Egypt’s Sisi, Putin meet as Russia steps up Africa push: What to know Wednesday’s meeting comes on the sidelines of the third Russia-Africa Summit, a two-day gathering in Moscow bringing together African leaders and officials. Egypt
Canada, UAE sign trade pact as Ottawa seeks to diversify beyond US The agreement is set to broadly lift tariffs on key products as Canadian officials hope to boost bilateral trade to $7 billion within a decade. United Arab Emirates
Macron secures Gulf diesel supplies as France grapples with fuel costs, unrest France now has commitments for 295,000 metric tons of diesel per month from the Gulf, accounting for just over 10% of the European country’s consumption. Bahrain
Saudi Arabia postpones 'Davos in the Desert' until 2027 amid Houthi attacks The Future Investment Initiative, which typically attracts the CEOs of some of the biggest companies in business, finance, and technology to Riyadh, will now be held next year. Saudi Arabia
Analysis How Hormuz crisis is reshaping economic ties between Iraq and Syria By Shelly Kittleson In Baghdad, reporting on Iraqi politics
Turkish exports to Syria revived under shadow of war Turkey remains Syria's leading supplier of goods despite the ongoing war, with exports standing at some $1.4 billion last year. Syria
Russia finds navigating new development tricky in Syria Syria is slowly being seen less as a military liability and more as an investment opportunity, though there are still many potential challenges. Syria
Iran’s insurance industry braces for impact of US sanctions As Iran’s insurance industry awaits the re-imposition of US nuclear-related sanctions, the sector is this time better prepared for external restrictions. Iran
Can Palestine be transformed into investment hub? Foreign investments in Palestine accounted in 2017 for $1.5 billion, mostly in the tourism and banking sectors, with Palestine offering a range of encouraging incentives. Palestine
Iran's outreach to India after US exit from nuclear deal faces obstacles While Iran will likely receive political and trade support from the Indian government, Indian business with exposure to the United States will likely succumb to pressure from Washington. United States
Turkey's steel wars heat up While gearing up for countermeasures against US steel tariffs, Turkey faces a fresh challenge from regional steel producers who are increasingly targeting its own market. Turkey
Can Egypt’s Central Bank save thousands of faltering factories? The Egyptian Central Bank launched a new initiative to save more than 5,000 faltering factories by repaying their loans. Egypt
Is Turkey headed for IMF bailout? An increasing number of observers see an inevitable prospect of Turkey seeking an IMF bailout, yet the country is not on its beam-ends yet and the outcome of the June 24 polls will bear on its ability to keep its economy afloat without going to the IMF. Turkey
Will Sadr’s victory impact Russia-Iraq relations? The pragmatism displayed by Iraq's Muqtada al-Sadr indicates that Moscow-Baghdad ties will continue — or even expand — when the new government is formed. Iraq
Turkey’s agricultural decline rings alarm bells The Turkish government is under fire for mismanaging the agricultural sector, whose decline has sent food prices soaring and forced the importation of basic items such as wheat, beans, meat and even straw. Turkey
Turkish defense industry at critical juncture After significant progress on the domestic level, the Turkish defense industry has reached a challenging phase in which it needs to enhance its export capacity to ensure sustainable growth. Turkey
Egypt eyes World Cup as golden opportunity for economy After a 28-year absence, Egypt hopes to take advantage of its participation in the 2018 World Cup, hosted by Russia, to achieve some economic gains. Egypt
