Despite gains in bilateral relations and economic ties, one year after the signing of the Abraham Accords, there is an understanding in Israel that the agreements have not yet changed the “rules of the game” on a strategic level in the region.
Gulf actors will be paying close attention to the dispute to make sure it does not transition to more direct conflict that could further jeopardize regional stability and strategic Europe-Mediterranean-Africa market linkages.
The reemergence of the Taliban is being treated cautiously in the broader Middle East. But the U.S. withdrawal may leave a unique political space for more engagement from the Gulf Arab states.
From collecting wedding photos and exploring the evolution of khaleeji music to using humor to write about how people behave during the holy month of Ramadan, a Bahraini curator brings to light intriguing stories about Gulf societies.
On March 25, AGSIW hosted a conversation with H.E. Dr. Mohamed bin Mubarak Bin Daina to discuss climate-related challenges facing Bahrain and how the kingdom is mitigating these challenges.
Economics may offer some insight into why Bahrainis tied the knot more frequently in 2020.
Grassroots activism demanding an end to gender-based violence in Kuwait has gained national traction and is encouraging more legislative action.
A newly elected National Assembly quickly falls under old dynamics of confrontation and gridlock. Will Kuwait find a path to compromise and reform?
The long-standing partnership between Kuwait and Senegal has been beneficial to both parties. With a new emir, fallen oil prices, and a smaller 2021 budget, will Senegal remain a priority for Kuwait?
While the high rate of unemployment among youth sparked recent protests in Oman, the problem now goes beyond creating job opportunities.
As part of its Ambassadors Series, AGSIW hosted a discussion with Ambassador Leslie M. Tsou, U.S. ambassador to Oman.
If Omanis aren’t ready to shoulder a 5% VAT, then they have a long, bumpy economic road ahead of them.
While Qatar’s electoral rules may produce a more malleable legislative body, they pose the risk of upending the national unity forged over the course of Qatar’s dispute with its neighboring states.
As the largest liquefied natural gas exporter in the world and one of the few countries able to work and negotiate with various parties in Israel and Gaza, Qatar is uniquely positioned to work within Gaza’s energy sector.
After more than 25 years of working alongside international oil company giants, Qatar Petroleum has the technical capability and expertise to manage its own gas business. But it is unlikely to end all its partnerships.
Saudi Arabia is positioning itself to build greater interdependence with Russia. If this is a serious strategy, it poses real risks for Saudi Arabia’s defense relationship with the United States.
Saudi government outreach acknowledges the strains of diversification plans and austerity measures while also seeking to renew the public’s interest in achieving the economic transformation's goals.
Regardless of whether The Line comes to fruition, the most important aspect of the project may be its promotion of a new vision of urban living.
The UAE is increasingly looking to the maritime domain as an area of regional and global cooperation but also as a vessel of continued power projection.
A self-taught local photographer explores the region’s hidden gems and captures underrepresented cultural practices.
On June 17, AGSIW hosted H.E. Aisha Al Abdooli, acting assistant undersecretary for green development and climate change for the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
As long as Iran’s economy is spiraling downward, its new government will have some incentive to ease tensions abroad.
What factors explain the transformation in Tehran’s strategic thinking and behavior, and what will be the trajectory under the new president?
With its presidential election over, Iran may now want an agreement, but the biggest issues may remain untouchable.
The TotalEnergies deal with Iraq includes clean energy aspects that are a step in the right direction for the country to develop a more sustainable economy, but the focus is still on oil and gas.
Iraq’s new government will have its work cut out for it in addressing the water crisis. But time will not be on its side.
The announcement that the United States will conclude its combat role in Iraq by the end of 2021 appears to be no more than rebranding the U.S. troops’ current role in Iraq.
The next U.N. special envoy for Yemen will be uniquely positioned to spearhead a grand bargain that might be the international community’s last chance to reconstitute Yemen as a single state.
On July 15, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the top issues and challenges facing the incoming United Nations special envoy for Yemen.
Lacking and intermittent payments to soldiers risk incentivizing local small wars that could persist regardless of whether a national conflict resolution deal is achieved.
Through its careful examination of the forces shaping the evolution of Gulf societies and the new generation of emerging leaders, AGSIW facilitates a richer understanding of the role the countries in this key geostrategic region can be expected to play in the 21st century.
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