Home MAY 2009

MAY 2009

by reeda

MAY 2009

 

EDITORIAL





COMMENT



Damascus‘ dove dying in Israel
Chances for peace plummet with new Knesset






Ahoy ye high seas hypocrisy!
Somali piracy a Robin Hood story in the Indian Ocean






Jordan’s barter
Hashimite kingdom plays its cards in international trade






The capitalist mea culpa
Free-marketeers say "oops, sorry!" at G-20 summit






Vietnam then, Afghanistan now
Obama’s ‘surge’ reminiscent of previous US failures






The third way in Iran
Centrist candidate emerges in presidential election




EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS























EM Leadership Center
The business of ‘peopleization‘




LEVANT



Lebanon Election
Q&As with the candidates






Economics – After the vote
What happens to foreign aid and financing if the opposition wins?






Campaign priorities – The Grand Serail’s to-do list
Businessmen, academics and civil society leaders speak their mind






Telecom’s tortuous tangle
Communications network a mess and a national shame






Routed back to the roost
As job losses mount among the diaspora, many return home






Return of the tourist
The Lebanese allure is back, drawing travelers from far and wide






Built by foreign hands
Non-Lebanese an integral part of the country’s workforce and economy






A dawning market
Damascus Securities Exchange opens its eyes and stretches its legs






A curious sort of bank
Damascus and Tehran create a new financial institution with no apparent purpose






Billions in bonds rolled
Beirut carries out largest debt exchange ever outside the United States






Banks’ secrets in the safe
International transparency reforms no threat to Lebanese accounts






Tenderly international
Ankara’s amends with the IMF




SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP: YOUNG ARAB LEADERS



Creators of a better tomorrow
Arab professionals give back to their societies by investing in the region’s youth






Dr. Omar Bin Sulaiman
Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre and chairman of Young Arab Leaders






Assem O. Kabesh
Member of the board of the Dubai International Financial Centre and CEO of Young Arab Leaders






Emile Khoury - Q&A
Chairman and CEO of Virgin Megastore in Lebanon & managing director of CIEL




GCC



Putting action into words
Beyond just talk, empowered professionals are making a real difference






Cityscape 2009
Realty show much less rushed but more refined than years past






Defining Islamic products
Huge market potential checked by lack of standardized guidelines




NORTH AFRICA



Iran’s Maghreb reception
Tehran welcomed in Mauritania while getting the cold shoulder in Morocco






Investment’s third season
Bouteflika’s re-election gives economic reforms new fertilizer






An economy less fueled
Fallen oil and commodity prices drain 2009 revenue projections






Building momentum
Rabat lays the bricks of infrastructure






Private power
Free markets to charge national grid




CONSUMER SOCIETY



Watches – BaselWorld 2009
Still a jewel despite the slowing global economy






A slower tick
Manufacturers down-gear in troubled times




BANKING & FINANCE







The financial crisis – Banked with optimism
In a gloomy economy, one banker sees bluer skies ahead












BUSINESS ESSENTIALS





FINANCIAL INDICATORS



Regional equity markets
A look at Arab World indices for April




CAPITALIST CULTURE



Lebanon – Media‘s many mouths
Partisan reporting from all sides balances the message