Country Risk Rating

President Michel Suleiman has designated Saad al-Hariri as Lebanon's next prime minister. As the son of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, who was assassinated in a Beirut car... 2009-06-30

Mufid Shehab, Egypt's Minister of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, has stated the country's parliament approved a law on June 14 that will provide a quota of 64 seats in the lower... 2009-06-30

The US is to return an ambassador to Damascus for the first time since 2005. The last ambassador was withdrawn due to suspected Syrian involvement in the assassination of Lebanese... 2009-06-29

Unemployment in Israel jumped to 7.2% in the first quarter of 2009 (7.6% on an annualised basis), from 6.4% in Q408, according to figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics. The... 2009-06-01

On May 12, the Jordanian cabinet approved a new version of the labour law. The legislation allows foreign guest workers to join unions and increases the penalties for recruitment... 2009-06-01

The release of opposition leader Ayman Nour in February earned the government a few brownie points with the international community, but his ongoing outspoken campaign against the... 2009-06-01

Egypt continues to tread a fine line between maintaining its relations with Israel and positioning itself in line with the views of the population (which are broadly anti-Israel).... 2009-05-01

The release of the four Lebanese generals who had been detained without charge by the tribunal investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri chimes with... 2009-05-01

We expect minimal progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process over the course of 2009. The new Netanyahu administration has already signalled a shift in approach from that adopted... 2009-04-29

The appointment in late February of the pro-reform and pro-business Bassem al-Salem to finance minister (from his previous position as labour minister) is a signal that despite the... 2009-03-27