Oil continues to be crucial to Gulf states, but sovereign wealth funds may be able to close the gap left by an eventual end to fossil fuel resources, if a fiduciary-focused fund management culture can be instilled.
There is a recent culture of promoting women’s workforce participation in the Middle East and North Africa, but looking solely at the data misses some of the broader discussion on women’s empowerment.
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are making a serious effort to collaborate with Iraq, but these energy projects still have a long way to go to reach fruition.
Saudi Arabia’s commitments to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 and the new Saudi Green Initiative will drive more investments toward renewables and increasingly greater incorporation of geothermal energy.
Investments in European football clubs may appear to boost the public profile of the Gulf countries. However, at the same time, they risk increasing financial inequalities among football clubs and threaten to entangle them in Gulf political agendas.
For Iran’s new president, the acceptance into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an important diplomatic achievement as Raisi tries to bolster his image as a statesman and look toward the East for economic and strategic partnerships.
The underlying economic factors driving debt issuances, issues related to how raised funds are redeployed within local economies, and the implications of looming debt maturities help to paint a comprehensive picture of the state of Gulf Arab economies.
Energy transitions are by their nature disruptive, but the pandemic has introduced a risk factor that might play out for years to come.
As divisions among competing parties and the conflict persist, the economy is spiraling, leaving the majority of Yemenis without access to public services and without the means to meet their basic needs.
The UAE’s participation in the biennale, and being recognized as a leading architectural force, is an important step toward engaging with sociopolitical issues and toward considering the extent to which the built environment can contribute to an equitable and sustainable future.
Learn MoreThrough its careful examination of the forces shaping the evolution of Gulf societies and the new generation of emerging leaders, AGSIW facilitates a richer understanding of the role the countries in this key geostrategic region can be expected to play in the 21st century.
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