Countries that export larger quantities of low-sulfur crude oil will be the foremost beneficiaries of the demand brought on by IMO 2020, but the new regulations will not be a boon for everyone in the region.
Despite beginning as a regional policy, the VAT in the Gulf is becoming an increasingly country-focused initiative.
Gulf maritime security may be morphing from a U.S. responsibility into a multinational responsibility.
The heightened interest in cryptocurrencies across the Gulf is taking place alongside global efforts to both regulate digital assets and attract cryptocurrency firms.
Since adopting a new constitution in 2001, the government of Bahrain has promoted women’s rights and political participation. However, challenges remain for reaching gender equality in politics, and for creating a more open political space in the kingdom.
Many natural resource-dependent countries have tried to restructure government finances in the wake of falling commodity prices, with little success. However, Bahrain’s current efforts may bear fruit.
Kuwait is struggling to increase oil production capacity. To put the country on a path toward a more sustainable energy future, Kuwait needs stability between its two branches of government and continuity in the energy sector.
AGSIW hosted a conversation examining Kuwait's domestic political landscape and regional relations.
Nayef Al-Hajraf, minister of finance of Kuwait, discussed the challenges and opportunities in this era of economic reform with a focus on Kuwait Vision 2035.
For the Gulf Arab states, renewables could contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions while also supporting economic goals of meeting increasing domestic energy demand and creating jobs.
As fiscal constraints increase, tensions in the Gulf rise, and uncertainties surrounding political transition loom, Oman’s role in the Gulf Arab region could come under pressure.
Avoiding provocation of international powers and regional neighbors, Oman remains determined to make its connections to all sides a strategic asset.
More spending, low growth, and recurring deficits are not a recipe for long-term economic sustainability, but this concoction may be a necessary pill for Gulf states to swallow as the hard work of economic reform sets in.
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.
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.”
Despite cutting more than half of Saudi Arabia’s current crude oil production, the market response to the attacks on Saudi oil facilities has been muted.
Strikes on Saudi oil facilities are an opportunity to marshal a global coalition to restore deterrence in the Gulf.
The reshuffling of top officials in Saudi Arabia’s flagship state-owned firms and key ministries underscores the growing authority of the Public Investment Fund.
Ahead of his participation at the United Nations 2019 Climate Action Summit, Al Zeyoudi discussed the various climate challenges facing the UAE and the region.
While the Emiratis have their own reasons for outreach to Tehran, Washington and Riyadh may find it useful as well.
Despite a large appetite among Gulf Arab states for Chinese investment and trade, the UAE has emerged as China’s primary economic partner in the region.
AGSIW examines the ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran.
The diplomatic deadlock between the United States and Iran places the burden for preventing conflict on the European countries and some of the other trading partners of Iran.
Whatever the path out of the current crisis, Gulf Arab states seeking an end to Iranian interference in regional affairs are likely to be disappointed.
Rising tensions in Yemen’s South are rooted in long-held Southern grievances and a desire for autonomy.
With its decision to withdraw from Yemen, the UAE has fundamentally changed the strategic context in Yemen.
The ongoing conflict in Yemen is inching toward the center of important debates for the United States, but international attention is unlikely to have any material impact on the conduct of the war.
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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