On February 24, experts from government, business, academia, and the policy world met at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington to discuss U.S.-Gulf Arab relations, and the foreign policies and geostrategic concerns of the Gulf states, particularly with respect to Iran. Participants also analyzed the domestic factors driving the Gulf Arab states’ external policies. Read more
The small Gulf state of Qatar secures itself in two ways. First, its security is based on close relations with the United States stemming from the provision of the near-irreplaceable Al Udeid Air Base for U.S. military use. Second, diversifying this dependency, Qatar has buried itself into the energy supplies of a range of the world’s more powerful states with its provision of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Add to this a small, stable, and well-provided for set of citizens, and the Qatari state is well-secured. Read more
March marked the second anniversary of Saudi Arabia’s intervention into Yemen’s civil war at the head of a coalition of Arab military forces. The coalition’s entrance was meant to end the war in a matter of weeks or months but has instead embroiled Riyadh and Abu Dhabi – the kingdom’s main partner in the coalition – in a complex, multifaceted conflict. Read more
In analyzing ruling family politics in the Gulf, one must rely upon what one can see. Internal deliberations are carefully hidden, and can only be discerned through their tangible results. On June 21, a big outcome was revealed in Saudi Arabia. The Al Saud ruling family has successfully navigated the inherently fraught task of winnowing the lines of power from the sons of the founder to the sons of sons, and selected the face of third generation leadership. King Salman bin Abdulaziz has succeeded in consolidating power under his son: The 31-year-old Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) is now crown prince and the future of Saudi Arabia.” Read more
On June 20, a U.S. State Department spokesperson announced what seemed to be a crucial shift in the U.S. approach to the confrontation between a group of Washington’s core Arab allies – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt – and another major partner, Qatar. Read more
The isolation of Qatar is but one example of how the politics of the Gulf Arab states are getting in the way of economic diversification and transformation. While there are professed visions of change away from state-led growth, in which new private sector dynamism and the expansion of Gulf equity markets would employ citizens and wean states from oil and gas revenue, the realities of politics on the ground in the last two weeks demonstrate there are more powerful forces at play. Read more
Fatima Al-Banawi is known for her role as the protagonist in Saudi Arabia’s first ever rom-com movie “Barakah Meets Barakah.” But beyond acting in this story, she has started a project collecting other people’s stories in Jeddah. Fatima’s experience as a psychological caseworker at the Family Protection Society in Jeddah coupled with her exposure to a vibrant public space while studying abroad in the United States, compelled her to start The Other Story. Fatima utilizes public spaces like cafes, parks, and malls to collect stories and ultimately create anonymous, short, and handwritten story collections. Read more
بعد مرور خمسة أشهر على وجوده في البيت الأبيض، يمكن وصف سياسة الرئيس ترامب الخارجية بعنوانها العريض “أمريكا أولا”، بأنها مزيج من المواقف الانعزالية، والانقلابية ( تهدف إلى تقويض المواقف التقليدية) والمواقف الاعتباطية والتجريبية، إضافة إلى استمرارية في بعض السياسات المعهودة. وإذا لم يكن مضمون بعض هذه السياسات مصدرا كافيا لإغضاب أو إحباط الحلفاء والأصدقاء أو إرباك الخصوم، فإن النبرة الفظة وحتى العدائية التي يتم فيها التعبير عن هذه السياسات، وخاصة عبر تصريحات وتغريدات الرئيس ترامب، ترغم الحلفاء والخصوم على التأقلم مع سلوك متقلب، عصي على الفهم، أو حتى غير عقلاني أو مع ما لا يمكن التنبؤ به
On June 22, AGSIW hosted a roundtable discussion with Peter Salisbury, senior research fellow at Chatham House, and AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Karen E. Young on the economic costs of the conflict in Yemen. Much attention has been paid to the direct impact of the war in Yemen on civilians through street fighting, artillery shelling, and airstrikes. However, the war – the latest in a succession of conflicts in Yemen – has also had a devastating effect on the economy in what was already the Arab world’s poorest country, pushing millions of Yemenis to the brink of a humanitarian disaster. Read more
AGSIW was pleased to host a panel discussion on June 20, examining the Trump administration's role and policy interests in the ongoing GCC crisis. U.S. President Donald J. Trump‘s visit to Saudi Arabia underscored the success of Saudi outreach to the Trump administration and the White House’s determination to restore strategic partnerships in the region. But recent measures by key Arab states to pressure Qatar over policies they view as undermining their national security greatly complicate the agreement among regional states to cooperate more closely with the United States and each other on counterterrorism and other important issues. Read more
The Arab Gulf States (AGS), or the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates), have historically used foreign aid and humanitarian aid as a quiet tool of their respective foreign policies within the wider Middle East. More recently, however, we have seen targeted financial aid and military assistance by these states, particularly Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, towards neighbours in crisis. Read more
In the Media
Speaking with Voice of America, AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Hussein Ibish commented on the root of the rift between Qatar and other GCC countries: "It's a sense on the Saudis and the Emiratis that Qatar doesn't only maintain its own foreign policy or takes a different line towards Iran, but the sense that Qatar has used its soft power arsenal and its ideational and ideological pull and capabilities in the region to undermine the national interests of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and others."
Speaking with The Washington Post, AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Kristin Smith Diwan commented on the appointment of Mohammed bin Salman as Saudi Arabia's crown prince: "We’ve seen the shift of power coming for some time, and the steady centralization of power under King Salman and the purview of his son." Speaking with USA Today, Ibish commented on U.S.-Saudi relations in light of his appointment. Ibish noted that Saudi Arabia's rivalry with Iran drives most of its foreign policy and helps shape its dealings with the United States.
Position Title: Program and Digital Media Intern Department/Team: Programs and Publications Period: Fall 2017 Location: Washington, DC
Job Summary: The Internship Program at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW) provides talented students and recent graduates with a three-month (or longer) unpaid training opportunity designed to encourage professional and personal development. As a newly established organization, we encourage out-of-the-box thinking and value fresh perspectives. AGSIW will provide interns with a transportation stipend for the duration of the internship. Read more
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. Read more
