This week in MENA
Summary: MbS in Paris, Qatar moves in on Man United, the UAE rolls out the tax welcome mat for Russia, Kais Saied plays poker with the IMF, Ben-Gvir’s unquenchable thirst and atrocities in Sudan.
Summary: MbS in Paris, Qatar moves in on Man United, the UAE rolls out the tax welcome mat for Russia, Kais Saied plays poker with the IMF, Ben-Gvir’s unquenchable thirst and atrocities in Sudan.
Summary: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is using giga-projects to drive forward his plan to wean the kingdom off its dependency on oil revenues; the results thus far of his Vision2030 project are mixed but if oil prices hold steady MbS may yet see some of his hugely ambitious schemes come to fruition by the end of the decade.
Summary: the fighting in Libya may have all but ended in 2022 but that may be the calm before a coming storm as contestation grows over gas rights in the eastern Mediterranean.
Summary: a full-fledged scandal has erupted in the European Parliament, one that involves EU politicians, a suitcase jammed with euros and, allegedly, Qatar.
Summary: a full-fledged scandal has erupted in the European Parliament, one that involves EU politicians, a suitcase jammed with euros and, allegedly, Qatar.
Summary: Israel is positioning itself well when it comes to exploiting natural resources in the Middle East.
Summary: in Libya current events, peace processes and diplomats all seem to be caught in a cyclical game and the country appears to have now gone the full circle, returning to the environment which existed just before the start of the war on Tripoli in 2019.
Summary: there was a flurry of suggestions that the Saudi crown prince would come to London for the Queen’s funeral but in the end he didn’t show up while other senior Gulf dignitaries did.
Summary: with the Egyptian president’s visit to Doha today, after the Qatari Emir’s June visit to Cairo, old animosities are seemingly buried but Sisi will have to tread carefully lest he annoy Abu Dhabi by wooing Doha too energetically.
Summary: Rasha Al Aqeedi celebrates the joys of Arab cuisine while reserving a special place at the table for her favourite dish.