Chinese President Xi Jinping's 'One Belt, One Road' (OBOR) vision, heralded as an attempt to revive the pre-modern Silk Route, is intended to strengthen West Asia's economic links with China through ambitious infrastructural projects. Central to this are fast-track rail links, funded by the...

This book sets out to analyze how the OBOR initiative will influence the world's geo-political and geo-economic environment, with specific regard to the "Belt and Road" countries and regions. It evaluates what opportunities the OBOR can offer them in light of the constraints they face, paying...

“The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are in disarray, and shifts in the field of energy have the potential to drastically affect the course of political and economic developments in the region. Declining oil prices, skyrocketing domestic demand, the rise of unconventional oil and natural...