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Development

MENAP countries must work together to close GDP shortfall

Economic cooperation in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (MENAP) is a strategic must for continued regional prosperity and socio-economic development, says a new report. The introduction of bloc-wide common standards and free flow of capital, goods and services could help unlock up to US$230 billion in GDP, according to research from UAE […]

Qatar already has a rich portfolio in the UK, including London's iconic department store, Harrods

Qatar promise may trigger deluge of Gulf investments in UK

More Gulf sovereign wealth funds could make huge investments in the United Kingdom following a £10 billion commitment from Qatar. On Tuesday the UK and Qatar signed a new Strategic Investment Partnership which will see the emir state invest billions over the next five years in key sectors of the UK economy including  fintech, zero […]

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomes the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at Downing Street in London

Qatar pledges £10bn investment in key UK sectors

The UK and Qatar have signed a new Strategic Investment Partnership which will see Qatar invest up to £10 billion over the next five years in key sectors of the UK economy including fintech, zero emissions vehicles, life sciences and cyber security.  Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister, welcomed the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim […]

Riyadh hopes a nuclear pact can still be made with Iran

Saudi minister: ‘Not enough’ progress made in talks with Iran

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said yesterday that there had been some progress in talks with Iran but “not enough” and that the kingdom’s hands remain outstretched to Tehran. Sunni power Saudi Arabia and Shi’ite Iran, which are locked in proxy conflicts across the Middle East, have held five rounds of talks hosted by Baghdad. “We […]

Yemen famine aid

New financing urgently needed to aid famine relief in Yemen

Yemen is searching for new wheat suppliers but will need help to pay for increasingly costly imports, an official and a main importer said, as the World Food Programme (WFP) warned of cuts to food aid for millions already living on the brink of famine. Disruption to global wheat supplies due to the Ukraine war […]

President Volodymyr Zelensky at Davos

Zelensky tells Davos the world is ‘at a turning point’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed global business leaders at Davos on Monday, telling them the world faced a turning point and had to ramp up sanctions against Russia as a warning to other countries considering using brute force.  “History is at a turning point… This is really the moment when it is decided whether brute […]

Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum will once again lead the UAE's delegation in Davos

Climate change top of the agenda at Davos

The Gulf’s two largest economies, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are sending top-level delegations to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) annual meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, which begins today.  The UAE’s delegation, led by Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy prime minister and minister of finance, will also include Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, […]

Tie, Accessories, Accessory

Russian oil dilemma may kickstart EU-GCC trade deal

A new partnership adopted today between the European Commission and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) could kickstart stalled talks on a free trade agreement. The High Representative and the European Commission said in a joint communication that the strategic partnership would focus on areas such as energy security, climate change and the green transition, digitalisation, […]

Why Dubai property prices are surging at seven-year highs

Property prices in Dubai are rising at their fastest rate for seven years, according to new data released on Wednesday. Prices in Dubai’s residential market continue to expand, with prime residential prices, encompassing the Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills and Jumeirah Bay Island, surging by 58.9 percent over the last 12 months, said real estate consultancy […]

3 smiling children

‘Zakat can save the world’ … and this is how

International charities hit hard by the pandemic are turning to Zakat, which requires Muslims to donate a percentage of their wealth to help the needy As countries rich and poor reeled from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the work of charities was more important than ever. Yet many of these […]

Tie, Accessories, Accessory

Who is Lord Udny-Lister?

Edward Julian Udny-Lister is a special adviser to the UK government, a political strategist and former politician.  One of Boris Johnson’s closest aides, Udny-Lister served as Downing Street chief of staff from 2019 to 2021, primarily advising on strategy. He was the deputy mayor of London for policy and planning between 2011 and 2016 – […]

UK-Gulf deal will be ‘tough nut to crack,’ says top Johnson ally

The co-chairman of the UAE-UK Business Council and former chief strategic adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the upcoming UK-Gulf trade agreements could be delayed but bilateral opportunities remain immense Lord Udny-Lister, co-chairman of the UAE-UK Business Council and one of Boris Johnson’s closest political allies, cuts a distinguished figure amid the sumptuous surroundings […]

In Syria, business hub hopes to drive recovery from war

In an industrial zone in northern Syria’s rebel-held city of Al-Bab, Abu Omar al-Shihabi’s smelter churns out iron bars he says can compete with any produced in Syria and beyond. The industrial zone is an unlikely business hub. It is located on the edge of a city which was once occupied by Islamic State and […]

Yemen President Abd Rabuh Mansur Hadi. Picture: Creative Commoins

Saudi gives Yemen money and urges peace talks

Saudi Arabia welcomed the Yemeni president’s decision to transfer his powers to a new presidential council, urged the body to start negotiations with the Houthi group and said it would arrange $3 billion of support to the war-torn country’s economy, state news agency SPA said. Two billion dollars would come from Riyadh and another $1 billion […]