US Senate approves repeal of Caesar Act sanctions on Syria: What to know The 2019 Caesar Act imposed sweeping sanctions on Syria to hold the government accountable for human rights abuses committed during the country’s civil war. Syria
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's Ports Group expands footprint in Sudan The agreement allows the Abu Dhabi-based logistics giant to operate ports in Sudan and will contribute to the UAE’s growing influence on the African continent. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt’s trade with Nile Basin countries jumps amid Ethiopia dam crisis Cairo’s exports and imports with the region increased substantially in 2021, but they still represent a small portion of the total and growth remains uneven. Egypt
Biden rebooting relations with Africa at summit, ahead of 2023 visit Countries in the region have received little attention from US officials in the run-up to the meeting, as Washington neglected the continent and is lagging in its influence compared to Russia and China. Egypt
Drug shortage adds to Tunisia’s woes In light of the successive crises facing Tunisians, pharmacies across the country are suffering drug shortages, which the authorities are unable to resolve. North Africa
Analysis Africa seeks GCC-like economic trust at US summit Since the United States' last summit of its kind in 2014, US foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa dropped from $69 billion to $44.81 billion in 2021. By Salim A. Essaid
UAE-Ukraine trade deal would shore up Middle East food security The goal is to ultimately secure "all aspects of the international food production supply chain." Legacy: Gulf
Lebanese expatriates face high passport fees Many Lebanese expatriates abroad complain about the high fees of renewing passports. Lebanon
Culture Egyptian cafes see higher revenues during World Cup The World Cup in Qatar has boosted revenues of Egyptian cafes, as many supporters flock there to watch the games, due to the increasing subscription of beIN Sports channel. Egypt
Egypt embarks on new plans to develop river transport on Nile River Cairo has recently passed legal reforms to reorganize the river sector, which still remains marginal, in hopes this will catalyze much-needed private investments Egypt
Some Egyptian companies still dealing with Russia's alternative financial system Some Egyptian companies are secretly dealing with a Russian alternative financial system, in anticipation of international sanctions by the United States. Egypt
Egypt to increase fish production at Lake Bardawil Egypt is to develop one of the most important lakes in the north to ramp up its fish production and improve the economy in the northern Sinai Peninsula. Egypt
Egyptian students turn to private companies for employable skills Many Egyptian youth are graduating from universities and colleges without the skill sets needed to enter the current job market. Egypt