Special Reports

Middle East Special Reports - in-depth features, trends and data on the region's sectors and countries.

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Upcoming Special Reports - Calendar

1-Feb-2010 | Updated: 2-Feb-2010

MEED special reports are published every week and encompass in-depth features, trends and data on issues affecting the region. Find the right MEED special report for your business and discover with a wealth of advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

Latest Special Reports

Special Report: Kuwait - New optimism inspired by parliament

Issue No 45 12-18 March 2010

A new optimism can be sensed in Kuwait, following parliament’s approval in February of a $102bn development plan proposed by the governing cabinet. For the first time in years, the legislative and executive bodies are pulling in the same direction.

Glass of water in desert

Special Report: Power & Water - Region struggles to ensure access to scarce water supplies

Issue No 44 5-11 March 2010 | By Sophie Evans

The Middle East is struggling to cope with growing demand for fresh water. While the reasons for water shortages vary across the region, the issue that all governments around the Middle East are having to tackle is the same: how to guarantee access to shrinking supplies of fresh water.

Illustration - Network of roads

Special Report: Transport & logistics - Gulf invests in new roads network

Issue No 43 26 February - 4 March 2010

The Gulf’s road building schemes may not enjoy the high profile of the region’s rail and airport investment programmes, but the trend for Gulf states to spend millions of dollars on new highways is a sign that they are taking the business of building a better basic infrastructure seriously.

UAE flag, oil pumps and bank notes

Special Report: UAE - Dubai downturn forces strategy rethink

Issue No 42 19-25 February 2010 | By Sophie Evans

Dubai may not have much oil, but its economy still relies heavily on oil revenues, albeit those of neighbouring Abu Dhabi.

Dollar sign illustration

Special Report: Banking - Public sector projects raise hope

Issue No 41 12-18 February 2010 | By Sophie Evans

The Gulf’s governments are turning to new financing strategies to fund crucial infrastructure projects with public-private partnerships (PPPs) an increasingly popular model in the region

Qatar flag

Special Report: Qatar – Population rise poses challenges

Issue No 40 5-11 February 2010 | By Sophie Evans

Qatar has experienced a demographic explosion in the past five years, with the population more than doubling in size to 1.6 million in late 2009

Construction workers on Dar al-Arkan's al-Qasr project in Riyadh

Special Report: Construction - Contract awards raise hope in the Gulf

Issue No 33 29 January - 4 February 2010 | By Sophie Evans

The outlook for the region’s construction sector in 2010 looks mixed. The Gulf’s major economies, such as Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, are surging out of the financial downturn, but $575bn worth of projects remain on hold across the GCC

Riyadh skyline, Saudi Arabia

Special Report: Saudi Arabia - Riyadh pushes peace talks

Issue No 32 22-28 January 2009 | By Sophie Evans

Riyadh is confident about its finances for 2010, having announced a 14 per cent rise in spending for the year ahead. It has allocated tens of billions of dollars to key sectors, including health, transport, telecoms and water

Special Report: Oil & Gas - Focus turns to downstream developments

Issue No 3 15-21 January 2010 | By Sophie Evans

Over the next five years, contractors will be working hard to help Riyadh achieve its goal of doubling its oil refining capacity by 2015.

Arab teacher at a drawing board

Special Report: Education - Gulf invests in high-tech future

Issue No 2 8-14 January 2010 | By Sophie Evans

The Middle East has taken big strides to improve the quality of university education in recent years, investing billions of dollars in a modern infrastructure

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Special Report: Iran - Regime prepares to face down critics

29-Dec-2009 | Updated: 24-Dec-2009 | By Sophie Evans

The year ahead is certain to be a difficult one for Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, not least for his economic policies. In the face of sustained opposition to his victory in last June’s disputed presidential elections, he will find it increasingly hard to gather support for the necessary reforms.

Special Report: Saudi Arabia - Riyadh builds ties with China

Issue no 51 18-24 December 2009

Saudi Arabia’s willingness to suppress its oil production to boost crude oil prices in the wider market will result in under-performing domestic growth next year.

King Abdullah Science Technology University

Special Report: Construction - Industrial schemes prompt hope

Issue No 50 11-17 December 2009 | By Melissa Hancock

Dubai-based real estate developer Nakheel has become the focus of the problems in the emirate’s construction market in recent weeks, as it tries to restructure a $3.5bn sukuk (Islamic bond) before the repayment deadline of 14 December.

UAE infrastructure illustration

Special Report: UAE - Dubai's woes hit northern emirates

Issue No 49 4-10 December 2009 | By Sophie Evans

Until the northern emirates have a reliable infrastructure, their economic fortunes will rise and fall with those of their powerful neighbour Dubai – something they are understandably keen to change.

Petrochemicals PETE logo

Special Report: Petrochemicals - Gulf hit by oversupply

Issue No 48 27 November - 3 December 2009 | By Sophie Evans

After a poor start to the year, when the Gulf’s petrochemicals companies reported record losses, petrochemical prices have slowly improved and demand is expected to pick up as the year end

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