Regions
  • ARTICLES

    Should I stay or should I go? Navigating evacuation decisions in the Middle East

    The rapid spread of conflict across the Middle East since February 2026 has spurred widespread travel disruptions amid significant uncertainty. Richard Gardiner reflects on the challenges companies and foreign nationals faced in navigating relocations and evacuations as the conflict escalated, and highlights key considerations around how to prepare… 

  • ARTICLES

    Tit-for-tat: Reciprocal detentions amid France-Algeria tensions

    The last two years of France-Algeria relations have been characterised by recurring diplomatic tensions and reciprocal retaliations between the two. While both sides have made efforts to improve relations in recent weeks, underlying distrust and disagreements will continue to pose challenges for French and Algerian travellers and businesses in each… 

  • ARTICLES

    Faultlines: The wider security implications of the Iran conflict

    The war in Iran has plunged the Middle East into a period of instability that is likely to have ripple effects beyond the conflict. Richard Gardiner considers how the current situation has exacerbated existing tensions, and will continue to drive the threat of further instability within the region and abroad.

  • ARTICLES

    Beyond the Strait: How the Iran conflict is rewiring global commercial risk

    From energy prices to supply chains to global productivity, the impact of the Middle East conflict has been nothing short of extensive. While the trajectory of the conflict remains uncertain, Shannon Lorimer explores the volatility, instability and disruption likely to persist even in the case of a de-escalation.

  • ARTICLES

    Under fire: Gulf states caught between US-Iran tensions

    The war between Iran, Israel and the US has driven unprecedented security and economic challenges for Gulf states. Tamsin Hunt considers the shifting geopolitical positions of Gulf countries as these states try to re-establish stability, reassure investors, and shield against future conflict.

  • ARTICLES

    Cracking foundations: Iran’s waning internal stability, exacerbated by war

    Amid the losses of several key officials and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Republic of Iran must maintain its internal stability while fighting a war against the US and Israel. Neo Tsotetsi explores the domestic challenges to stability, and the outsized role Iran’s Revolutionary Guard will play in securing it.

  • ARTICLES

    Preparing for the Worst: Expert Perspectives on Political Evacuations

    As political instability and conflict events continue to drive threats to foreign nationals, travellers and commercial operators, Richard Gardiner interviews Paul Padman, S-RM’s Deputy Head of Crisis Response, to discuss recent trends in evacuations, and best practices for companies navigating high-risk environments and volatile situations.

  • ARTICLES

    High-stake ballots: Key elections in 2026

    With 2026 setting the stage for highly contested elections in US, Hungary, Israel and others, Tamsin Hunt explores the implications of potential outcomes for domestic stability and regional dynamics.

  • ARTICLES

    Little fires everywhere: Morocco’s decentralised 'Gen Z' protests

    In late September, youth-led protests denouncing high government expenditure on international sporting tournaments amid the underfunding of public services took root across the country. Neo Tsotetsi examines the issues driving these demonstrations and the impact they have had on Morocco thus far.

  • ARTICLES

    Ransoms and revenues: Kidnapping and extortion dynamics in Syria

    The fall of Bashar Al Assad has substantially reshaped Syria’s security landscape, with knock-on effects for the country’s illicit economy. Richard Gardiner explores how the new status quo is driving a rise in extortion and kidnapping in some areas, entrenching these activities in others, and the implications for prospective foreign investors.