The UAE punching above its weight

The UAE a tiny wealthy Gulf country with a native population of about 1 million has broken away with the wisdom of its founder Sheikh Zayed after the de facto ruler Mohamad Bin Zayed consolidated his grip in the country. The UAE’s aggressive foreign policy was outspokenly expressed during and after the Arab Spring as […]

Egypt to float military-owned firms as part of economic reform drive

Egypt is preparing to list stakes in several military-affiliated companies on the stock exchange, in a major step towards reducing state control and encouraging private sector participation in the economy. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced the move following the signing of an agreement between the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, the Armed Forces’ National Service Projects […]

Algerian rulers are running out of conspiracy theories

The Algerian regime has pushed its conspiracy theories to an absurd level as it continues to use domestic and foreign actors as scapegoats to blame for its self-inflicted authoritarian flaws which left its democracy-yearning youth impoverished and its economy heavily dependent on the price of the barrel. The regime is now evoking the “black decade” […]