Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions
Saudi Arabia’s biggest event and infrastructure programmes are moving into a new phase of delivery.
Construction activity at the Expo 2030 Riyadh site is accelerating, with some of the largest packages set to be awarded before the end of this year. Infrastructure works are gathering pace and preparations are intensifying for an event that is expected to reshape the capital long after its six-month run comes to an end.
At the same time, the lessons emerging from this summer’s expanded Fifa World Cup provide an early guide to the opportunities – and challenges – Saudi Arabia will face as it prepares to host football’s biggest tournament in 2034.
August’s Market Focus turns to the Maghreb, where four economies are following increasingly divergent paths. While Morocco is benefiting from World Cup-driven investment and a booming tourism sector, Algeria is deploying record public spending, Tunisia is pressing ahead with strategic power investments despite fiscal constraints, and Libya is seeing sustained interest from oil and gas investors undeterred by ongoing political disputes. The report examines what is driving this divergence and where the region’s strongest opportunities now lie.
This edition also includes MEED’s annual ranking of the Top 50 GCC banks, exploring how regional lenders have demonstrated remarkable resilience through recent geopolitical turbulence, supported by strong funding, capital buffers and government backing.
In the latest issue, we speak to renewable energy consultancy SgurrEnergy about why developers are increasingly moving beyond standalone solar towards hybrid renewable energy projects that combine battery storage and other technologies to deliver round-the-clock power.
We also examine how geopolitical tensions, shifting trade routes and supply chain disruption are driving a new wave of global investment in port infrastructure, and consider what Saudi Arabia must do to unlock greater pools of private capital as sovereign funding gives way to a more institutionally financed infrastructure model.
Finally, we congratulate the winners of the Mena Banking Excellence Awards 2026, recognising the retail, digital and SME institutions that are setting new benchmarks for innovation, customer experience and business banking across the region.
We hope our valued subscribers enjoy the August 2026 issue of MEED Business Review.
Must-read sections in the August 2026 issue of MEED Business Review include:
> LEADERSHIP: Private capital and the GCC infrastructure inflection
> INTERVIEW: Developers look beyond standalone solar
> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf index maintains growth run
> JUNE 2026 CONTRACTS: Middle East contract awards
> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects
> OPINION: The moving finger of time
> BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts