As part of its new energy roundtable series, AGSIW was pleased to host a roundtable discussion with Majid Jafar, CEO of Crescent Petroleum, in conversation with Roger Diwan, vice president of IHS Financial Services at IHS Markit. Read more
Global demand for oil has firmly eclipsed supplies in the first quarter of 2017, according to the latest data, showing progress in OPEC’s efforts to rebalance oil markets, and reversing the weaker fundamentals that pressured prices lower from 2014-16. However, oil prices remain volatile, nonetheless, as traders continue to worry that resurgent shale oil production will offset lower production by OPEC and some non-OPEC countries. Read more
Augustine of Hippo once remarked: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” In the last few years, the Bahraini government has launched a multipronged strategy to ensure that the kingdom’s page is more frequently read by the world’s travelers. Can it succeed in a region riddled with security threats? Read more
Exceptional among Gulf states, Kuwait’s National Assembly has a powerful role in decision making. Yet some Kuwaitis find it difficult to monitor the activities of all 50 members of parliament. This is what compelled Abdullah Al-Khonaini and Hamad Al-Judai to establish Raqib50. The first online parliamentary watch tool in Kuwait, Raqib50 keeps track of not only legislation submitted by MPs, but also their attendance history, voting track record, and motions to grill ministers. Raqib50 was created with the purpose of raising the bar on transparency and accountability between citizens and their elected MPs. Read more
مع اقتراب نهاية أول مئة يوم له في الحكم، يجد الرئيس دونالد ترامب نفسه في مواجهة أزمتين متزامنتين مع خصمين خارجيين هما كوريا الشمالية وإيران، لم يستطع أسلافه خلال العقود الماضية احتوائهما أو التخلص منهما، أو وقف برامجهما التسليحية، على الرغم من فرض العقوبات الاقتصادية عليهما، واستخدام القوة العسكرية ضد إيران، والهجمات الالكترونية ضد البرامج النووية والصاروخية في البلدين اطلع على المزيد
In addition to original content, AGSIW.org in Arabic is regularly updated with new Arabic translations of AGSIW's analysis. New translations include:
The continuing renovation of relations between Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies with Washington reached a new level this week, moving from the aspirational towards practical application. Most significant was US defence secretary James Mattis’ visit to Riyadh at the beginning of a five-nation Middle East tour designed to re-engage with Washington’s strategic allies. Read more
Moscow acquired great influence in the Middle East during the Cold War, lost it afterwards under former President Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s but has regained it under Vladimir Putin, especially in recent years. Indeed, the level of Russian influence in the Middle East appears to exceed that which the Soviet Union enjoyed. Read more
Outreach
AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Hussein Ibish discussed challenges facing the Muslim-American community after the election of U.S. President Donald J. Trump at a panel hosted by The Baffler.
Gulf Affairs invites scholars to submit original analytical articles for its upcoming issue on the theme “Foreign Policy Trends in the GCC States,” edited by AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Karen E. Young.
Gulf Affairs is a journal founded by the Oxford Gulf & Arabian Peninsula Studies Forum (OxGAPS), a University of Oxford-based platform. The journal is dedicated to furthering knowledge and dialogue on the pressing issues and challenges facing the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Each issue focuses on a particular theme, allowing for a comprehensive discussion from various analytical perspectives and fields of study. Accepted articles are reviewed and edited prior to publication. Read more
Position Title: Visiting Scholar Department/Team: Senior Resident Scholars Period: Fall 2017 Location: Washington, DC
Job Summary: 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. AGSIW will provide a stipend that can be used to cover living expenses, travel costs, or incidental research expenses. Read more
