Marc Goutalier on Saudi Arabia: “Riyadh aims to diversify its portfolio”
ByTheEast: Saudi Arabia is currently in the spotlight. What can we expect from Russian president Vladimir Putin's visit to Riyadh today?
Marc
Goutalier: In geopolitical terms this is symbolic...
Water scarcity in the Middle East, the growing normal
Water scarcity
is not a modern phenomenon, nor are wars over access to water. 4,500 years ago,
in what was then known as Iraq, a battle was fought between two ancient city
states over water...
How nomadism made Africa a land of disruptive innovation
Mobility, innovation and stability, three of the most important civilizational factors in economic development, are not calibrated the same way in every region of the world. Mary McAuliffe reports on the specific...
Fixing electricity in Lebanon: the clock is ticking
Everybody knows it: Lebanon's internal software has to be updated as soon as possible and starting the reform of its electricity sector should be the top priority. Lebanon’s state Treasury has so...
Igor Delanoë on Syria: “Moscow and Tehran move towards a cooperative competition”
ByTheEast: Let’s start by the Syrian issue. How could Russian diplomacy "benefit" from the disengagement of Westerners? Which political solution can Russians adapt to emerge from the war?
Lebanon: waterscape challenges hide future opportunities
What is the future of Lebanon's waterscape? This was the question which formed the central discussion theme in the youth conference which was organised by the Issam Fares Institute (IFI) for Public...
Water-for-electricity: the Lebanese-Jordanian solution
What an idea! Water for electricity, as it sounds into the oil-for-food program for Saddam's Iraq. Actually, the water-for-electricity deal between Lebanon and the Jordanian Kingdom could be part of the solution....
Egypt: Cement giant sets up solar plant
SolarizEgypt has signed an agreement with Arabian Cement Company, one of Egypt’s leading cement producer, for setting up a solar photovoltaic (PV) energy plant within its premises in the Suez Governorate. The...
Fouad Zmokhol on reforming Lebanon: “It’s time to act”
ByTheEast: A few weeks ago, Beirut hosted the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit which turned out to be a fiasco. Economic commentators pointed to the humiliation faced by Lebanon because...
Lebanon’s elephant in the room: its debt sustainability
Debt
sustainability has become a focal point for Lebanon’s economy
following comments made by its finance minister vis-a-vis its public
debt. Beirut’s dollar dominated sovereign bonds also witnessed a
sell-off midst a market turbulence following concerns...