Analysis Real Estate Gulf home buyers eye Battersea Power Station in London Gulf investors are snapping up London properties beyond the traditional smart neighbourhoods such as Chelsea and Kensington, north of the river Thames. With a weak pound offering great purchasing power for Gulf currencies and an upcoming visa liberalisation for GCC countries with Britain, MENA-based property investors are flocking to England’s capital. And Arab buyers have […] July 11, 2022
Analysis Aftershocks: Afghan economy crumbles as disaster strikes The Taliban spent two decades fighting and brokering with Western powers to secure their demands for US-backed troops to leave Afghanistan after the 2001 invasion. But after storming back to power with a rapid military campaign in August 2021, the Islamist group has turned to the same governments with an urgent appeal for aid after […] June 23, 2022
Analysis Energy Oil sector revs up to exploit higher prices The Iraqi oil sector is surging, with revenues hitting $11.1 billion in March – the highest monthly oil export figure since 1972. In April, crude oil exports (excluding the Kurdistan region) rose by 3.9 percent to 3.38 million barrels a day. Buoyed by promising increases in output and high oil prices, Baghdad is setting optimistic […] June 23, 2022
Analysis Development Political impasse overshadows oil bonanza Precious time is slipping away in Iraq. Since parliamentary elections eight months ago, a political impasse has blocked any moves to deal with the country’s bundle of crises: the lack of access to basic services, insecurity, high unemployment and rampant corruption. The Sadrist Movement, which won the most seats in the October 2021 election, proposed […] June 23, 2022
Analysis Development Power infrastructure continues to generate headaches As the peak summer months draw near and political stalemate continues to block hopes for reform in Iraq, concern is mounting that the poor performance of the country’s power sector could spark a return to mass protests. Iraq’s electricity infrastructure is in dire straits. Ravaged by war, decades of mismanagement, political chaos and corruption, power […] June 23, 2022
