This article only represents the author's own views.

Amid growing trade wars that have plunged the global economy into uncertainty, the Middle East has emerged as one region most likely to avoid resulting turmoil. That reality was underscored by the friendly overtones during a four-day whirlwind tour of the region last week by U.S. President Donald Trump, hinting at growing ties that could send more technology and Western investment to the strategically important region.

In the thick of that mix sits Yalla Inc. (YALA.US), a leading social media and gaming company in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region that is receiving strong backing from local governments eager to develop local high-tech industries to diversify their economies beyond energy. Nine years after launching its services, Yalla’s latest results, released on Monday, showed it continued to feed off the region’s social media and gaming scene in the first quarter.