Can Green Transition Help EU Build Better Relations With the Gulf?
As the EU tries to overcome its strategic confusion, the transition to a greener economy could provide opportunities for EU-GCC relations.
Regional Affairs
Event Report – Petro Diplomacy: Gulf Countries in a Net-Zero World
AGSIW's seventh annual Petro Diplomacy conference examined the energy transition and ways in which the Gulf petrostates are positioning themselves for a net-zero environment.
Toward a Portfolio-Based Gulf Economy?
Oil continues to be crucial to Gulf states, but sovereign wealth funds may be able to close the gap left by an eventual end to fossil fuel resources, if a fiduciary-focused fund management culture can be instilled.
Bahrain
Latifa Al Khalifa: A Local Curator Showcases Gulf Societies
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.
A Conversation With H.E. Dr. Mohamed bin Mubarak Bin Daina, Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, Bahrain
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.
Bahraini Marriages: Against Pandemic Odds, Tying the Knot Gets Easier
Economics may offer some insight into why Bahrainis tied the knot more frequently in 2020.
Kuwait
Kuwait’s Ongoing Struggle Against Gender Violence
Grassroots activism demanding an end to gender-based violence in Kuwait has gained national traction and is encouraging more legislative action.
The Politics of Permanent Deadlock in Kuwait
A newly elected National Assembly quickly falls under old dynamics of confrontation and gridlock. Will Kuwait find a path to compromise and reform?
Will Kuwait and Senegal’s Exceptional Friendship Endure?
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?
Oman
Oman's Protesters Seek Jobs and Reform
While the high rate of unemployment among youth sparked recent protests in Oman, the problem now goes beyond creating job opportunities.
Roundtable With Ambassador Leslie M. Tsou, U.S. Ambassador to Oman
As part of its Ambassadors Series, AGSIW hosted a discussion with Ambassador Leslie M. Tsou, U.S. ambassador to Oman.
Oman’s VAT Implementation Is Necessary and Not Enough
If Omanis aren’t ready to shoulder a 5% VAT, then they have a long, bumpy economic road ahead of them.
Qatar
Qatar’s Shura Council Elections: Incrementally Strengthening Local Politics
The new Shura Council is neither a democratic wand changing Qatar’s political culture nor a pointless exercise. Instead, it is a small evolutionary step in the state’s governance in a more democratic direction.
What to Expect From Qatar's First Legislative Elections
On September 30, AGSIW hosted a discussion ahead of Qatar's first legislative elections.
Electoral Law Sparks Debate Over Qatari Citizenship and Political Rights
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.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s Ever More Ambitious Investment Strategy
There is still time for Saudi Arabia to accomplish many of Vision 2030’s foreign investment objectives, but the window of opportunity is closing quickly.
Roundtable with Bernard Haykel
On November 16, AGSIW hosted a discussion with Bernard Haykel on the state of U.S.-Saudi relations and the latest social, political, and economic developments underway in Saudi Arabia.
Under the Volcano: Geothermal is Key to Saudi Arabia’s Energy Future
Saudi Arabia’s commitments to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 and the new Saudi Green Initiative will drive more investments toward renewables and increasingly greater incorporation of geothermal energy.
United Arab Emirates
UAE Security Forum 2021: U.S.-Gulf Relations in a Changing Region
Taking place virtually from December 7-9, UAESF 2021 will assess geopolitical trends in the region.
Zayed University Adopts Experimental Approach, Prompting Skepticism and Support
Students, faculty, and community members are apprehensive about a new interdisciplinary approach pitched by a collaboration between the UAE’s Zayed University and U.S. educational technology developer Minerva.
Living Up to Its Reputation: A Critical Look at Crime in the UAE
The same conditions that have enabled steady economic growth in the UAE have also provided legislative loopholes and opportunities for criminal and illicit activities; but ensuring an attractive business environment is a fundamental priority to boost the country’s economic recovery.
Iran
Iran Doubles Down on China to Hedge Against the West
For Iran’s new president, the acceptance into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an important diplomatic achievement as Raisi tries to bolster his image as a statesman and look toward the East for economic and strategic partnerships.
Paradise Lost: An Environmental Tragedy in Iran
Iran’s Khuzestan province has experienced an unprecedented water shortage; yet climate change alone cannot explain how an area endowed with such exceptional natural resources could fail its people so catastrophically.
For Raisi, Economic Issues Primed to Drive Iran’s Foreign Policy Agenda
As long as Iran’s economy is spiraling downward, its new government will have some incentive to ease tensions abroad.
Iraq
Baghdad's Deepening Reengagement With the Gulf: Hostage to Government Formation
Recent Iraqi governments have pushed for reintegration with the Arab world, but continuation of that trend depends on the next government.
Iraq Protest Movement Defies Odds, Outperforms in Elections
Results from Iraq’s elections show that a determined young generation can organize and win seats, no matter the obstacles placed in the way by a political system most Iraqis lost faith in long ago.
Low Turnout, But Glimmer of Hope in Iraq's Elections
AGSIW's Geneive Abdo spoke with Akeel Abbas, an expert on Iraqi politics and sectarian identities, to discuss the results of Iraq's October 10 parliamentary elections.
Yemen
The Beginning of the End for the Saudi-Led Coalition in Yemen
UAE, Saudi, and affiliated local forces have begun withdrawing from locations across southern and western Yemen; while couched as “redeployments,” together the moves suggest the Saudi-led coalition is actively looking for an exit strategy.
The United States’ Empty Toolbox in Yemen
With the Houthis making gains in their offensive on Marib, and anti-Houthi alliance fragmenting, the United States is out of options on Yemen.
Economic Crisis, Political Divisions Spark Protests in Yemen’s South
As divisions among competing parties and the conflict persist, the economy is spiraling, leaving the majority of Yemenis without access to public services and without the means to meet their basic needs.
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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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