CbI provides political risk monitoring, research and analysis services on countries in Africa and the Middle East, and on key industry sectors.

Some monitoring services are available on a multi-client basis - including regular political risk reports on key Gulf states and also African countries such as Côte d'Ivoire and smaller Sahel states.

Others are tailored to a client's specific needs, with a focus on a particular issue or specific sector.

Recent examples include:

Political risk and investment analysis for a major US oil company in the Arabian/Persian Gulf

• Commissioned by a major London-based consultancy, we provided decision-making support to a major US oil company considering substantial investments in the Middle East.
  
  
• Much of our work has involved analysis of the decision-making processes and personalities that impact on investments in Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.
  
  
• This work continues with political risk updates and analysis of developments as they happen.

Analysis of the Côte d'Ivoire crisis

• Analysis of the (a) debt, (b) cocoa, (c) wider economic situation and (d) political outlook in Côte d'Ivoire - an example of a market where CbI staff regularly travel and where we have a correspondent network.
  
  
• We have carried out similar work on a range of other African countries, from Angola to Uganda.

Analysis of protracted contract negotiations in Bahrain, Libya, Kuwait and Qatar.

• Helping international companies to understand potential and real pitfalls in planned, ongoing and failed contracts with companies in these and other countries. Due diligence and political risk monitoring
  
  
• We are frequently called on to analyse the suitability of a range of candidates to work with, partner or service Western blue chips in countries as diverse as Angola, Benin and Uganda, and Iraq, Libya and Tunisia.
  
  
• We have produced background briefing papers on the elites of, and political risk, in countries such as Algeria, Guinea, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
  
  
• We also supply on a regular weekly or monthly basis several clients with information on external political and security issues that impact on investments in certain markets in Africa and the Middle East. These include monthly reports on Algeria, Chad and Libya, and regular monitoring of markets such as Benin and Guinea.

Clients use these services to provide them with a better understanding of the countries in which they have an interest, to improve country specific strategies and as an aid to risk management.