Dubai greeted the new year with a picture frame – a really large one. It is located in Zabeel Park, straddling what is referred to in local parlance as “old” Dubai and its “new” counterpart. Over the years, this frame structure has grown in height distinguished by a large void through which both sides of the city can be seen: the gleaming towers of Sheikh Zayed Road from one side, and the low-rising architecture of Bur Dubai and Deira from the other.
Discussions between Amazon Web Services and Saudi Arabia to establish a direct presence in the country forecast a broader commercial struggle for control over the e-commerce market in Gulf Cooperation Council countries. While Amazon’s cloud-computing division initially aims to open new data centers in Saudi Arabia, an agreement would likely accelerate the expansion of Amazon warehouses and its third-party marketplace.
It is a difficult time in the Gulf to leverage public resources to meet growing demand for jobs, for infrastructure development, and for efforts to build economies less reliant on oil revenue. For officials engaged in seeking external finance, either through debt or foreign direct investment, finding the right partners becomes more difficult given regional political tensions and the urgency to bridge fiscal deficits and continue project pipelines. Oman exemplifies the challenges of generating investment and infrastructure growth with diminishing fiscal resources. Read more
عدم وجود سياسية أمريكية واضحة تجاه النزاعات في سوريا خلال عهد الرئيس السابق باراك أوباما، والمواقف المتناقضة التي تعتمدها حاليا إدارة الرئيس دونالد ترامب تجاه الأطراف المتقاتلة في سوريا، وتجاه النزاعات الأخرى في المنطقة، تفسر إلى حد كبير المعضلة التي تواجهها واشنطن في سوريا، لأن هذا النزاع هو الذي سيقرر كيفية تعامل إدارة الرئيس ترامب في السنوات المقبلة ليس فقط مع سوريا بل أيضا مع تركيا وإيران وروسيا والأكراد
In addition to original content, AGSIW.org in Arabic is regularly updated with new Arabic translations of AGSIW's analysis. Recent translations include:
Many journalistic accounts of Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman (often referred to as MBS), depict him as power-hungry and corrupt, and cite these two impulses for his behavior and policies. When King Salman designated MBS as his heir in June 2017, MBS effectively became the most powerful man in the kingdom. And despite ill-advised purchases (including a yacht and a French chateau, which have cemented the impression of the crown prince’s greed), power consolidation and money alone cannot explain recent developments. Read more
Speaking with The Washington Post, Senior Resident Scholar Karen E. Young commented on the release of Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who was previously arrested by Saudi authorities. Speaking with Bloomberg, Senior Resident Scholar Kristin Smith Diwan commented on the opinion of Saudi youth on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's reform agenda.
Senior Resident Scholar Hussein Ibish spoke on a panel at Fordham University about the role of Gulf Arab countries in resolving long-standing Middle East conflicts such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Senior Resident Scholar Kristin Smith Diwan presented a paper on the youth challenge to Islamism in Saudi Arabia at the Annual Workshop on Islamist Politics, hosted by the Project on Middle East Political Science at the George Washington University.
Department/Team: Programs and Outreach Hours: Full Time Location: Washington, DC
Job Summary: The incumbent reports to the Senior Director for Programs and Outreach (SDPO) and is responsible for the successful coordination and implementation of AGSIW programs and events. S(he) works with the SDPO to develop AGSIW’s annual program plan and manages day-to-day program activities. Read moreAudio/Visual Specialist
Department/Team: Publications and Digital Media Hours: Part Time (20+ hours/week, no benefits) Location: Washington, DC
Job Summary: This position is responsible for supporting the Publications and Digital Media team by contributing to the development and production of engaging, innovative, and high-quality audio, video, and graphic content. Read moreVisiting Scholars
Department/Team: Senior Resident Scholars Period: Fall 2018 Location: Washington, DC
About the Candidate: Visiting scholars are individuals who possess a PhD or equivalent professional experience, and whose primary purpose for residence at AGSIW is to conduct independent research. The length of stay for a visiting scholar is typically a semester or academic year. AGSIW is actively seeking candidates with significant regional experience and fluency in written and spoken Arabic. Read more
The Rise of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Reveals a Harsh Truth
