Middle East/Africa

China Eyes Afghanistan’s $1 Trillion of Minerals With Risky Bet on Taliban

August 25, 2021

Afghanistan is sitting on deposits estimated to be worth $1 trillion or more, including what may be the world’s largest lithium reserves — if anyone can get them out of the ground.

Egypt Waves Goodbye to Suez Canal Saga With Payoff and a Party

July 7, 2021

Bloomberg

For a nation that provides safe passage for so many ships through its waters, Egypt is reserving rather special treatment for the Ever Given.

Suez Canal, Ever Given Ship Owners Reach Compensation Deal

June 24, 2021

Bloomberg

Egyptian officials and owners of the giant Ever Given vessel that blocked the Suez Canal earlier this year have reached a preliminary deal over compensation, according to the ship’s representatives.

Vaccine Shortages Hit Global Supply Program, Halting Rollouts

June 23, 2021

Bloomberg

A string of nations across Africa and Asia have run out of COVID-19 vaccines or are on the brink of doing so, months after receiving first shipments from a global program meant to equitably distribute the lifesaving shots.

Nigeria’s Erratic Power Supply Dims Its E-Commerce Potential

May 5, 2021

Beth Poole, SCB Contributor

As one of the world’s largest emerging markets, Nigeria stands at a crossroad. Its rapidly expanding economy and growing disposable income will propel its e-commerce market to reach $75 billion per year by 2025. A large unbanked population and erratic power supply, however, threaten to limit growth.

For Supply-Chain Resiliency, the Middle East Scores Last

May 5, 2021

Gregory Schlegel, SCB Contributor

Companies domiciled in the Middle East score low in agility and resiliency compared to other major regions of the globe.

Commodity Shipping Rates Are Surging Amid Uneven Recovery

April 8, 2021

Bloomberg

For a glimpse of how quickly and unevenly economies are recovering from the pandemic, look no further than the market for shipping raw materials.

End of Suez Snarl Marks Beginning of New Stress on Global Trade

March 31, 2021

Bloomberg

The Ever Given leaves in its wake several weeks or months of disruptions across a world economy where the pandemic revealed both the sturdy backbone of global trade and an Achilles’ heel.

Ships Get Moving Through Suez as Giant Ever Given Is Freed

March 29, 2021

Bloomberg

Ships started moving again through the Suez Canal on Monday after the giant container ship that lay stranded across the critical waterway for a week was finally tugged free.

Suez Mess Adds to Global Economic, Supply-Chain Stress

March 29, 2021

Bloomberg

The backlog is one more strain for global supply chains already stretched by the pandemic.

Middle East/Africa

The latest supply chain news, analysis, trends and best practices for companies operating in the Middle East and Africa. The Middle Eastern region consists of 18 countries that stretch from the western borders of Turkey and Egypt to the eastern edges of Iran and Saudi Arabia. Learn how businesses are optimizing supply chain and logistics performance in these regions, addressing a range of challenges such as poor infrastructure, complex customs and tax laws, unstable political climates and government controlled exchange rates - as well as capitalizing on new land and labor opportunities, particularly across Africa.