Dear Colleague,
Welcome to the second edition of the Bourse & Bazaar Brief.
This week, we are pleased to share an article on Syria sanctions relief authored by attorney and former OFAC Chief Counsel Rachel Alpert. Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terror, the “last major legal barrier” preventing Syria’s reintegration into the global economy, has now been rescinded. Rachel explains the significance of the move.
We have also published a new analysis by the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation’s Executive Director of Research and Programs, Mehran Haghirian. The article unpacks the significance of the Makkah Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan and suggests that “concentric arrangements” will come to underpin the new regional security architecture in West Asia.
We have set up a new account on X. Follow us at @BourseBazaarFdn.
Best regards,
Layla Saghafian, Engagement Coordinator
Internal Publications
New Concentric Arrangements Will Underpin Middle East Security
By Mehran Haghirian - 24 August
Explainer: U.S. Removes Last Major Legal Barrier to Syria’s Economic Reintegration
By Rachel Alpert - 21 August
Announcements
Inaugural Rihla Summit to Convene in Abu Dhabi
The inaugural Rihla Summit will take place on 29 September 2026 at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi. The summit is part of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation’s flagship project, the Rihla Initiative for Green Economic Growth.
The Summit will bring together 80 members of the Rihla Initiative’s Policy and Implementation Councils, alongside GCC policymakers, executives, and technical experts, to strengthen cooperation between the Gulf and the Global South in green economic development.
Welcoming Imad Ahmed and Chenjie Song
The Rihla Initiative for Green Economic Growth is welcoming two new team members. Imad Ahmed, a climate finance expert with extensive experience structuring renewable energy deals, has joined as a Senior Fellow. Chenjie Song, a PhD researcher at Johns Hopkins University with a focus on the GCC, has joined as an analyst focused on Gulf outward investment.
Media Engagements
In the past week, our CEO Esfandyar Batmanghelidj was quoted extensively on the Trump administration’s announcement of “Operation Economic Outcast,” a new push to isolate the Iranian economy. His analysis was featured in The New York Times, The Economist, AFP, NPR, The Telegraph, and Fortune. Esfandyar was also interviewed on BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4.
Thank you for engaging with our work. If you would like to share content from the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation with a friend or colleague, please click the button below: