Sandrine Zimra

The commercial banking sector across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries posted robust growth in 2024, with total assets, deposits, and loan balances all recording near double-digit increases, according to the latest figures released by the GCC Statistical Centre (GCC-Stat).

On September 19, Casablanca Finance City (CFC) and the Financial Times, with the support of the Casablanca-Settat region, will launch the first edition of the Casablanca Business Forum at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Iraq signed $1 billion worth of investment agreements with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, as the country seeks to boost its economic recovery.

The state visit of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Angola marks a key milestone in strengthening bilateral ties, reflecting the UAE’s growing engagement with Africa and its commitment to advancing development and prosperity across the continent.

Oman’s ports posted solid growth in ship traffic, container handling, and cargo volume during the first half of 2025, according to figures released by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, cited by Oman Observer.

Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter left Washington empty-handed on Wednesday after a hastily arranged trip to avert a crippling 39% tariff on the country's exports to the United States, its biggest market, three sources familiar with the matter said.

Dubai’s global tourism momentum remains strong, with the city welcoming 9.88 million international overnight visitors between January and June 2025 — a 6% rise compared to the same period in 2024. 

Egypt’s economic growth rebounded strongly in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024/2025, reaching 4.77%, up from 2.2% during the same period last year, according to Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

The United Arab Emirates has announced the creation of a new Ministry of Foreign Trade, as part of its efforts to strengthen its position in the global economy and diversify its trade partnerships. 

Saudi Arabia’s economy grew faster than initially expected in the first quarter of 2025, with revised government figures showing a 3.4% year-on-year increase in GDP — up from the earlier forecast of 2.7% published in May by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics.

Saudi Arabia’s shopping mall sector is on an upward trajectory, bolstered by evolving consumer preferences and the ambitious Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to transform the Kingdom into a global business and tourism hub.

Egypt’s annual inflation rate surged to 16.5 percent in May, up from 13.5 percent in April, according to data released by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).