The Tunisian economy faces key challenges to maintain an acceleration in growth as it continues to recover after the collapse in growth in 2015 in the wake of the terror…

The primary risk is that the economy will collapse and that Syria will cease to exist as a country either due to the conflict or as a result of any…

The main risk to the economic outlook of Oman is the impact of the low levels of international oil prices since mid-2014. The economy suffered a sharp slowdown in 2016…

The macroeconomic outlook is subject to major risks related to the global environment, oil prices and the IS insurgency despite recent signs of improvement. Iraq is highly dependent on the…

The sustained low level of world oil prices into 2016 has cast a shadow over the outlook for economic growth, the fiscal balance, and the external balance in Bahrain. Growth…

Egypt is going through a structural economic reform programme that will bring mixed results in the both the short and medium terms. The agreement of a $12bn loan has restored…

The main external risk remains the possibility of persistently lower energy prices. The drop in oil and gas prices has led to a significant slowdown in economic growth. The economy…

The main external risk remains the possibility of persistently lower energy prices. The drop in oil and gas prices has led to a significant slowdown in economic growth. The economy…

The medium term outlook is among the most positive in North Africa despite the recent forecast downgrades. The main risk to these new modest expectations is that targets for implementing…

Kuwait is among the best placed among the Gulf economies to mitigate the impact of a period of lower oil prices. Growth is expected to accelerate over the medium term…

The challenge that Saudi economy faces in putting in place plans to move away from its reliance on oil was laid bare by the forecast that growth will slow to…

Egypt is going through a structural economic reform programme that will bring mixed results in the both the short and medium terms. The agreement of a $12bn loan has restored…

The sharp fall in global oil prices since 2014 that led to a new lower price in 2017 presents the major risk to the economic outlook. The decline in oil-related…

The outlook for a return to economic growth will be continually delayed as long as fighting continues. Any vestigial hope of recovery has to be based on the restart of…

The primary risk is that the economy will collapse and that Syria will cease to exist as a country either due to the conflict or as a result of any…

Large macroeconomic imbalances triggered by the loss of three-quarters of oil exports continue to limit Sudan’s growth potential, along with weak policies, internal conflicts, and US sanctions. Sudan’s economy is…

The economic outlook remains extremely fragile. The 19% contraction in the economy in the two years to 2016 followed by 1% forecast growth in 2017 indicates the current weak state…

Therefore, the economic outlook for the Palestinian territories remains deeply worrying. While the Palestinian Authority economy has enjoyed a solid rebound in 2016 with economic growth of a likely 4%…

After five years of turmoil, the Lebanese economy is still vulnerable to the region’s worsening security situation and the scale of the flow of refugees entering the country. Growth is…

Investors’ perception of risk appeared to turn negative again in March. The fall in the pound against the dollar indicated fading investor confidence that the economic reform programme will be…

The main risk to the economic outlook of Oman is the impact of the low levels of international oil prices since mid-2014. The economy suffered a sharp slowdown in 2016…

The Libyan economy looks likely to have suffered four years of severe recession in the wake of the upheaval to hit the country following the overthrow of Colonel Gaddafi. The…

Kuwait is among the best placed among the Gulf economies to mitigate the impact of a period of lower oil prices. Growth is expected to accelerate over the medium term,…

The economy has proved resilient in the face of adverse shocks over the past several years and boasts strong fundamentals. Nevertheless economic performance remains below potential and unemployment remains high.…

The macroeconomic outlook is subject to major risks related to the global environment, oil prices and the IS insurgency despite recent signs of improvement. Iraq is highly dependent on the…

Concerns over Bahrain’s falling reserves have edged up at the turn of 2017. The fall to $2.2bn — the equivalent of just six weeks of import cover — has raised…

Investors’ perception of risk appeared to change in February. The rise in the pound and in government debt prices indicated growing investor confidence that the economic reform programme will be…

The UAE has been immune from the social upheavals that have gone on in the region since the Arab Spring. The domestic political climate has remained largely stable despite the…

Domestic politics are going through another era of turbulence. After losing a vote of confidence on 30 July 2016, Tunisia’s government was once again replaced, for the sixth time since…

The decision by the Qatari authorities to play a stronger role in regional politics may have marginally increased the risk of terrorist activity but so far there has been no…