Middle East & Africa Monitor provides subscribers with systematic political risk assessment, economic forecasts and business analysis for each country across the region. The service includes online access to the very latest analysis, a 24-month searchable archive of articles and data, and PDF access to the monthly Monitor reports.
Published by Business Monitor International, the emerging market specialists, Middle East & Africa Monitor is broken down into six regional services: East & Central Africa, East Med, the Gulf, North Africa, Southern Africa and West Africa.
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Economy / Tanzania
The US and the East African Community (EAC), of which Tanzania is a member, signed a Trade Investment and Framework Agreement on July 16. Besides deepening the relationship between the US and Tanzania - the US already sends significant aid to Tanzania and US President George Bush visited the country in February - the agreement is a step towards increasing trade and investment...
2008-07-28Economy / Sudan
French oil giant Total is reportedly set to begin drilling in southern Sudan's oil block B having recently reclaimed its rights to the 67,000 square kilometre area. The company...
2008-07-28Political Risk / Congo, Dem. Rep.
BMI View: With the security situation set to stay volatile in the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), especially in the North-Kivu and South-Kivu provinces,...
2008-07-28Political Risk / Egypt
Egypt is once again cracking down on security at the Gaza border (Rafah), after closing it yet again in a move that could well go down badly with the population, which is sympathetic with the Palestinian residents of the Strip. The government has apparently told Hamas, the militant group that is in charge of the area, that it will open the crossing once every few weeks to allow...
2008-08-15Political Risk / Lebanon
Yesterday's bus bombing in Tripoli is a reminder that the 'stability' supposedly ensuing from the establishment of the government is only skin deep, and could deteriorate substantially...
2008-08-14Political Risk / Kuwait
BMI View: Relations with Iraq will continue to improve, but the ascendance of Hamas, Hizbullah and Iran will keep Jordan from getting too comfortable.
2008-08-13Economy / Libya
Libya has blocked oil shipments to Switzerland in retaliation for the arrest of Colonel Qadhafi's son, Hannibal Qadhafi, on charges of assault. He was held by police in Geneva for two days while on a recent trip to Switzerland, accused of beating two of his staff. Libya's first response was the stop issuing visas for Swiss citizens, ordering some Swiss companies to close their...
2008-07-25Political Risk / Morocco
Despite a change of leadership, we do not expect any major shift in policy direction from Morocco's main Islamist party, the PJD. Most importantly, the party remains committed to...
2008-07-24Economy / Morocco
Moroccan police have hailed a victory in their fight against the Kingdom's thriving illegal drugs trade. In a series of raids along the northern Moroccan coast, police seized more...
2008-07-24Economy / South Africa
With no further outbreaks of xenophobic attacks over the course of July, we increased our short-term political risk rating to 65.0 from 62.5. Despite improvements in the security situation, we maintain our view that the risk to social cohesion and political stability will remain to the downside. Aside from surging living costs and ongoing animosity towards the refugee community,...
2008-07-31Economy / Zambia
We have lowered our short-term political risk rating for Zambia to 65.6 from 68.1 and our long-term political risk rating to 52.0 from 56.0 on the back of uncertainty surrounding...
2008-07-29Economy / Lesotho
We have instituted our political risk ratings system for Lesotho and the country receives a score of 68.1 and 63.7 respectively in our short- and long-term political risk ratings,...
2008-07-29Economy / Kuwait
BMI View: Kuwait's ample and expanding energy sector will protect it against low FDI and inflationary pressures. However, in the event of a dramatic drop in oil prices, negative perceptions of the business environment will count against
2008-08-15Economy / Kuwait
BMI View: Kuwait faces substantial structural challenges over the long-term, but the energy sector will continue to grow in real terms to 2018, keeping the government in surplus....
2008-08-15Political Risk / Kuwait
BMI View: Our political ratings for Kuwait remain high, but unrest amongst the immigrant worker community as well as rising sectarian tensions pose downside risks.
2008-08-14Economy / Guinea
The ongoing threats to political stability in Guinea are clearly reflected in our political risk ratings. Due to the potential for further violent protests, fuelled by high unemployment and surging inflation, and the possibility of unconstitutional change, the country's short-term political risk rating stands at only 46.7 (out of 100), representing the fifth lowest in sub-Saharan...
2008-07-30Economy / Congo, Dem. Rep.
Following the IMF's announcement in July that the US$9bn Chinese mining investment project could jeopardise the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)'s prospects for qualifying for...
2008-07-25Political Risk / Guinea
With Guinea's trade unions opposing the nomination of new Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare and inflationary pressures threatening to further erode social stability, we believe...
2008-07-25
