The Middle East is undergoing a period of profound transition.
The Middle East is undergoing a period of profound transition. There are failed or failing states in Libya and Yemen, a raging civil war in Syria and ongoing instability in Iraq. Egypt has returned to a familiar style of uneasy stability under a new authoritarian regime. The role of political Islam continues to be fiercely contested in the aftermath of the 2010-11 uprisings, and this issue remains at the heart of the ongoing crisis that pits Saudi Arabia and the UAE against neighboring Qatar.
The U.N. special envoy to Yemen announced that the principal parties to the conflict are now prepared to implement key provisions of the Stockholm Agreement. Is this a done deal, or just one more false start for a process that is now the object of growing skepticism?
The recent rise in oil prices takes some pressure off OPEC and its non-OPEC allies. However Saudi Arabia seems to want a deeper drawdown in global inventories before deciding whether to loosen output restrictions.
Through a series of megaprojects aimed at beautifying the city, Riyadh has the potential to offer a unique model of urbanity that can be a counterpoint to the more speculative trends pervasive in the region.
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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