Middle East Uncertainty Isn’t the Crisis — Your Comms Gaps Are

According to a recent study, 30% of organisations globally have a crisis communication playbook, a number which shrinks significantly in the MENA region and the Global South at large.

So the real question is, does your organisation fall in the perilous 70%?”

Most companies have not accounted for the kinds of scenarios we’re now witnessing unfold across the GCC, where lights in the night sky should mark moments of celebration, not serve as harbingers of airborne threats.  Fireworks are now being replaced by missile trails and what once symbolized celebration now signals threat. And yet, many MENA organizations still remain unprepared. This isn’t a gap. It’s a liability.

The latest geopolitical escalation in the Middle East has added yet another layer of uncertainty to an already complex operating environment for businesses. From the closure of airspace to the cancellation, grounding or rerouting of hundreds of flights and the potential closure of shipping lanes, corporate leaders across the region are once again reminded of how quickly a crisis can go from distant headline to boardroom emergency.

For communications professionals, crisis planning isn’t a luxury -it’s a frontline responsibility. Stranded employees unable to return to duty, disrupted rosters causing service gaps, frontline staff scrambling to adapt, and anxious investors fixated on falling valuations; the ripple effects are immediate and widespread and all can make headlines or go viral. Every stakeholder, from customers to shareholders, feels the impact. And without a coherent crisis response, confusion escalates, trust erodes, and recovery becomes even harder.

For communications and PR professionals, this is a moment of reckoning. Crisis response is no longer about having a static plan filed away in a drawer. It’s about activating real-time monitoring systems, assembling cross-functional task forces, and executing agile strategies that evolve hour by hour.

A crisis preparedness manual should not be a “set-it-and-forget-it” document. It must be a living, breathing resource that is continuously reviewed, tested, and updated to reflect changing realities such as geopolitical tensions, digital vulnerabilities, supply chain risks, and evolving stakeholder expectations.

If your organisation hasn’t revisited its manual in the last 12 months, or worse, doesn’t even have one, this is the time to update it or get one done. But in doing so, try avoiding the ChatGPT trap to cut corners to meet unreasonable deadlines set out by the panicking board room.

As AI tools become more embedded in the content supply chain, there’s a growing temptation to automate even the most sensitive types of communication.

As AI tools become more embedded in the content supply chain, there’s a growing temptation to automate even the most sensitive types of communication.

A recent viral TikTok video, shared by The New York Times, underscored this risk in a chilling way: it featured side-by-side crisis statements from the CEOs of two different airlines following fatal crashes – word-for-word identical, with only a few minor variations. The result? A wave of social media ridicule and disbelief that two such human tragedies were met with such copy-paste coldness.

In 2025, audiences are more discerning than ever. In times of crisis, they don’t just need facts; they need to feel that leaders are present, accountable, and genuinely human. While tools like AI can support speed and structure, they must never replace emotional intelligence and context-driven judgment.

At Leidar, our advice to clients is grounded in three principles:

• The best crisis responses anticipate worst-case scenarios while communicating confidence and care in an authentic way.

• Situational awareness is critical. Monitor not only the direct impact to your operations, but also the secondary effects on stakeholders, partners, suppliers, employees, and communities.

• In fast-evolving crises, internal teams can easily become overwhelmed. Partnering with experienced communications advisors helps shape authentic messaging, avoid reputational missteps, and maintain long-term trust.

This is not the first time our region has been tested and it won’t be the last. But every challenge is also an opportunity to demonstrate resilience, clarity, and responsible leadership.

And above all, never forget: in moments of real human suffering, real human communication is irreplaceable.

In moments of real human suffering, real human communication is irreplaceable.

If you’re not confident your organisation is crisis-ready, let’s talk. We’ll help you build a plan you’ll never want to use – but will be grateful to have.