Economy and trade

Australian Prime Ministry

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

A Riyadh Metro train makes its way along a track in the middle of a road in Riyadh on December 3, 2024.

What’s next for Saudi Arabia’s budget balancing act as deficit doubles?

The Gulf state now expects a deficit of $65.3 billion in 2025 — more than double the initial forecast — as the kingdom continues heavy spending amid weak oil prices.

The Saudi delegation meets with Vietnamese officials in Hanoi, Sept. 29, 2025.

After China, Saudi industry minister visits Vietnam in eastward economic push

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef met with a number of Vietnamese officials on Monday as the oil-rich Gulf kingdom looks east to diversify its economic alliances.

MAXIM SHEMETOV/AFP via Getty Images

Sudan, Russia sign trade deals as Khartoum seeks funds, Moscow eyes Red Sea port

The meeting in Moscow produced two agreements and an economic and trade cooperation protocol.

Latest News

Analysis

OECD forecasts 3.7% growth for Saudi Arabia, citing US tariff shield

Pictured is the entrance to King Abdullah Economic City in Jeddah, on Feb. 3, 2009.

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

Egypt’s Sisi talks water security with Rwanda's president in wake of Ethiopia’s megadam debut

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi greets his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame in Cairo, Sept. 23, 2025.

Turkey scraps tariffs on some US imports ahead of Erdogan-Trump meeting

US President Donald Trump (L) and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) leave the stage after the family photo to head to the plenary session at the NATO summit at the Grove hotel in Watford, northeast of London.

Analysis

As Carrefour retreats in Mideast, can new Gulf superstore brand advance?

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

MARTIN BERTRAND/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images

Exclusive

EU could partially suspend Israel's association agreement within weeks: Sources

European diplomats told Al-Monitor that in view of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the European Commission is expected to present options to member states for pressuring Israel on the issue.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright speaks with Al-Monitor president Andrew Parasiliti at an Al-Monitor Global Institute event in Washington, DC, May 22, 2025.

US backs more energy investment in Kurdistan region: Energy secretary

Speaking at the Al-Monitor Global Institute event, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright signaled American support for further investment in Iraqi Kurdistan’s hydrocarbon resources.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (R) sits next to US President Donald Trump as he speaks to Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg (L).

Analysis

Trump’s Gulf trip lifts embattled Boeing with Qatar, UAE deals

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

AI chips, drones, jets: A look at Trump's $3.2 trillion megadeals during Gulf trip

Amid photo ops and lavish receptions, President Donald Trump’s Gulf trip yielded $3.2 trillion in announced deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE — though some details remain vague.

Trump

In Gulf trip, Trump to prioritize blockbuster deals amid regional turmoil

President Donald Trump is set to land in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the first stop in a Gulf tour focused on securing massive investments.

DIMITRIS KAPANTAIS/SOOC/AFP via Getty Images

On fifth Greece visit, Egypt’s Sisi and Mitsotakis advance energy projects: What to know

The new partnership agreement appears to further cement the two nations' growing ties even as migration challenges persist.

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Israel pounds Yemen after Houthi missile strike near Tel Aviv airport: What to know

Foreign airlines are canceling flights to and from Israel after a missile launched from Yemen landed just outside the terminal at Ben Gurion Airport.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

OPEC+ moves up meeting as oil prices continue to drop: What to know

Saudi Arabia has signaled it is willing to live with lower oil prices as US President Donald Trump calls for more production.

Sheikha Mayes Al-Thani speaks at inaugural USQBC-SelectUSA event in Washington, DC, February 25, 2024.

Interview

Qatar’s digital future offers opportunities in AI, energy, says head of US-Qatar Business Council

Talent, not just capital, is key to sustainable growth, says Sheikha Mayes Al Thani.

Sheikha Mayes Al Thani

Sheikha Mayes Al Thani

Managing Director, US-Qatar Business Council

UAE/LEBANON

UAE lifts Lebanon travel ban, signals support for $11B reconstruction in sign of thaw

The United Arab Emirates and Lebanon will establish a joint business council and explore joint projects, suggesting the UAE could play a role in Lebanon’s economic recovery.

MAHMUD TURKIA/AFP via Getty Images

Libya, Turkey deepen economic ties with new trade committee, $5B target

Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on a visit to Tripoli that the two countries want to increase their annual trade volume from $3.7 billion to over $4 billion this year and to $5 billion in 2026.

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

Motorists wait at a traffic light by the Central Bank of Egypt building in Cairo early on March 4, 2024.

Analysis

Can Egypt’s economic comeback absorb Trump’s global trade shocks?

Buoyed by foreign investment and cautious reforms, Egypt’s fragile recovery faces a new test from Trump’s tariff-fueled trade turbulence.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech