Oil Price War Tests Saudi-Russian Investment Cooperation
The collapse of the OPEC+ production agreement and the ensuing oil price war place pressure on joint investment initiatives spearheaded by Saudi and Russian sovereign wealth funds.
Regional Affairs
Tehran's Support for Sectarian Militias Grows Despite the Coronavirus and Economic Crisis
The Iranian government's network of foreign militia groups represents its primary regional power projection and national security tool.
Inherent Uncertainty: The Future of the U.S. Presence as Iraq Confronts Multiple Crises
On April 15, AGSIW hosts a virtual panel discussion analyzing the future of the U.S. military and diplomatic presence in Iraq.
Bahrain
Gulf Youth and Civil Society Mobilize to Fight the Coronavirus
While most Gulf Arab countries have tackled the coronavirus pandemic through state-led initiatives, Kuwait and Bahrain engaged youth significantly through quasi-independent civil society organizations.
Gulf States’ Demographics Favorable to the Growth of the Sharing Economy
Gulf governments see the sharing economy as a source of jobs for young people and promising outlet for entrepreneurs.
Bahrain’s Royal Family Adjusts for the Future
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.
Kuwait
The Coronavirus Redefines Responsibility in the Gulf
The coronavirus outbreak has redefined the responsibilities of citizens and the business community, impacting the already evolving rentier state structure and highlighting economic and religious challenges
The National Union of Kuwaiti Students: Nurturing a Commitment to Civic Engagement?
Student unions and clubs have played an important role in the lives of Gulf Arab students, both in local universities and abroad.
Protracted Negotiations Yield Solution to Saudi-Kuwaiti Neutral Zone Dispute
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.
Oman
Russian-Saudi Breakup May Not End in Divorce
Russia may be able to withstand more pain from the collapse in oil prices than other producers, but cooperation in global energy markets is only one pillar of Russian-Gulf ties.
Oman’s New Sultan Unlikely to Pursue Qaboos’ Monopoly of Power
Sultan Haitham will need to balance powerful interests while engaging all parties, especially as he tackles economic policy.
Qaboos Successor Must Focus on Economic Prioritization
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.
Qatar
Gulf Security in a Multipolar World: Power Competition, Diversified Cooperation
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.
Year-on-Year Deficits Brewing in Gulf Economies
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.
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.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Response to Coronavirus Seen as Emphasizing Public Health, Not Internal Politics
As King Salman warns of the difficult fight ahead, the rationale behind the Saudi government’s quarantine measures is being closely scrutinized.
Saudi Arabia Races to Boost Output as it Takes on Russian and U.S. Oil
Saudi Arabia’s decision to proceed with plans to ramp up its oil production capacity despite collapsing demand during a global health crisis may seem rash. But is it?
Houthi Advances Complicate the Saudi Path Out of Yemen
A precipitous withdrawal risks greater instability and further disintegration of the war-torn country.
United Arab Emirates
Free to Game: E-sports in the Gulf
Discussions over establishing an e-sports free zone in Dubai reflect the high-growth potential of competitive online gaming across the broader Gulf region.
Water Worries: The Future of Desalination in the UAE
With few available alternatives for accessing water resources, the UAE is continuing to expand existing desalination facilities and construct new desalination plants.
UAE Security Forum 2019: Reshaping the Future of the Horn of Africa
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.
Iran
Succession Crisis in Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces
While it took the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps less than 24 hours to replace Major General Qassim Suleimani, Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces is suffering more from its leadership succession woes.
Iran’s Patient Zero: The Islamic Republic
Strategic relations with China, domestic political considerations, and religious taboos all prevented an earlier and more effective response by the Iranian government toward the country's coronavirus crisis.
Khamenei’s New Parliament: Cohesive, But Unrepresentative
The supreme leader’s engineering of Iran's parliamentary elections may help the regime to manage the multiple crises it is facing. But there will be consequences for narrowing the circle of the ruling elites and restricting the path for political participation for Iranian citizens.
Yemen
The Conflict in Yemen in its Sixth Year
On March 30, AGSIW hosted a briefing discussing salient issues and developments in the conflict in Yemen as it enters its sixth year.
Will Yemen Be a Gas Exporter Again?
Yemen LNG, the country’s largest industrial project, has been inactive for nearly five years. Both political and gas market volatility threaten to keep it that way.
Internal Divisions in Yemen Pave the Way for Houthis' Advance
In a country where alliances are continually shifting, security services and military performance rely on personal loyalty and tribal allegiance.
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