Saudi Arabia’s decision to suspend a major military aid package to Lebanon – $3 billion earmarked for the purchase of French weapons – and to revoke another $1 billion pledged to support Lebanon’s internal security services, is an unexpected and dramatic change of policy toward a politically crucial Arab country. At the same time, the UAE has announced a drawdown of diplomatic staff at its embassy in Beirut. There are additionally concerns and rumors about the potential withdrawal of Saudi and United Arab Emirates deposits from the Lebanese Central Bank, which would also be deeply damaging to Riyadh’s Lebanese allies. Lebanese anxiety even extends to concern about the potential deportation of Lebanese workers from Gulf states and the loss of valuable remittances as well as social and economic links. Read more
Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, paid a visit to the United Arab Emirates last week. She was invited as a keynote speaker and participant at two showcase events on economic development in the region: the Arab Fiscal Forum, organized by the Arab Monetary Fund with the IMF, and the Global Women’s Forum in Dubai, a group committed to promoting women’s participation and leadership in the private sector. In her public remarks, Lagarde made the case for tax implementation in the Arab Gulf states. At a joint press conference after her speech to the Arab Monetary Fund, UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs Obaid Humaid al-Tayer announced that the UAE would implement a value added tax of 5 percent on goods and services (with some exceptions for essential food items, health care, and education) by 2018. Read more
One can readily understand why Saudi Arabia suspended a $3 billion (Dh11bn) aid package for the Lebanese Armed Forces to purchase French weapons, and cancelled outright an additional $1 billion in support for Lebanese internal security. But if no alternative or additional means are found to bolster Riyadh’s allies in Lebanon, the move could prove problematic. The essential background is the growing power of Hizbollah. The pro-Iranian Shiite group has long exercised major influence and operated an effective state within a state in large parts of the country. Read more
More than a hundred leaders from across government, academia, and the private sector gathered for the inaugural UAE Security Forum on February 21 at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. The forum brought focus to a key topic of global and national security: cybersecurity and the gap that exists in talent needed to maintain sensitive information and critical infrastructure secure. The event was organized and hosted by AGSIW to help focus on the current state of cybersecurity in the United Arab Emirates and the need to broaden the cyber workforce. Raytheon, a global technology and cybersecurity firm, sponsored the forum as part of its global efforts to help develop professionals to meet the challenges of this dynamic domain. Read more
In the Media
AGSIW Executive Vice-President and former U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Stephen A. Seche was quoted in a Bloomberg article discussing Saudi involvement in the Yemen war. In reference to Saudi concerns regarding the country's ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Seche said, "The Saudis are focused very sharply on: how do we remove him from being an element in any future equation in Yemen?”
In a Washington Post article discussing Saudi Arabia's involvement in the war in Yemen, AGSIW Non-Resident Fellow Fahad Nazer noted, "A number of videos have circulated on social media showing tribal leaders in Najran and Jizan [in southern Saudi Arabia] reciting poetry and expressing gratitude to the troops stationed there."
Millennial Gulf Design Competition
Last day for submissions!
AGSIW is soliciting entries for an original logo and header design for the Millennial Gulf bilingual webpage.
Millennial Gulf is a bimonthly series published by the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW) reporting on youth-led initiatives in the realms of culture, politics, technology, and entrepreneurship in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The series profiles the efforts of individuals and organizations engaged in innovation and the promotion of social change, and highlights creative expressions in literature, art, and social media. The goal of Millennial Gulf is to elevate the voices of youth in the GCC and to deepen understanding of their concerns and aspirations.
We are looking for a design that captures the essence of youth-led change and the intention of the series as stated above. Submissions must be accompanied by a design statement and artists are encouraged to incorporate both English and Arabic into the design. Read more
