JUNE 2007

The Middle East roundtable

Taking the hejab heat
Life in Iran is tough in 2007

Boomtown: managing UAE growth
Gulf economies moving ahead but must control development

France enters new era
Sarkozy's victory changes global politics

The 'Shiitization' of Syria
Are Shias trying to seize control of Syria?

The after-neocon effect
American neo-conservative movement dies with Wolfowitz

Selling a war
Convincing Westerners to back Iraq

Beirut on my mind
Lebanese travel plans prevented by lack of finance

Iraqi refugee catastrophe
Thousands of displaced in desperate of support

Time for change
Lebanon plans to increase business activity

On the A380
On the A380

Human development at last!
Focusing on real change

Labor of love for the UAE
Letter from the GULF

The dire need for acquisition financing
The need for acquisition funding

Implementing Paris III: what it takes
Implementing Paris III: what it takes

Looking Overseas – Banks eye lucrative markets
Alpha and Beta banks are getting in on the expansion action

Alternative Strategies - Banks staying strong
Despite political turmoil, the sector is still registering strong growth

Foreign Banks: Staying put
International banks not leaving

Syria: A new attitude
Banking reforms have allowed promising growth in the sector

Jordan: Coming of age
Amman's banking sector blooms

Turkey: Holding the course
Despite monetary controls, the banking sector remains dynamic

UAE: Bullish Outlook
Banking sector still performing

UAE: Tale of two banks
EBI and NBD to merge

Saudi Arabia: The big Picture
Investors going giddy over mega growth in the economy

Qatar: A nation rises
Now one of the top three wealthiest countries in the world

Bahrain: Putting out all the stops
The Gulf island competes with its neighbors in a heated race to become the Islamic banking hub of the Middle East

Kuwait: Tapping into banking gold
The banking sector is proving a key player on the KSE

GCC: Snag in single currency plan
Kuwait’s national currency will no longer be pegged to the US dollar

Egypt: Reform flurry
The Central Bank sets the stage for major growth in the banking sector

Sudan: Ripe market
Lebanese banks are eagerly setting up shop in Khartoum

Algeria: On track
Privatization gets the green light

Morocco: New direction
Sharia-compliant finance comes knocking on the banking door

Tunisia: Banking on it
IMF report highlights NPL issues

MENA: Tourism tracker
The region’s leading lands of leisure

Money Matters by BLOMINVEST Bank

Public Private Partnership can boost ME economic development

GCC - New direction
Gulf banks tap new market with Islamic credit cards

Company bulletin

Regional equity markets
A look at Arab-world indices in May

Global economic data
Journalists killed on duty and healthcare spending

Goodbye, but not good riddance
Wolfowitz put up the good fight, but the World Bank got its way