Tag: Middle East

Traditional model — grand pledging conferences followed by sluggish bilateral transfers — is obsolete and must be left behind…

Gulf stock markets rallied in September, following the Federal Reserve’s rate cut and renewed optimism that further rate cuts were to come. Behind the cheer lies a more complicated reality: debt issuance across the Middle East — sovereign, corporate and family-owned — is being delayed, restructured or burdened by high U.S.-imported borrowing costs…

Islamic finance has made much progress over the past two decades across banking, asset management and capital markets. There are now some $5tn of Islamic finance assets in an industry grounded in faith-based principles, according to estimates from the LSEG’s Islamic Finance Development Indicator. But Islamic finance — and in particular equity investing — needs further conversation about how to balance ethical integrity with the financial complexity of today’s world…

As Israel escalates its confrontation with Iran, Donald Trump faces a defining foreign policy test. The choice before him is not between diplomacy and war. Diplomacy has largely been exhausted; war, in some form, is already underway. The real question is more consequential and more concrete: should the United States supply Israel with its most formidable non-nuclear weapon, the 30,000-pound bunker buster, which only America has the air power capability to deliver…

The global sukuk market for Islamic finance faces a pivotal moment. A new framework from the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) threatens to destabilise a $1tn market that has become a vital funding source for sovereigns and corporates across the Middle East, Asia and beyond. The spiritual imperative behind proposed changes to AAOIFI’s Shariah Standard 62 is deeply respected. They seek to make sukuk debt appear less like debt with charged interest, something that is prohibited under Islamic law. However, the real-world effects could fracture a market that has flourished precisely because of its consistency and investor confidence. The stakes for global Islamic finance could not be higher…

As Donald Trump heads back to the White House, leaders across the Middle East anticipate the revival of a pragmatic partnership centered on economic growth, security, and regional stability. Trump’s first term resonated with Gulf leaders and beyond, emphasizing results over ideology—a stark contrast to the Biden administration. His tenure’s signature accomplishments, including the Abraham Accords, a robust stance on Iran, and business-driven diplomacy, are seen as a roadmap for renewed progress in the region…

The dramatic fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad marks a watershed moment in the tumultuous history of the Middle East. Mr. Assad’s regime, sustained for years by the external lifelines of Russia and Iran, finally crumbled under the weight of its contradictions and the enduring pressures of civil war. For the United States, his fall underscores critical lessons about our foreign policy failures and raises urgent questions about the road ahead…

As Donald Trump heads back to the White House, leaders across the Middle East anticipate the revival of a pragmatic partnership centered on economic growth, security, and regional stability. Trump’s first term resonated with Gulf leaders and beyond, emphasizing results over ideology—a stark contrast to the Biden administration. His tenure’s signature accomplishments, including the Abraham Accords, a robust stance on Iran, and business-driven diplomacy, are seen as a roadmap for renewed progress in the region…

President Biden entered office with a wealth of foreign policy experience and the promise to restore American leadership on the global stage. Yet, as his term nears its end, his administration’s handling of international crises raises questions about the effectiveness of his approach…