While the Middle East has long been known as a major exporter of fossil fuels thanks to rich oil reserves, the region is also embracing renewable energy to provide cheaper, more efficient power to its people. As the population—and energy consumption—grows in the Middle East, innovative companies are challenging nations’ reliance on oil with large-scale… Continue Reading
Unreliable electricity was once a long-standing problem in the Middle East, particularly in the 1990s when random power outages were frequent, and customers never knew if or when they would have electricity. The GCC Interconnection Authority, which was established by six Middle Eastern countries in 2001, has led to significant changes in the way that… Continue Reading
While war has subsided in northern Iraq, officials say a new battle is beginning: that to rebuild the country. At a recent three-day donor conference in Kuwait, leaders met to discuss aid for Iraq, which officials believe needs about $88 billion to reconstruct schools, infrastructure, and other losses after years of conflict. While donors had… Continue Reading
In February 2017, European Union and Afghan officials signed the Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development (CAPD), another step in solidifying a partnership to improve Afghanistan’s infrastructure, economy, and quality of life. This agreement comes as Afghanistan’s leaders work toward the goals of weaning the country off foreign aid and developing a strong system of… Continue Reading
Supplying food to desert regions where populations are increasing and water is scarce has become a significant challenge. Desert conditions, which can be extremely hot, windy, and bug-ridden, make growing most plants impossible. Greenhouses have long been a solution for growing produce in difficult climates, but they most often are used to keep plants warm… Continue Reading
The demand for fish in Egypt is quickly outpacing the supply, and the government hopes to bridge this gap by developing the largest fish farm in the Middle East. Berket Ghalioun fish farm is part of long-term plan to make Egypt more self-sufficient, eliminating the need for it to import fish. The farm, which one… Continue Reading
Saudi Arabia has taken its first major step toward large-scale renewable energy with its announcement that the government is taking bids for the Sakaka utility-scale solar energy project. The project is part of the government’s proposal to generate more than 9.5 gigawatts of electricity a year from renewable sources. “The whole idea of this is… Continue Reading
Unchecked development along the banks of the Nile has taken over more than 90,000 acres of farmland since 2011, pushing many farmers into the desert. In addition, sewage and briny wastewater pumped into the Nile have made much of the country’s fresh water unusable. Realizing that traditional farming methods would use up the desert’s water… Continue Reading
For decades, many people around the world have looked at icebergs and thought, “What if?” What if icebergs could be dragged north through the world’s oceans? What if those millions of frozen gallons of fresh water could be melted into drinking water for arid, water-starved places? The dream of converting icebergs into drinking water never… Continue Reading
A new project that will connect the Red Sea and the Dead Sea could help to alleviate the region’s water shortage and have a farther-reaching effect on Middle East relations. Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority reached an agreement in July to build a 220-kilometer pipeline to carry water from the Red Sea, a seawater… Continue Reading