New Congress Sounds Alarms for U.S.-Gulf Arab Partnership
Yemen, Khashoggi, detainees, and nuclear technology are driving a deep-seated congressional backlash against Riyadh.
Regional Affairs
Looking to Elections, Supreme Leader Places Allies in Key Positions
Khamenei’s moves to consolidate his power have led to growing speculation in Iran that the position of its president – current or future – will be far less significant in how the country is led.
Podcast Production in the Gulf Arab States: Expanding Beyond the Region
Despite the challenges still facing podcast production, the enthusiasm of khaleejis to spread podcasting culture is encouraging collaboration and the passionate embrace of podcasting across the Arab region.
Bahrain
Bahrain’s Carefully Managed Elections Remake Parliament
On November 24 and December 1 Bahrain held elections for the lower house of Parliament and municipal councils. The new members – absent representation by once-influential opposition societies and dominated by political independents and newcomers – will face a strenuous test with austerity measures looming.
Subsidizing Basic Commodities in the Gulf Arab States: Distortive and Regressive
This paper uses economic theory to demonstrate the negative implications of subsidies.
The GCC is Becoming More – and Less – than the Sum of Its Parts
As the United States and its Gulf partners intensify deliberations toward convening a U.S.-Gulf summit once scheduled for May, all parties are adjusting to new objectives and a shifting strategic landscape.
Kuwait
Podcast Production in the Gulf Arab States: Build It, and They Will Come
Podcasting culture is rapidly spreading across the Gulf. Though it still has a long way to go before catching on with the masses, it offers opportunities for growth and lucrative business prospects.
Petro Diplomacy: Back to the Future – Oil and Gas at the Center of New Growth in the GCC
On October 18, 2018, the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington convened its fourth annual Petro Diplomacy conference, “Back to the Future – Oil and Gas at the Center of New Growth in the GCC States.”
Abdullah Al-Busais: Fiction Writing in the Gulf
AGSIW spoke with Kuwaiti poet and novelist Abdullah Al-Busais about the growing interest in literature among Gulf youth, publishing and censorship issues, and the recent book fair in Kuwait.
Oman
Al-Moatasem al-Mamari: Institutionalizing Omani Youth Movements
AGSIW spoke with al-Moatasem al-Mamari, a physician engaged with youth and media, about the development of youth movements in Oman as well as their cultural impact and government interaction with them.
New Omani Initiatives Reflect Gulf States’ Push to Nationalize Labor Forces
Short-term measures to replace expatriate workers with Omani citizens could have implications for the sultanate’s long-term economic growth and diversification process.
Hadil Al-Moosa: Women Entrepreneurs in Oman
AGSIW spoke with Hadil Al-Moosa about media in Oman, labor laws, women’s entrepreneurship, and the role of government support for entrepreneurs.
Qatar
Qatar Balances Fraught Regionalism Against Uncertain Globalization
In order to remain a relevant actor in the global economic order, Qatar has established a middle ground between the trends of regionalism and globalization through a strategic strengthening of bilateral partnerships.
Qatar Shuffles Back to the Future
Qatar’s recent Cabinet reshuffle and announcement it will withdraw from OPEC are decisions that are not likely to herald a strategic shift in the country’s direction, but they do demonstrate that Doha is, once again, pursuing its own regional interests.
Gulf Strategic Interests Reshaping the Horn of Africa
As Gulf Arab states exert greater influence in the Horn of Africa, the region’s future is being reimagined.
Saudi Arabia
Climate Change and Economic Diversification in Saudi Arabia: Integrity, Challenges, and Opportunities
While Saudi Arabia’s long involvement in global climate change negotiations has attracted mounting attention, little is known about the kingdom’s climate change governance at the domestic level or its progress in terms of addressing climate change in line with economic diversification.
Gulf States Help Defuse South Asia Tensions, Protect Economic Interests
Three processes of interregional engagement – labor dynamics, energy cooperation, and strategic investments – are crucial for understanding how Gulf Arab states will exercise economic power in South Asia over the coming years.
IDEX 2019 Highlights Gulf States' Move to Develop Domestic Defense Industries
IDEX 2019 demonstrated that both the Emiratis and Saudis are serious about developing domestic defense industries and enlisting global defense firms as partners in this effort.
United Arab Emirates
ADNOC Repositions Itself to Challenge International Oil Majors
ADNOC CEO Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber is overseeing an aggressive policy of partial privatization and has brought in new strategic partners to better serve the company’s international operations and export markets.
UAE and Russia Find Common Ground on Syria
The UAE is poised to emerge as Russia’s most important Gulf Arab partner on Syria.
Burning the Midnight Oil to Keep the Lights On
The Gulf is extremely vulnerable to climate change and the clock is ticking to keep the lights and air conditioners on without causing harm to their already fragile environment.
Iran
As U.S. Sanctions Bite, Iran Flexes Diplomatic Muscles in Iraq and Syria
Rouhani's trip to Iraq and Assad's to Iran show that Tehran and its allies are determined to maintain alliances.
More Tax and Fewer Petrodollars: Iran Prepares to Face Sanctions
The return of U.S. sanctions targeting Iran’s energy, banking, and shipping sectors is expected to put more pressure on the Iranian economy in 2019.
Warsaw Ministerial Highlights Challenges Facing Anti-Iran Coalition
Western cohesion on Iran and Arab-Israeli cooperation both seem stalled as headaches mount for Tehran.
Yemen
Yemen after Stockholm: A Status Report
On January 29, AGSIW convened a roundtable discussion on the status of Yemen’s ongoing war – and efforts to hasten its end.
What the New Congress Means for U.S.-Gulf Relations
2019 could be a tough year on Capitol Hill for Gulf Arab countries.
UAE Security Forum 2018: "Yemen after the War: Addressing the Challenges of Peace and Reconstruction"
This report is based on the presentations and discussions during the UAE Security Forum 2018, “Yemen after the War: Addressing the Challenges of Peace and Reconstruction,” held on December 9, 2018 in Abu Dhabi.
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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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