With New Gulf Agreement, Will Qatar Change?
Why has Qatar so doggedly pursued policies that so often have such adverse repercussions on its relations with its closest neighbors?
Politics and Governance
Qatar Boycott Ends, But Core Issues Remain Unresolved
Almost all sides are winners for now, but a third GCC confrontation remains possible.
Beijing Signals Growing Interest in Regional Conflict Management
China seeks to promote a harmonious relationship among its strategic partners in the Gulf in support of its economic interests.
Security
Strategic Interests Drive Gulf Policy Toward Syria
Many Gulf states have shifted course on Syria, prioritizing concerns over growing Iranian and Turkish influence.
U.S. Political Transition Weighs Heavily on Yemen Peace Process
Critics worry that the Trump administration’s threat to designate the Houthis as terrorists would also undermine humanitarian efforts, while President-elect Biden is expected to return to more robust diplomacy.
External Forces Hold the Key to Libya’s Cease-Fire
There is renewed momentum to resolve Libya’s conflict, but will foreign powers, like the UAE, Turkey, and Russia, abide by the terms of the new cease-fire agreement?
Economy
Gulf Reconciliation Offers Uneven Economic Gains
Economic gains associated with the Gulf reconciliation will be narrow and limited, and any economic momentum should be channeled to tackle longer-term challenges in the region.
Sovereign Data: The Development and Marketing of Bahrain’s Digital Domain
Gulf Arab states like Bahrain cannot preserve the traditional form of their economies indefinitely, but they can influence how their new digital future will unfold.
Upcoming Election Offers Little Hope to a Dispirited Iranian Electorate
The economic mismanagement and resistance to change over the past four decades by a succession of regimes has demoralized supporters of conservatives, reformists, and pragmatists alike.
Energy
Saudi Arabia Delivers Shock to Market With Surprise Oil Output Cut
The new variant of the coronavirus, new lockdowns in several parts of the world, and the slower-than-expected rollout of the vaccine cast doubt on the timing of a recovery that would sustain higher production.
OPEC+ Plays It Safe With Small Output Adjustment
The OPEC+ alliance managed to stamp out dissent within its ranks and come to a compromise deal that will keep the market guessing in the months ahead.
Cracks Showing in OPEC+ Alliance as Ministerial Meeting Approaches
Signs of strain within OPEC could reflect negatively on the market by casting doubt on the commitment of OPEC+ countries to adhere to production targets.
Environment
Pressure Builds on Gulf Countries To Take Climate Action
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic dealt a significant blow to global climate diplomacy, but the strengthening of a number of trends might signal more momentous changes to come.
Oman’s Tradition of Environmental Protection Runs Into Economic Headwinds
The Omani government’s focus on protecting the natural environment and wildlife goes back decades, but a shift in authorities might jeopardize the country’s progress toward advancing its national climate strategy.
Gulf States’ Climate Change Policies Amid a Global Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic represents an opportunity to reevaluate existing policies and tools, and climate change provides the needed lens for redirecting development onto sustainable trajectories.
Society
Popular Omani Novel Joins Others Exploring Gulf States’ Shift to Modernity
In the year that saw the passing of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, an award-winning Omani novel catches fire in book clubs as it explores the tensions and hopes beneath the surface of the extraordinary changes that the sultan brought to the country.
Saudi Arabia Champions “Moderate Islam,” Underpinning Reform Efforts
Moderate Islam can be seen as a comprehensive strategy to tackle the kingdom’s regional and domestic concerns while at the same time reshaping the religious and social scene in line with the leadership’s new sociopolitical objectives.
One Year On, Saudi Public Decency Law Still Meeting Resistance
The social dimension of change in the kingdom will continue to navigate a bumpy road, especially as it generates tensions and debate over the issue of decency.
Arts and Culture
101: Stimulating the UAE’s Grassroots Art Scene
During the coronavirus lockdown, young Emiratis set up a platform to support emerging local artists and engage with a wider audience to inspire curiosity and raise awareness about the local art scene.
Women’s Nabati Poetry Captures Hearts
Inspired by love, longing, and the desert environment, female poets have long contributed to Nabati poetry. Now, women are breaking norms, refuting the notion that women and men are on different levels in poetry.
Young Emirati Women Take the Stage in an Experimental Theater Production
“Al Raheel,” a play written by a young Emirati woman, made its world premiere in January in Abu Dhabi. With its all-female Emirati cast, this poetic and innovative production shakes many assumptions about theater and what it means to be a young woman in today’s United Arab Emirates.
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Through 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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