier League, analysts told Al-Monitor Legacy: Gulf
Qatar loses 'World’s Best Airport' to Singapore, Turkey's Istanbul climbs to 6 Most Gulf Cooperation Council city airports went up in rank from last year's SKYTRAX’s World Airport Awards. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt signs $1.6 billion deals with China, EU companies to develop sea ports The Egyptian government wants its Red Sea and Mediterranean ports to help boost the economy amid rising inflation and declining foreign currency reserves. Egypt
Top Iran official meets UAE's Mohammed bin Zayed after Saudi thaw On his trip to Abu Dhabi, Iran's Ali Shamkhani spoke of "constructive" engagement as Tehran is exhausting all channels to push back on its growing isolation. Iran
UAE’s G42 buys $100 million share in China's ByteDance, parent of TikTok ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has seen its value fluctuate, predominantly due to investor uncertainty caused by a possible ban on TikTok in the United States. Legacy: Gulf
Biden administration budget would slash Tunisia’s economic aid The State Department’s latest budget calls for steep cuts to US economic aid to several countries in the Middle East while largely sustaining military aid. Tunisia
Saudi Arabia to buy 121 Boeing-787s in ‘historic’ $37 billion deal The agreements make up the fifth-largest commercial order by value in Boeing’s history and is valued at nearly $37 billion. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt’s exports to China up more than 20% in 2022 China is making inroads in the Middle East, including by strengthening economic ties to Egypt. Egypt
Saudi’s new Riyadh Air set to compete with Emirates, Qatar Airways The airline is expected to better connect travelers to Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural attractions, create more than 200,000 jobs and add $20 billion to non-oil gross domestic product. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Arabia’s 2022 GDP breaks record, exceeds $1 trillion Saudi Arabia’s government report states that it achieved its highest gross domestic product growth rate in over a decade in 2022 at 8.7% and broke its total amount record of more than $1 trillion last year. Legacy: Gulf
