Arab summit: Turning a blind eye
Arab leaders meeting in Jordan failed to address the critical economic challenges facing the region
As Arab summits go, the latest, held on the shores of the Dead Sea in Jordan, was a relative success. In contrast to the poor showings of recent meetings, the turn-out was good, with most of the heavy-weight Arab countries represented by heads of state. One major development on the sidelines was a reconciliatory meeting between King Salman of Saudi Arabia and President Sisi of Egypt. But the succession of public statements by Arab leaders inside the conference chamber contained few surprises. The calls for an independent state for the Palestinians were followed by pleas for the settlement of conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Libya. None of the heads of state suggested how these wars might be res
Also in this section
23 April 2026
The addition of an oil pipeline to the Power of Siberia 2 gas project could ensure deliveries of Russian oil to China, materially shorten logistics lines between West Siberia and final customers, and—amid disruption in the Strait of Hormuz—offer a land-based export route that reduces exposure to maritime chokepoints
23 April 2026
There is a clear push to bolster exports to Asia amid uncertainty around its North American neighbour, but there are limits to the benefits from the energy crisis
23 April 2026
Shell made the play-opening discovery in Namibia’s Orange basin back in 2022, but its next well could decide whether the project can actually be commercialised
22 April 2026
The failure of OMV Petrom’s keenly watched exploration campaign at Bulgaria’s Han Asparuh block highlights the Black Sea’s uneven track record, despite major successes like Neptun Deep and Sakarya
