Opinion

The focus for decades has been on the Belt and Road Initiative which in the Middle East and Africa has been associated with the construction of ports, railways, highways and power plants. Beijing’s rising world presence was adorned with large-scale infrastructure ventures, which sought to tie together markets in space with the creation of physical trade corridors. But a new …

One of the central themes in discussions of Iraq for decades has been conflict, instability, and geopolitical rivalry. However, Baghdad tries to rewrite that story. With the $17-20-billion Development Road Project and the expansion of the world-class port of Grand Faw, Iraq is emerging as the next great logistics and commodity trading hub in the Middle East, and one that …

The Afghan government, along with others, has described Afghanistan as a land bridge between Central Asia and the Arabian Sea and so that is what it has wanted to be for many years. Proposed Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan Railway and larger Trans-Afghan Corridor represent that vision, and its impact will importantly change the landscape of regional commerce.  But the frequent closure of Afghanistan-Pakistan …

The tensions with Iran are no longer an issue just in the Middle East region. The impact it has wrought is now being noticed on Pakistan’s western frontier, in particular, the Pakistani Balochistan which is deeply interdependent with developments on the 900-kilometers-long border. Islamabad is facing a bilateral challenge along different lines than just diplomatic issues and more of a …

Geopolitical tensions can easily affect today’s global economy, and the negative consequences can quickly travel thousands of miles to supermarket shelves and fuel stations. Shipping lines, commodity markets and the financial system are all easily affected. 2026 is a reminder to Southeast Asia about the value of geopolitical stability to economic security. The region’s increased reliance on imported energy and …

Donald Trump’s political ascendance has been founded on what no traditional GOP could have imagined white working-class voters who have not attended college. The year 2016 was a successful one for him to move economic disappointment, cultural unease and disdain for political elites into one of the most powerful political campaigns in modern American history.  The fear that globalization was …

Today, Asia’s workplace is changing rapidly. Recruitment, development and retention is being radically transformed as artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation and personnel expectations evolve. At the same time new opportunities are opening up in the workplace for workers and employers due to changing demographics and global digital integration. Employers are creating skill sets that are more flexible and they are …

In Asia, we are not only facing a new era of connectivity, but also technology and infrastructure are beginning to merge. Governments and private investors are not just paying attention to highways, railways or ports throughout the region. Rather, they are developing “Integrated Systems” that are united by both the physical and digital components, transforming into faster, smarter and more …

Following increasing online debate regarding the position of the Iranian residents in UAE and their finances in the UAE, the authorities have come out with a straightforward and convincing answer. Not only is it on the need to combat rumors, but on the need to strengthen confidence in the legal systems of laws in the country, social inclusiveness, and sincerity …

The trend that is sweeping across the world towards the adoption of the cashless economy is led by Asia and mobile wallets are making the change reshape the landscape. In 2026, digital payment will cease to be a trend and begin to be a way of life in emerging and developed markets. The emergence of services such as GCash, GrabPay, …