Geographies in Depth

Middle East and North Africa: Latest analysis, insights and developments from the World Economic Forum

FILE PHOTO: A family stand next to a fire outside their tent at a temporary encampment for displaced people, amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran continues, in Beirut, Lebanon, March 30, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo

This tracker curates the latest insights, data and analysis from and on the region.

REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo

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World Economic Forum

Keep up with the latest insights, data and analysis from and on the region

What’s shaping the Middle East and North Africa right now? Drawing on the World Economic Forum’s network of leaders and experts, this tracker curates the latest insights, data and analysis from and on the region to help make sense of the news.

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Chokepoints in focus: why Hormuz matters

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical and vulnerable trade arteries. Disruption is having immediate consequences for energy markets and global supply chains, reinforcing how geography continues to shape economic security.

Have you read?
  • How did the Strait of Hormuz become so important, and will it stay that way?
  • How war in the Middle East has exposed the vulnerability of global choke points

The Iran oil shock - the largest oil-supply disruption the world has ever seen?

In this episode of Radio Davos, Jason Bordoff of the Center on Global Energy Policy and the Columbia Energy Exchange podcast joined us to explore the potential long-term impacts on global energy systems of the oil shock caused by the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

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The region’s central role in energy supply means a global ripple effect through inflation, food prices and economic growth. Governments around the world are implementing measures to reduce fuel demand and protect consumers. The crisis highlights the growing impact of geoeconomic tensions more broadly on global energy systems and economic stability.

Interconnected risks, compounding shocks Image: World Economic Forum, Global Risks Report

Keep up with the latest insights, data and analysis from and on the region

What’s shaping the Middle East and North Africa right now? Drawing on the World Economic Forum’s network of leaders and experts, this tracker curates the latest insights, data and analysis from and on the region to help make sense of the news.

Related topics:
Geographies in Depth
Global Risks
Geo-Economics and Politics

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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