Visiting Scholar
Emma Soubrier is a visiting scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. Her research focuses on the security strategies and foreign policies of the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, particularly the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, and the political economy of arms trade in the Gulf. Soubrier has published numerous articles and book chapters in French and English on Gulf security issues, including “Evolving Foreign and Security Policies: A Comparative Study of Qatar and the UAE,” in The Small Gulf States: Foreign and Security Policies, edited by Khalid Almezaini and Jean-Marc Rickli (Routledge 2016).
Soubrier was previously a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre Michel de l’Hospital, Université Clermont Auvergne (France) and a visiting scholar at the Institute for Middle East Studies at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. This opportunity was rendered possible by the “Ambassador” scholarship from the Directorate General for International Relations and Strategy (French Ministry of Defense). She worked for three and a half years at the French Ministry of Defense and for three years at Airbus Defence and Space.
Soubrier received her PhD in political science from the Université Clermont Auvergne in 2017 and holds an MA in international relations from Sorbonne University (Paris, France). In 2018, her PhD thesis received a Dissertation Award from the Institute for Higher National Defense Studies (France). In 2013, Soubrier was selected as a Young Strategist by the International Institute for Strategic Studies and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
The UAE’s growing military engagement has contributed to the steady rise of the armed forces as the centerpiece of a power and influence strategy carved out by the UAE’s de facto leader, Mohammed bin Zayed.
Arms flows to and from the Gulf states could be challenged by new economic stress in exporting and client states, reassessment of the most pressing threats, and increased congressional scrutiny in the United States.
The Gulf Arab countries’ foreign assistance during the coronavirus pandemic hints at a slight evolution in their respective foreign policies.
The coronavirus outbreak presents Gulf – and global – leaders with an opportunity to prioritize human security in their foreign policies.
The international relations of the Gulf Arab countries increasingly have been characterized by a diversification of partnerships, including in a field that has historically been deemed the preserve of the United States and European allies: arms trade, and defense and security cooperation.
AGSIW experts explain what regional trends they’ll be following most closely as the year unfolds.
Emma Soubrier discusses the potential for European powers, as well as Russia and China, to build a multilateral negotiation process with Iran.
Air power procurement in the Gulf is increasingly evolving in line with two key ambitions: power projection and economic diversification.
The French president has a number of qualities that appeal to many Gulf leaders, which may help explain his recent success in bringing France, and Europe, to the forefront of different diplomatic initiatives in the region.
A joint statement issued by France, Germany, and the United Kingdom demonstrates the European commitment to the JCPOA and diplomacy with Iran.
