on assignment, Dubai

on assignment, Dubai

Our insight

Collective intelligence

07.07.2022

The global semiconductor industry is interconnected, like it or not

Alaco analyst Phoebe Boswall's article on global supply chains in the semi-conductor industry, and the effect of China-US rivalry on them, has been published on China-focused media platform SupChina. more >
24.05.2023

History has not ended – but the way we view risk has irreversibly changed

Bold op-ed on Risk published today in Fortune, written by Sigma7 Chairman Chuck Bralver and Advisory Board Member General Martin Dempsey.more >
13.01.2022

Kazakh Protests: a New Chapter?

One week on from unprecedented - and largely unexpected - violence in Kazakhstan, old assumptions have been thrown out the window and figures close to the former President Nursultan Nazarbayev find themselves in unfamiliar territory. On the face of things, Kazakhstan’s president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has broken free from the shackles of Nazarbayev’s legacy and indicated his intention to reform Kazakh economic and security institutions, widely viewed as propping up the current Nazarbayev-linked elite. more >
11.12.2020

What next for Sandu?

After her electoral victory, Moldova’s new president will seek to fend off old guard opponents as she sets a European path for her country.more >
25.11.2020

Moldova’s election result is a blow to Russia’s regional dominance

The victory of the pro-Western politician Maia Sandu shows Putin is losing his grip over Russia’s near abroad.more >
17.11.2020

Corruption fight devolves into a new constitutional crisis in Ukraine

President wants to disband the country’s constitutional court after it reversed key reforms. more >
12.11.2020

US signals support for European infrastructure overhaul

In the dying days of the Trump presidency, the US pledges funds for efforts to close huge development gap between western and eastern European countries. more >
29.10.2020

Threat of sanctions can ensure smooth election in Moldova

Only concerted western pressure can break the current impasse on reform – a stasis that could destabilise the country.more >
16.10.2020

Investors keep faith with Africa’s tech scene amid pandemic

Covid-defying foreign investment in IT reflects huge potential for mobile-driven commerce and development.more >
14.10.2020

New sanctions offensive: OFAC blocks bad actors’ crypto addresses

The battle against financial crime has been strengthened by Washington’s blacklisting of cryptocurrency addresses used to facilitate illicit cyber activity. more >
08.10.2020

China thwarts neighbours’ energy ambitions

“Bullying” in the South China Sea threatens littoral states’ hydrocarbon exploration efforts.more >

Notes from the field

Our work takes us all over the world. Here we share some of our more personal perspectives on some of the destinations we have visited, filed on location.

Azerbaijan – Life between the world’s two most sanctioned countries

Azerbaijan has long been proud of its position as a bridge between Europe and Asia. Its food, architecture, and fashion are testament to the mixing pot of cultures found at the heart of modern Baku.