Economics and Policy
The Lebanese Army is not under Hezbollah’s control despite criticism from some groups, and international support for the military is critical, President Michel Sleiman said in remarks published on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia tops the list of countries for laws that limit women’s economic potential, while South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa have made the least progress over the last 50 years in improving women’s economic opportunities, a new report said.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are set to show strong growth in the next two years as a result of infrastructure development and successful diversification of the economy, according to credit insurance agency Euler Hermes.
Dubai could benefit from a windfall of $23bn if it is successful in its bid to host World Expo 2020, according to a new report.
Companies and Business
Dubai’s Habtoor Leighton Group (HLG) has signed a $517m deal with the Al Habtoor Group to be the main contractor for the $1.33bn Al Habtoor City.
Megaprojects in Lebanon are continuing to be built despite the tough economic circumstances.
Middle East carriers are expected to post profits of $1.6 billion, overshooting the projected target of $1.5 billion, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) industry outlook for 2013.
