OPEC and Non-OPEC Oil Producers Try to Narrow the Price Gap
OPEC and its non-OPEC allies are working to drain excess supply and balance oil markets, but much depends on whether the expanded oil producers’ club remains committed to production cuts.
Regional Affairs
The Islamic Republic at 40: Succession and Direction after Khamenei
On February 7, join AGSIW for a discussion on the Iranian regime's internal and external challenges 40 years after the 1979 revolution.
Dealing with the Syrian Regime is a Sad but Inevitable Reality
The United Arab Emirates will reopen its embassy in Damascus, and Bahrain and Kuwait are following suit.
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.
Bahrain Sees Windfall in Offshore Oil Strike, but Choppy Waters Lie Ahead
Bahrain made its largest-ever oil find off the kingdom’s western coast, with Khalij al-Bahrain Basin estimated to contain at least 80 billion barrels of tight oil and 10-20 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas, officials announced on April 1.
Bahrain Moving toward Implementation of U.N. SDGs
Bahrain recently hosted the sixth meeting of the interagency and expert group on the sustainable development goals (SDGs), the successor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), gathering international experts from dozens of countries and U.N.
Kuwait
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.
Gray Area: Advocating for the Noncitizen Children of Kuwaiti Mothers
Nationality and naturalization laws are often ambiguous in Kuwait, specifically for the children of Kuwaiti mothers and foreign or bidun (stateless) fathers.
Sheno Ya3ni: Criticizing Society through Comedy
AGSIW spoke with the team behind Sheno Ya3ni, or so what? – a YouTube channel run by a group of Kuwaiti comedians – to learn how they have benefitted from using an online platform and how YouTube and social media affect cultural criticism in the region.
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 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.
Qatar, Turkey, and the Politics and Perils of Reciprocity
With Turkey’s economic woes, Qatar has leapt to its aid, but sitting uncomfortably between two critical allies, Ankara and Washington, Doha must tread carefully.
U.S. and Gulf States Call Truce on Open Skies Airline Dispute
Recent aviation agreements between the United States and the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have ended a bitter dispute over alleged anti-competitive practices.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia Reassigns Roles within a More Centralized Monarchy
As Saudi Arabia moves toward more centralized authority over national security and intelligence functions, will these measures serve to check or further empower the crown prince?
Saudi Arabia Sings a Nationalist Tune
Turki Al Sheikh, a larger-than-life figure in the crown prince’s close inner circle, is leading a rise of nationalist music in the Saudi mainstream.
Growing Saudi-Egyptian Ties Face Challenges of Economic Reforms
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s November trip to Egypt highlighted the important regional alliance between Riyadh and Cairo, but collaboration over megaprojects may strain Riyadh’s fiscal capacity.
United Arab Emirates
Culture and the City: The Promise of Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Quarter
Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Quarter, opened at the site of what was long the city's social and cultural heart, is unique in its integration of culture and space, and could serve as a model for urban regeneration.
New UAE Investment Laws Pose Challenge to Free Zones
Government efforts to legalize full foreign ownership in specific sectors aim to significantly boost inward foreign investments. However, the commercial reform threatens to disrupt the long-standing economic institutions and commercial incentives associated with free zones.
Integrating Climate Change Policies with Economic Diversification Strategies: Challenges and Opportunities in Oman and the UAE
Since the 1930s, the Arab Gulf states have been defined by their hydrocarbon wealth.
Iran
Iran’s Rising Unemployment Crisis
Iran’s increasingly tight job market, as a result of poor political and economic policies, as well as global sanctions, may intensify sociopolitical dissatisfaction and spark further unrest.
The War in Syria is Transforming the IRGC into an Expeditionary Force
The metamorphosis of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps into an expeditionary force as a result of the Syrian war bodes ill for the United States and its allies in the Middle East, who will likely encounter a more confrontational Islamic Republic in the future.
U.S. Sanctions Unlikely to Sever Iran’s Economic Ties to Gulf Arab States
Despite U.S. sanctions, Iran, with the second-largest economy in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia, is likely to remain an integral economic actor for the Gulf Arab states.
Yemen
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.
UAE Security Forum 2018: "Yemen after the War: Addressing the Challenges of Peace and Reconstruction"
For the third consecutive year, AGSIW convened the UAE Security Forum, where U.S., UAE, and regional partners gather to find creative solutions to some of the region’s most pressing challenges.
The Geoeconomics of Reconstruction in Yemen
The conflict in Yemen has exacted a disastrous toll on the country. This paper considers the outside forces in the conflict, seeking to elucidate who they are, what the nature is of their involvement, and what their converging and conflicting interests mean for reconstruction.
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