Memos

Expert insights to understand regional trends.

Memo

Tunisia gains economic breathing room with boost from Saudi Arabia, but budget problems linger 

Stephen Quillen

Stephen Quillen

Tunisian employees of travel agencies and the tourism sector demonstrate in front of the Tourism Ministry on October 20, 2020 in Tunis to call for state subsidies in consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. - Tunisia, which was already battling high unemployment before the start of the pandemic, has seen a record shrinking of its economy. The key tourist industry has all but collapsed, with tourism income plunging 60 percent and swathes of hotels likely to close permanently, officials said last month. (

Guests attend the Global AI 2020 (Artificial Intelligence) Summit in the Saudi capital Riyadh on October 21, 2020

Middle East startups navigate funding crunch as global venture slump deepens

A once hot venture market for Middle East startups is cooling amid an enduring global investment slump.

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Hind Omar, an Egyptian woman metro train driver, poses through the entrance of a life-size train simulator at Adly Mansour station in the capital Cairo's northeastern neighbourhood of Heliopolis on May 31, 2022. - As it prepares to expand to serve a population now exceeding 20 million, the Cairo metro has recruited Egypt's first female train drivers, a novelty in a country where few women have formal jobs. Since April, commuters on the network's newest line have seen women take the controls in the driver's

Egypt’s bid to develop rail sector put to test by dire economic headwinds

The mission ahead to revamp Egypt's train network is daunting, especially at a time when the country faces serious economic woes.

Marc Español

Israeli Tech

Israeli tech at risk of not joining global industry recovery

Israeli tech shares are sharply underperforming their US peers.

David Rosenberg

David Rosenberg

In Tel Aviv, reporting on business and tech

A woman takes a photo of the LEGO-made Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque miniature at Dubai's LEGOLAND theme park, on March 7, 2022. - Over 60 million LEGO bricks are in MINILAND, where LEGOLAND Dubai has recreated scenes and famous landmarks from the UAE and Middle East region, including Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Gulf’s non-oil growth offers new investment opportunities

The Gulf’s largest economy has encouraged foreign investors to invest in its emerging non-oil sectors.

Sebastian Castelier

Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

An employee prepares a basket of groceries at the storage department of the Algerian delivery company Yassir, in the capital Algiers on February 23, 2022. - It's the Algerian start-up that made good: despite the country's notoriously complex business climate, taxi and home-delivery firm Yassir has millions of users and is expanding across Africa. (Photo by RYAD KRAMDI / AFP) (Photo by RYAD KRAMDI/AFP via Getty Images)

Algeria ready to deliver e-commerce growth

Algeria is forecasted to be the fastest growing e-commerce market in the Middle East and North Africa in the coming years.

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

TOPSHOT - A Saudi man talks on his mobile under the shade of solar panel at a solar plant in Uyayna, north of Riyadh, on March 29, 2018. On March 27, Saudi announced a deal with Japan's SoftBank to build the world's biggest solar plant. / AFP PHOTO / FAYEZ NURELDINE (Photo credit should read FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

The future of renewable energy generation in the Gulf

There is a global race to build clean energy infrastructure, and the Gulf states are excelling as key competitors in this race.

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy

This picture taken on September 12, 2021 shows a view of the company offices of "al-Gameya", a tech startup the runs an app to facilitate for strangers to create an informal money-pooling association to provide access for money in time of need, points a screen showing to the application's online portal at the company offices, in Egypts capital Cairo. - Cash-strapped Egyptians fearful of banks have long relied on a "gameya" to access money in time of need, but now tech startups are cashing in on the practice

Egypt’s startup ecosystem tests its resilience amid economic turbulence

Egypt’s startup scene has shown its resilience amid severe economic woes.

Marc Español

A Qatari trader prepares before the opening of the stock market at the Qatari stock exchange in Doha on July 31, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)

Qatar joins Gulf IPO spree as post-World Cup economic plans advance

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Employees work at headquarters housing Alibaba, Iran's largest online travel booking service, in the capital Tehran on February 17, 2020 - Iran's startup sector, which began to develop in the 2000s, took off from 2013. But new technology and the use of smart phones were hit hard by the reinstatement of US sanctions in 2018, after the United States withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. An unexpected effect of the sanctions has been that Iranian entrepreneurs have seized the opportunity to launch startups. (Ph

Iran needs drastic reforms to mitigate brain drain's impact on economy, tech sector

Deteriorating socioeconomic conditions and the absence of a functioning ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship are compelling many educated Iranians to migrate.

Bijan Khajehpour

Bijan Khajehpour

In Vienna, reporting on Iranian politics

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JUNE 23: People walk past a currency exchange shop on June 23, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Turkish Lira weakened to a record low of 25.74 against the dollar, a day after the central bank hiked interest rates from 8.5 percent to 15 percent in the first rate decision since the appointment of new central bank governor Hafize Gaye Erkan and the re-election of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Turkish lira outlook: Policy shift indicates progress, but bolder rate hikes needed for investor confidence

The recent rise in interest rates in Turkey could potentially signal a turning point for the Turkish lira.

Piero Cingari

Visitors use an augmented reality mask on the Saudi Arabia company STCs stand at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona on February 27, 2023. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP) (Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images)

Gulf investors shape US-China tech competition, from Silicon Valley to Shenzen

Facing a funding drought, big name US venture capitalists have been descending on the Gulf in search of fresh funds.

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Models of long-range missiles are pictured at the Elbit systems display stand at the Farnborough Airshow, in Farnborough, on July 19, 2022. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Israeli arms exports to get lift from Ukraine war and rising global tensions

Israel exported a record $12.5 billion in arms last year, and that growth is likely to continue over the next several years.

David Rosenberg

David Rosenberg

In Tel Aviv, reporting on business and tech