ME/NAF
Protests in Syria’s Suweida will have little impact
The province had grown increasingly restive since 2023
SyriaLebanon’s Hezbollah is still betting on deterrence
Since Israel's push into Rafah, Hezbollah has intensified its attacks against northern Israel, risking an all-out war
LebanonEgypt's efforts to digitise the economy will be slow
The government wants to accelerate the country’s digitisation and to position it as a global transit hub for data
EgyptIran's presidential election to yield little change
The inclusion of a reformist candidate is intended to reverse a long-running trend of disengagement among voters
IranTurkey would not benefit from BRICS membership
Ankara says it wants to join BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, but doubts over the likely benefits remain
TurkeyGulf states' ties with Iraqi Kurdistan face limits
Ties between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Iraqi Kurdistan will be limited by political and security factors
Gulf statesAbu Dhabi's international expansion will increase
State-owned ADNOC will increase its international expansion particularly in gas and chemicals
United Arab EmiratesSaudi Arabia’s spending strains banks’ balance sheets
Banks have helped cover the government’s fiscal deficit in the first quarter of 2024
Saudi Arabia