Fresh perspective. Deeper understanding.
Independent analysis of the forces shaping markets, investment flows and strategic decisions.
Global
China, the West, and the Geopolitical Race for the Middle East and Africa
In their book International Relations, authors Goldstein and Pevehouse wrote that “foreign policy involves goals, strategies, and instruments used by governments to…
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Maghreb
A United Maghreb Region: A Challenging Aspiration or a Potential Reality?
In 1989, the member states of the Greater Maghreb region (Morocco, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania) convened in Marrakech, Morocco, and signed a landmark agreement…
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Maghreb
Geopolitical Competition in the Maghreb: Will the U.S. Challenge China’s Economic Footprint?
China has emerged as the largest trading partner of the Greater Maghreb, with bilateral trade surpassing $32 billion in 2024. This growing economic engagement…
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Maghreb
Morocco: A King’s Journey — A Quarter Century of Royal Leadership and National Transformation
During my childhood in Morocco in the 1980s, the kingdom’s emblem — symbolizing God, the nation, and the king — was a permanent fixture on the hills of most major…
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Libya
Beneath the Black Gold: Libya’s Deepening Poverty Crisis
When we examine the experiences of prosperous nations worldwide, we find that Scandinavian countries—such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland—consistently top the…
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Libya
Chasing Peace in an Institutional Vacuum: The United Nations and the Crisis in Libya
The proposed United Nations plan for Libya aims to reform the political system and establish a new government. However, it repeats past failures in the hope of achieving…
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Middle East
Can the USA Be Considered a Trustworthy Partner for Peace in the Middle East and Africa?
A nation that stands as the largest producer and exporter of weapons in the world is unlikely to prioritize global peace and stability. Since 2012, America’s military…
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Libya
The Blueprint of Failure: Income Inequality, Extractive Elites, and State-Building in Libya and Beyond
In 1982, Forbes magazine unveiled its inaugural list of America's 400 wealthiest individuals and their fortunes. This initial roster featured a mere 13 billionaires, who…
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Africa
The Short-Term Future of Oil: Will Africa and Libya Miss This Opportunity?
At the most recent Asian Energy Conference in Malaysia, senior executives and energy experts from major international oil companies discussed the future of global oil…
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Africa
Can Africa Replace Russia as Europe’s Main Energy Supplier? The Paradox of Resource Wealth and Instability
Until recently, Russia supplied Europe with an average of over 150 billion cubic meters (BCM) of natural gas annually—a volume that cannot be easily replaced through…
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Africa
Beyond Resource Abundance: Economic Successes and Failures across Africa and Libya
The World Bank recently released a list of countries with the highest ease of doing business and investment in Africa and the world. Since the beginning of the twentieth…
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Libya
“A Government of Laws, Not of Men”: Building Constitutional Frameworks in Changing Dictatorships
In 1780, John Adams—a political philosopher and the second president of the United States—enshrined the idea of “a government of laws, and not of men” into the…
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Libya
Balancing the Market: The Role of State-Owned Enterprises in Post-Conflict Recovery
Even though the first thoughts that come to many when hearing the words “state-owned” next to “economic recovery” are socialism, government control, and bureaucracy…
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Global
Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund: A Model of Discipline and Transparency
Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), the Government Pension Fund Global (GPF-Global), was established in 1990 as a financial cushion for future generations and as the…
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Libya
Reforming Corporate Governance and Strengthening Board Accountability
A Board of Directors is a body of appointed or elected members who jointly oversee the activities of an organization. Often simply referred to as "the board," its…
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Libya
Oil Prices & the Impact on Sovereign Wealth Funds
The drop in oil prices over the last 12 months has taken markets and investors by surprise. State institutions such as Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) have been affected…
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Global
Capital, Property, and Politics: The Governance of Sovereign Wealth Funds in Global Real Estate Markets
Should governments in the U.S. and Europe be concerned with the presence and growth of these government-owned investment funds? In recent years, many in the U.S. capital…
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Global
Sovereign Wealth Funds & Real Estate Investments: 2011–2021
Despite the focus on stocks and bonds, real estate remains a major component of institutional investment portfolios. Investment in real estate can be achieved either…
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Libya
Global Commercial Real Estate Market Outlook 2014 and Strategic Investment Framework for the Libyan Investment Authority
How will the global CRE market be expected to perform in the short term? According to Jones Lang LaSalle, 2014 is set to create new records. The overall investment…
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