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The Syria-Turkey Earthquake: New Prospects for ‘Normalisation’? 20 February 2023 - In theory, the aftermath of the earthquake that has primarily affected southern Turkey and northern Syria could offer new opportunities for the Syrian government to cement acceptance of its rule by both its Turkish neighbour and by the wider international… »
Iran’s Economy: A Bleak Picture but an Enduring Regime 29 December 2022 - The state of Iran’s economy presents an overall bleak outlook for the year 2023. Although assessments from major financial institutions point to economic growth for Iran for the coming year, this growth is limited, whereas inflation rates remain high and… »
Libya: Political Stalemate Hinders Further Oil and Gas Development 7 October 2022 - The political divide in Libya harms development of the country’s oil and gas sectors, and only adds to the severe doubts about whether the country can step up to meet European natural gas demand seeking alternatives to Russian supplies. It… »
Iraq’s Political Crisis: Escalation and De-Escalation Without Resolution 21 September 2022 - Iraq has recently seen the most severe infighting in years between political factions of the country’s Shi’a majority, as dozens of people were killed and hundreds were wounded overnight on 29-30 August in armed confrontations between followers of the Shi’i… »
African Gas: Europe’s Alternative to Russian Gas? 13 June 2022 - Following the beginning of Russia’s war with Ukraine on 24 February and Moscow’s use of the weapon of natural gas supplies against European countries in response to the Western sanctions, many European states have begun looking for alternatives to Russian… »
Oman’s new economic reality calls for Vision 2040 strategy rethink 9 June 2020 - John Davies The severity of the economic challenge facing Oman will persist long after the COVID-19 pandemic has receded, requiring the country to rethink its long-term approach to economic development. Vision 2040 remains a top priority for the leadership under… »