The controversy over the proposed “grand swap” of the Suez Canal for Egypt’s $165 billion debt was about more than a simple economic idea aimed at easing the country’s debt burden.

For the first time since 2003, the Iraqi government has publicly acknowledged a "serious" financial shortfall that disrupted salary payments for public sector employees in July 2026.

Palestinian education in the West Bank is being eroded by violence, restrictions, demolitions, and financial crisis, disrupting schooling and endangering its future.

In a long-awaited move, Libya has announced an agreement to unify the public budget, a step that, while significant on paper, has done little to quiet doubts over whether it can be implemented amid the country’s entrenched political divisions.

Bahrain enters 2026 with soaring debt, enacting taxes, spending cuts, and energy price hikes to stabilize finances and boost non-oil revenue, but analysts warn that without multi-year reforms, fiscal crises could recur.