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Middle East/North Africa Politics

Corruption still a major hurdle for Turkey

Recent manifestations of entrenched corruption in Turkey threaten to unsettle investor confidence. The outcome of the Turkish local elections on March 30 left many political observers somewhat uneasy about the prospects

Finance North America

“Too Big to Fail” banks enjoy lower funding costs despite stronger regulations

Implicit subsidies for large systemic banks has come down since the crisis but it is still higher than before, reflecting an ongoing perception of government support for the largest banks. While

Economics Middle East/North Africa

Interview, part II of II: Kurdistan still faces investment roadblocks

This is the second of a two-part interview with Brady Jewett, Kurdistan Region Project Editor at Invest in Group, a publishing and research consultancy in partnership with the Kurdistan Regional Government

Economics Sub-Saharan Africa

South Africa GDP held back by poor infrastructure

Development of infrastructure is one of the top political priorities in Africa, to enable economic growth and competitiveness. Without adequate infrastructure endowment, Africa risks sacrificing about 2% of GDP growth

Europe Finance

Starbucks’ new European HQ sign of ‘tax posturing’?

Tax mitigation strategies are here to stay and so is public disdain for them, leading multinationals to start ‘tax posturing’. Starbucks is the latest example. On the surface, the announcement

Economics South and Central Asia

Kazakhstan to increase privatization of state-owned companies

Privatization could stimulate foreign investment and aid in the growth of the Kazakh economy, but not without major challenges. Kazakhstan has announced a wave of privatization to bolster foreign investment

Middle East/North Africa Natural resources and energy

Israeli gas upsets Mediterranean energy dynamics

Israeli natural gas exports have the potential to reshape energy dynamics across the Mediterranean, helping Israel and its neighbors to diversify their energy access. Regional political risks, however, loom large

International Natural resources and energy

Four Countries that beat the resource curse

Four countries that have successfully navigated the potential pitfalls of natural resource wealth provide examples of how best to avoid falling victim to the “paradox of plenty.” A quick look

International Security

Transnistria is another fracture in Ukraine crisis

As the European Union and United States negotiate with Russia over the situation in Ukraine, another disputed territory is attracting international attention. With the tension escalating in eastern Ukraine and Moldova

Economics Middle East/North Africa

Interview, part I of II: Kurdistan presents investment opportunity

This is the first of a two-part interview with Brady Jewett, Kurdistan Region Project Editor at Invest in Group, a publishing and research consultancy in partnership with the Kurdistan Regional Government to