Last Word
Read Edmund O'Sullivan's views on the region's most important events and trends in the Middle East.
Last Word
Gulf states revise sustainable building principles
Pressure is easing for radical action to cut carbon emissions and regional states are beginning to realign their environmental priorities
Iraq's journey from democratic dream to sectarian headcount
An ancient divide is becoming the dominant factor in Iraq’s new politics. Voting is no answer
Fujairah offers a contingency plan to combat Iranian oil threat
Tehran is driving the West to distraction with its nuclear plans. The Gulf, meanwhile, will complete a project in April that should help make Gulf oil supplies more secure
Gulf business schools need to reshape Western corporate model
The world’s top providers of management education are coming to the Gulf. They need to learn as much as they teach
Saudi Arabia takes centre stage
A roller-coaster year including a recession and lower oil prices shook confidence in the Gulf but Riyadh has emerged virtually unscathed
Debt storm threatens Dubai’s ambitions
Dubai World’s call for a debt standstill has been likened to the Lehman Brothers collapse of September 2008. Dubai’s global ambitions are in question
Gulf healthcare at a crossroad
Spending on health is starting to rocket in the Gulf. New strategies are needed, but insurance is not the answer
Dubai kickstarts bond plan
Dubai is starting to deal with the challenge of repaying the debt it owes banks. It is going to ask them to lend the emirate more. One of the world’s oldest jokes is that the best way to avoid having to repay banks is to owe so much that they cannot afford to let you go bust.
Abu Dhabi prepares to take on the global steel titans
The international steel market is in the doldrums, but Abu Dhabi is bucking the trend with a massive investment plan for this sector
Laying the foundations for growth in the Gulf
Oil prices and production are likely to rise in 2010. And the GCC will probably be the world’s fastest growing region
Dubai Metro kickstarts mass public transport in the Gulf
Dubai Metro, the Gulf’s first mass transport urban railway, has opened with high hopes and some glitches. However it is the start of something big
Dubai needs a long-term plan to tackle the debt mountain
Dubai’s debts may be much more than people think and is set to enter a new phase. It now needs a long-term debt management strategy
New life in the GCC project finance market
It’s a lenders market as Gulf borrowers prepare to tap the credit market
Qatar takes the long view as its economy booms
Most of Qatar’s present energy industry investment programme will be completed this year. The next challenge is defining a long-term strategy for Qatar’s economy as a whole
Balance of power shifts in Gulf finance sector
Regional institutions stopped the global credit crunch contaminating GCC finance markets. Their status has been enhanced and change is in the air
Dubai World crisis taints emirate's image
The Gulf’s reputation has been damaged by the Dubai World debt crisis. It could have been avoided
Regulation shapes revolution in Gulf sustainable buildings
Abu Dhabi will make sustainability compulsory from 1 January. The argument that the Gulf doesn’t care about the environment is false
A tale of two Gulf cities
Abu Dhabi is on the rise and leading the region with a range of startling projects. But the development of Dubai is far from over
Rail plan will advance the GCC vision
The GCC railway line is targeted to open in 2017. It will do more for regional convergence than monetary union.
Ambitious plans to reform global finance
IMF goals to regulate the behaviour of banks to prevent a repetition of the credit crunch and set up a global lender of last resort are the biggest financial reforms in decades
Global leaders set the scene for the next bubble and crash
While the G20 nations agree on a new global financing plan, Saudi Arabia needs to keep pushing for finance reforms
Obama prepares to launch history’s most feeble Middle East peace plan
It’s almost 100 days since US President Barack Obama promised a change in approach to the Middle East. We will soon seen how little progress he has made.
