On September 18, Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi announced the temporary transfer of the country’s central bank from the capital Sanaa to Aden, a move largely seen as an attempt to economically weaken the Houthis. On November 2, AGSIW co-hosted a roundtable with Yemeniaty considering the implications of the central bank policies on Yemen’s economy and a potential peace agreement. Rafat Al-Akhali, former Yemeni minister of youth and sports, led the discussion. Read more
On July 4, during the holy month of Ramadan, a suicide bomber approached one of the most important sites of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad’s mosque in the city of Medina. Responsibility for the attack, which killed four security officers, was later claimed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). As the news of the attack spread, Twitter exploded with news and commentary, some of it false. One widely circulated picture of the alleged attacker turned out, instead, to be a picture of a soldier fighting along the southern border of Saudi Arabia. Read more
Accessing diverse funding sources is front and center of Saudi Arabia’s new policy reform, which propelled the kingdom to issue its first international $17.5 billion bond offering on October 19. While this issue is oversubscribed, generating excitement in the market, it is unlikely to meet the growing demand for investments in Saudi infrastructure. Given sustained low oil prices and tighter fiscal management policies called for as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is seeking to increase private sector participation. Read more
Tam is a public interest initiative registered in Saudi Arabia as a limited liability company. Its activities focus on transforming social problems and challenges in the Arab world into competitive opportunities, encouraging local talents to engage in the discovery of solutions. Read more
مع اقتراب يوم حسم إحدى أبشع وأغرب حملات الانتخابات الرئاسية في تاريخ الولايات المتحدة، لا يزال المشهد الانتخابي معقدا وغامضا ومن الصعب التنبؤ بنتائجه، خاصة وأن هذا السباق الطويل بين هيلاري كلينتون ودونالد ترامب – الأول بين امرأة لها تاريخ طويل في الحياة العامة، ورجل أعمال لا خبرة سياسية له على الاطلاق- تميز بكسره لكل الأنماط التقليدية المعهودة في الحملات الانتخابية الأمريكية السابقة اطلع على المزيد
In the Media
AGSIW Research Associate Yerevan Saeed commented on cooperation between Kurdish peshmerga forces and the Iraqi military in the Mosul offensive for Rudaw, noting that while cooperation is "unprecedented," the situation after the battle is more worrisome: "Now ISIS has become a glue to keep all competing stakeholders together, but once the glue is gone, its hard see such cooperation would continue."
Speaking with Bloomberg, AGSIW Non-Resident Fellow Fahad Nazer commented on the appointment of Mohammed al-Jadaan as Saudi Arabia's finance minister, noting that this decision shows “wide support” for a “younger generation of bureaucrats.”
The Saudi Gazette discussed Gulf Arab states' efforts to cut off funding to extremist groups, citing AGSIW's publication, "Combating Terrorist Financing in the Gulf: Significant Progress but Risks Remain," by AGSIW Non-Resident Fellow Celina Realuyo.
Outreach
On November 3, AGSIW President Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba spoke on a panel at the Lockheed Martin Women's Forum, "Harnessing the Global Power of Women." Wahba discussed her perspective on women's leadership in the U.S. foreign service and in the Middle East.
Position Title: Research and Program Intern Department/Team: Programs and Communication Period: January through May 2017 Location: Washington, DC Deadline to Apply: November 15
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
