Middle East/North Africa
Despite Recent Progress, Instability Persists in Somalia
Just one year ago, Somalia, which has weathered near-constant conflict of varying intensity since 1991, looked poised to finally emerge from the cycle of violence and economic despair. A new
Oman’s Ports Welcome Outside Investors
Though the quiet Sultanate of Oman may not make international headlines very often, the good things happening at its ports will have positive implications both domestically and internationally. The majority
Jordan’s ‘Sowt’ a new voice for the Arab Spring
It is podcast meets Twitter. Available in English and Arabic, Sowt (meaning “voice” in Arabic) allows users to share with the world an audio message lasting forty-two seconds or fewer.
Rising Trade and FDI Between Arab World and Latin America
The airspace between South America and the Arab world is getting a lot busier. A number of carriers have recently added routes between Middle Eastern hubs and cities on the
Working Class Iranians Demand Labor Reforms
Last week, several hundred unemployed, underemployed, and underpaid steelworkers demonstrated in Tehran outside of the Iranian parliament. In the wake of the election of moderate cleric Hassan Rouhani many working
Morocco’s Government Begins to Unravel
On 10 July 2013, the Istiqlal party announced its spontaneous departure from the Moroccan government. As the second largest political party within the Moroccan parliament, forming part of the governing
Coup or Not, Egypt’s Problem is the Economy
What happened in Egypt was not a coup; it was a popular uprising against an incompetent president, who failed to deliver what he promised over a year ago. He ruled
Competitiveness Report Digest Part II: The Levant and North Africa
See Part I for an introduction to the Arab World Competitiveness Report 2013. Just as the Gulf countries exhibit similar strengths and weaknesses, countries of the Levant and North Africa
Why Egypt’s Coup Was So Effective
Until the start of this month, Egypt could count itself as a member of an exclusive club of nations in Africa that had not experienced a coup d’etat (successful or
Competitiveness Report Digest Part I of II: Gulf Countries
On the occasion of its meeting at the Dead Sea in May 2013, the World Economic Forum (WEF) collaborated with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to author the
