2007

Private equity in the region is like a limbering man: almostall acquisitions of this $20 billion industry are beingfinanced directly from the coffers of the private equityfunds. It is the …

The Gulf economies have moved ahead in the currentdecade. The extent of change is apparent when we rememberthat only eight years ago, the price of a barrel of OPECcrude went …

One of the world’s largest refugee crises is underway in theMiddle East. It has been going on for the last four years, but judging by the scant attention the issue …

It was the sort of invitation most people would avoid at all costs: ‘Please come and spend two hours flying on a plane that seats 550 – and end up …

The number of listed securities in the GCC is a flaw that the local governments have been trying to correct. Hence, there is a general consensus amongst regulators that getting …

Although still small in comparison to the conventional global banking sector, Islamic Banking (IB) has nevertheless grown so impressively in recent years that it now seems more like a critical …

Here in Washington, the winners of the 2006 mid-termelections had just started to enjoy their spoils when the2008 presidential campaign already started to heat up. Nosooner had Nancy Pelosi finished …

The United States’ cold war with Iran has taken aseries of sinister turns in recent weeks. Hopes of regionalco-operation over Iraq’s future are just one victim ofWashington’s drive to apply …

When US oil services behemoth Halliburton said this springit was moving its corporate headquarters to Dubai, exudationof praises ensued at full throttle. Maestro developerMohammed Alabbar of Emaar grandeur for example …

Local and foreign observers across the MENA region are inconsensus that the region lacks a key ingredient to anythriving democracy: a pool of professional journalists. Thishas created a drought of …