Middle East
Visa to launch payment operations in Syria
Card service provider partners with central bank to integrate country into global digital economy
Tunisian government to seek monetary financing again
Treasury plans to tap $3.7 billion from central bank to plug fiscal deficit and repay foreign debt
Egypt continues easing cycle with 100bp cuts
Slowing inflation and strong currency provide room for lowering rates as country expects IMF review
Ex-BdL governor released on bail after year in detention
Riad Salameh, former head of Lebanon’s central bank, was arrested over corruption allegations
Sama enables Google Pay, to launch Alipay+ by 2026
Saudi central bank expands payment system to global players in digitalisation drive
Political turmoil rattles Turkish lira carry trade
Echoes of March crackdown that sparked market rout leave traders on alert
Ireland no longer approving Israel bond prospectuses in EU
Luxembourg takes over following campaign by Irish civil society groups
Egypt’s president renews term of central bank chief
Acting governor Hassan Abdalla begins fourth year in post amid economy recovery
Obituary: Süreyya Serdengeçti, 1952–2025
Governor of Turkey’s central bank whose policies brought inflation down from 75% to single-digit figures
Trends in reserve management 2025: survey results
Insights on strategies in anticipation of tariffs, interest rate divergence and geopolitical risk, FX diversification and de-dollarisation, as well as bitcoin in reserves, FX interventions and gold
Central banking amid uncertainty and Trump 2.0
Deglobalisation set to challenge the central banking orthodoxy of the past 40 years
GCC central banks follow Fed by reducing rates
Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain opt for 25bp cuts, while Qatar loosens by 30bp
IMF lowers growth projection for Middle East and North Africa
Fund says conflict and cuts in oil production are main factors behind its revised forecast
Policy-makers report progress in CBDC exploration
Central banks generally see promise in digital currencies, though one is halting research
Trends in reserve management 2024: survey results
Insights on geopolitical risk, AI, asset diversification, risk management and ESG adoption
Reserve managers brace for war
Geopolitical escalation could trigger inflationary and energy shocks, RMT survey finds
Policy-making amid war in Gaza
Bank of Israel has implemented a textbook crisis response, but uncertainty remains
Pakistan launches sovereign wealth fund
Struggling country transfers $8 billion of shares in seven state companies to new SWF
Russian legislators approve Islamic banking pilot
Two-year programme may attract foreign capital or appease restive minorities
IMF approves $3 billion short-term loan for Pakistan
Saudi Arabia and UAE provide $3 billion more as country tries to overcome crisis
Central Bank of Oman launches 24/7 RTGS
Oman will be connected to payment systems across the Arab world via AFAQ and Buna systems