Category: Europe

Qatar’s bid to host this year’s World Cup was always going to be controversial: the summers are too hot; there are not enough stadiums, hotels, and other necessary facilities; the country does not have a football culture. Still, the question of money and its influence in football should not overshadow the globalization of the sport. This World Cup is likely the prologue to more star Arab football players and maybe another Arab country hosting it…

The western political discussion on Ukraine remains largely focused on military support. But, as the war continues, foreign ministers and finance ministers across Europe are appropriately starting to discuss the financial cost of the war today and in the future when the international community must help rebuild the country…

Europe is facing an energy crisis that threatens its ability to phase out coal by 2030…

The French recently re-elected Emmanuel Macron for a second term as president. It is not clear that most French like Macron but we do know that a majority of French favored Macron over his 2nd round runoff opponent, Marine Le Pen. The election itself garnered more attention than many French probably could have expected. Portuguese, Spanish, and German leaders (Antonio Costa, Pedro Sanchez and Olaf Scholz respectively) thought it necessary to pen a letter in support of Macron. The Macron victory should not overshadow the economic realities underpinning the relative success of the Le Pen campaign.

To think many people predicted 2021 couldn’t get any worse than 2020. Little did they know that 2021 would bring delta, omicron, and inflation with a lot of messiness in-between. The result is 2022 will be volatile with a covid overhang and inflation coupled with aggressive interest rate hikes (by the U.S. Federal Reserve and other similar authorities across the globe) to combat the inflation – as a result, 2022 may present more distress than 2021. These are the markets distressed investors will, as a result, be watching in 2022.

Vaccines gave hope going into 2021…fast forward a year later and the omicron variant is not providing the same confidence, especially with much of the globe still not fully vaccinated and / or without a booster shot. Such a reality has created renewed economic uncertainty. As we enter 2022, there are several countries whose economic trends will provide some insight into the global economy going forward…

If Southern African leaders wrote a letter to the world after the first border closure for Omicron…

Modi may have appeared brash in his approach and his words at COP26…but that cannot overshadow the hard truths raised by his speech…

France is “America’s oldest friend and Ally” with a relationship “built upon [..] shared commitment to the same values – democracy, human rights, the rule of law, security, and prosperity” according to the State Department. The debacle of last month regarding submarine sales by the U.S. to Australia and a subsequent voiding of a French contract with Australia raises questions about the French-American alliance. Yet an assessment of the other two options in Europe – the U.K. and Germany – suggests France and the U.S. are made for each other…