In the wake of a long and bloody campaign to drive out Islamic State, Iraq may now be looking at its greatest opportunity for recovery since the US-led invasion nearly 15 years ago. Natasha Turak reports. 

Faisal Al Haimus, chairman of the Trade Bank of Iraq, the country's largest bank and the government’s primary vehicle for imports and trade, talks to Natasha Turak about the war-torn state's rebirth and moving away from a cash-based economy.

Iraqi Kurds overwhelmingly backed independence in September’s referendum, though neither Baghdad nor the international community recognised the outcome. Now all parties are bracing themselves for challenging negotiations with the future of the region’s oil resources at stake. Jacopo Dettoni reports.

Global instability is nothing new, but the past few years have seen numerous flashpoints come to the fore around the world. This leaves many companies in a quandary over whether to stay in an unsettled location, how to insure themselves, and how to keep the locals on side should they choose to stay put. 

While civil unrest in the Middle East and north Africa is making many businesses operating in the area decidedly twitchy, the CEO of Zain Group tells Barbara Njau that the telecommunications company's view that the region holds great long-term potential remains unshaken.