Opinion Agriculture The time is right for the GCC to stockpile grain The next six months are a window of opportunity for the GCC's food security The UAE holds food reserves for just three months. The Gulf should invest far more – and do it now Martin Keulertz, Lecturer, University of the West of England
Opinion Transport Coming soon to a Dubai venue near you – traffic jams Dubai’s traffic horror story is perhaps the price we pay for living somewhere so economically vibrant Just a few weeks into the return from summer and the omens are gloomy Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Telecoms It is vital we protect the Gulf’s internet super-corridors Progress on the Gulf's economic diversification must be built upon infrastructure There is an urgent need for the building of diverse terrestrial routes to bypass the Red Sea Kamel Al-Tawil, MD, Mena, Equinix
Opinion Agriculture Saham Agricultural City will offer Oman farmers a lifeline Oman's plan to build an agricultural city in Saham offers a lifeline to its 30,000 farmers The project should help reduce a reliance on increasingly costly imports Saleh Al-Shaibany, Journalist, Al-Safa Press & Publishing
Opinion Trade The UK’s economic woes make Gulf trade deal a priority If UK-GCC talks fail, individual Gulf countries will want to strike their own deals with Britain As Sir Keir Starmer's government runs into turbulence, it will need the help of its GCC allies as never before Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Education Dubai’s new university can disrupt the traditional model Dubai National University can be a trailblazer for our new age of automation The last thing the world needs is another dusty educational institution Senthil Nathan, MD, Edu Alliance Limited
Opinion Business of Sport Qatar scores Champions League deal in battle for Gulf skies Deals with prominent sports properties are a proven winner for attracting eyeballs Qatar Airways has added a new trophy to its prestigious sponsorship collection Simon Chadwick, Professor of AfroEurasion sport
Opinion Finance Republicans in the UAE rally to the Trump cause Republican supporters in the UAE are confident Donald Trump will prevail in the US election A panel at the Capital Club, Dubai, gave their views on the changing landscape ahead of polling day Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Banking and Finance Kuwait’s first banking merger is long overdue A Kuwaiti banking merger would indicate that shareholders are serious about expansion and profitability There have been bank mergers in every other GCC state – Kuwait might finally join the club Andrew Cunningham, Middle East banking consultant
Opinion Banking and Finance Fed loosening cycle may not be such a big fillip to Gulf Credit growth in Gulf economies tends to be more influenced by oil prices than monetary policy The region's banks are compelled to follow the Fed on interest rates but oil prices have more impact James Swanston, Mena economist, Capital Economics
Opinion Finance Look at the fall in startup investment. Now take a closer look… When funding is scarce, startups adopt a survival strategy. Most of the time, this leads to success No-context numbers don't tell the whole story on Mena startups. Here are some reasons to be hopeful Triska Hamid, Angel investor
Opinion Oil & Gas Opec’s no-win situation on oil prices The core Opec members need to begin climbing back up the slippery pole of market share There’s not much that the quota-bound bloc members can do for now Robin Mills, CEO, Qamar Energy
Opinion Oil & Gas Investment and trade are on a steady eastward trajectory Investment and trade connectivity between the Middle East and Asia is ramping up The direction of capital flow is set to continue from the Middle East to Asia Osama Naji El-Ali, Director, Citigroup
Opinion Oil & Gas Opec+ weighs which cards to play as options narrow Consensus is that Opec+ has played all its cards and is caught in a spiral of cuts and price falls To have the desired effect of raising revenue, prices would have to hit $100 a barrel Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Oil & Gas US Fed cuts will not prevent an oil-price crash in 2025 A global economic slump has arrived and an oil-price crash to $40 in 2025 is not unthinkable A range of factors are conspiring to cause a crude catastrophe Matein Khalid, Investor
Opinion Leisure & Hospitality Another little bit of Moscow in Dubai Marina Say what you like about our Russian friends, at least they bring colour and glamour to the locality Russians have brought glamour and sky-high rents to 'Marinagrad' Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Food & Drink Dubai deserves its place on the global culinary scene Expats comprise roughly 85% of Dubai, which is a key attraction for global restaurant brands Foodie landscape has had an impressive evolution, characterised by diversity Carla Falcon, Managing consultant, PKF Hospitality
Opinion Media & Advertising Cinemas are still a new frontier for Gulf advertisers Cinema ads are still relevant in the digital age, which is good news for GCC brands People pay more attention to commercials and attendance is rising Austyn Allison, Middle East advertising expert
Opinion Markets Gold has returned to its ancient role as a classic hedge Gold is a hedge against banking, property, FX and risk for China's flight capital kingpins Its spectacular bull run is fuelled by a unique set of geopolitical, monetary and financial catalysts Matein Khalid, Investor
Opinion Oil & Gas Vision 2030 on track but oil remains the key Vision 2030 is on track, said the IMF – but that was before Opec+ delayed its oil output increase Saudi Arabia's economy is strong but Opec's decision to delay its oil output hike could have reverberations Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Tourism The controversial painting primed to become Riyadh’s crown jewel When Salvator Mundi is unveiled, it will mark a watershed moment for Riyadh’s cultural vision Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi is poised to be a cultural anchor for the Saudi capital Adeline Pilon, Co-founder, Elyx Foundation & Company
Opinion Retail Swede dreams are made of this – but no meatballs, thanks Ikea is perhaps the perfect product for Dubai, but I will never again darken its doorstep The vast majority of homes in Dubai have at least one item from Ikea Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
