This report is based on the presentations and discussions during the UAE Security Forum 2019, “Reshaping the Future of the Horn of Africa,” held on December 12, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
AGSIW experts explain what regional trends they’ll be following most closely as the year unfolds.
Fareed Yasseen, ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to the United States, examined the recent crises in Iraq, the fallout from the U.S. airstrike that killed Iran’s Quds Force commander Major General Qassim Suleimani, as well as the future of U.S.-Iraqi relations.
The recent elevation of Bahrain’s young prince, Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifa, to national security advisor is the latest indication of maneuvers to secure the future hierarchy of the monarchy.
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.
The end of the dispute will add little or no oil output immediately, but it does restore some spare capacity, and resolves one of the breaches in the Gulf Cooperation Council.
A number of works about the situation of the biduns, or stateless people, have emerged into Kuwait’s contemporary literary scene.
Kuwait’s government resigns amid charges of embezzlement, as both the Parliament and ruling family prepare for impending elections – and a looming succession.
Sultan Haitham will need to balance powerful interests while engaging all parties, especially as he tackles economic policy.
Oman’s political transition presents the new sultan and his government with a choice to maintain the status quo of economic policy or undertake a deeper, structural transformation of the energy-dependent economy.
Oman has had notable success with its Khazzan gas field, but the sultanate will need to manage its domestic gas consumption and sign favorable long-term supply contracts to continue to benefit from LNG exports.
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.”
AGSIW hosts Mark Thompson, professor and author of "Being Young, Male and Saudi: Identity and Politics in a Globalized Kingdom," for a discussion of his work on the generational shift in attitudes of Saudi men.
The Saudi mining industry starts 2020 with a slimmer regulatory agency, new management, and prospects that appear more favorable than many other Vision 2030 programs.
The Downtown Awamiya development project is an important initiative in a region that has been deprived of cultural resources and investment from the state.
The Jebel Ali find promises reduced import bills, improved security of supply, and more gas to boost the economy but will require some clever technical and commercial work to make full use of it.
AGSIW spoke with Sara Falaknaz about her visions and aspirations as one of the youngest elected members of the FNC.
For the fourth consecutive year, AGSIW convened the UAE Security Forum, where U.S., UAE, and regional partners gathered to find creative solutions to some of the region’s most pressing challenges.
Ambassador Stephen A. Seche assesses the prospects for an end to the conflict in Yemen, in light of U.S.-Iranian tensions.
Kristin Smith Diwan and Hussein Ibish discuss the role for the Gulf Arab states in de-escalating tensions between Iran and the United States.
Ali Alfoneh discusses the Islamic Republic's strategic options following the killing of Quds Force commander Major General Qassim Suleimani.
The Houthis are unlikely to find immediate solutions in their nascent electronic currency, but this financial technology nevertheless serves a political purpose for the rebel group.
Ambassador Stephen A. Seche sat down with Mohammed Abulahoum from Yemen's Justice and Building Party to discuss the potential for a resolution to the conflict and a unified Yemeni state.
Abulahoum discussed the November 5 power-sharing agreement between the U.N.-recognized Yemeni government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the pro-secession Southern Transitional Council.
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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