Right before an election, every government discovers a heartfelt passion for spending. The political business cycle – documented, and perfectly punctual.
Editorials
Business
Dubai Didn’t Strike Oil Twice – It Brewed a Hub
The smartest thing Dubai ever did with its oil was decide not to need it. How a petro-city built an economy that barely glances at the pump.
Remittances Are the Diaspora’s Drip Coffee
The largest development program on earth has no headquarters and no logo – just millions sending money home. In 2024 it topped $685 billion.
The Roastery Gap: Africa Grows the Coffee, Europe Sells the Brew
A country can grow the finest coffee on earth and still go to bed poor – because the money was never in the bean. It was in the brand.
Sanctions Are a Closed Café, Not an Empty One
Shutting one door in a globalised economy mostly teaches the traffic where the side entrance is. Why ‘stopped’ is the wrong word for a sanction.
When the IMF Brings the Bill
The IMF arrives like a generous friend when your card declines: it settles the tab, then slides across a list of how you’re allowed to eat from now on.