Gulf states

Research examines the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries with a focus on natural resources, human rights, and economic development.

Topics include examining the dynamics of internal political and economic change, the evolving Gulf role in regional conflicts and aid, resource security, cyber security, and responses to Islamic State.

Saudi Arabia’s ambitious economic reform project promises to disrupt the traditional social contract in a number of ways, which is bound to have political ramifications, and GCC states are seeking to be leaders in digital innovation, but are vulnerable to an increasing range of cyber threats, with cybersecurity measures unevenly implemented.

Mangement of natural resources in the region, plus issues around human rights and equality are also major areas of focus.

Israel hopes the corridor announced at the G20 will facilitate normalized relations with Saudi Arabia. Riyadh doesn’t see it that way.

By disseminating narratives of its own supremacy, China deepened relations with the Gulf during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With consistent and long-term support from the US, the Abraham Accords could have a transformative impact on Middle East economic cooperation and regional security.

Getting to a security framework for the Middle East needs the buy-in of all regional actors, enabled by critical external partners. The time to act is now, argue Sanam Vakil and Neil Quilliam.

This paper sheds light on Abu Dhabi’s ambitions to play a key role in shaping political and governance structures across the region.

Explainers

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Examining the short-term and medium-term economic impact of the Ukraine invasion on the Middle East region, especially in oil production.

Discussing whether we are witnessing the demise of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the US’s potential role in brokering an agreement, and what might happen in the lead up to Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Women are critical to not only helping their countries achieve the goals of each vision, but also playing an instrumental role in transforming national economies and beyond.

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A historic opportunity exists to promote multilateral cooperation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, building on recent political de-escalation. With the right design, a new forum could succeed where previous initiatives have failed.

Member content

Due to worsening Sino-US relations and tightening EU markets, Beijing is hoping for a better reception in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, writes Yu Jie.

As dust storms in the Middle East become increasingly frequent and intense, adversaries must cooperate to address the causes.

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It was meant to prompt a reconsideration of LGBTQ Qataris. Instead, international coverage of the tournament entrenched local distrust, writes Christina Paschyn.

Episode 27 of our weekly podcast examines the Syrian regime with signs that governments in the Middle East are prepared to engage with Bashar al-Assad again.

The future of the region is still up for grabs. It will be up to those who believe in democracy and progress to seize it.

Countries across the Middle East have engaged in an unprecedented pattern of reconciliation to protect their interests amid fluctuations in the international order. But without deliberate international support, these new ties can easily unravel.

More cohesive international engagement is needed to support stability in Ethiopia and Sudan and resolve damaging cross-border disputes that jeopardize security and development across the Horn of Africa.

Examining the crossover between water security and climate change with the next two COPs taking place in regions with a history of being water stressed.

In the third of a series of interviews with the Queen Elizabeth II Academy faculty, Alex Cooley examines the challenges of reigning in kleptocratic networks.

The consent by the Saudi leadership to consult the US on global oil market issues is a sign Riyadh is playing its own game. Moscow’s interests are not a factor.

The US president was focused on repairing ties with traditional regional partners, but he also aimed to redefine the contours of future US regional cooperation.

A new podcast series explores the shifting political dynamics of the Arab world.

Examining the short-term and medium-term economic impact of the Ukraine invasion on the Middle East region, especially in oil production.

The Gulf states’ reluctance to pump more oil to help those too reliant on Russia is about more than a desire to strike out against the Biden administration.

South of Russia, from Syria to Israel, there exists a variety of complex perspectives on Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

An exterior of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in Whitehall, where flags hang from the Cenotaph, on 5th January 2022, in London.

The UK has axed its Middle East and North Africa minister. This will leave the Foreign Office stretched thin and constrain Britain’s global influence.

Hundreds of Tunisian taxi drivers block a tramway road to protest the new fuel price hikes in the capital city of Tunis, Tunisia on 15 April 2019. Photo by Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images.

Experiences from the MENA region show that successful energy subsidy reforms must focus strongly on mitigating social impacts.

To tackle corruption in the MENA region, the international community must prioritize accountability over stability.

Member content

A critique of Liz Truss’s foreign policy ambitions through the lens of media freedoms

Saudi reluctance to corral OPEC+ into raising production despite demands from the White House raises the question of what the US offers the kingdom in return.

In diplomatic circles, there is an obsession with how to deal with the Houthis, but the decision to abandon Yemen before the war started has clearly backfired.

Member content

We asked experts around the world to tell us one issue that must be tackled at COP26. Here is what they have said.

In the context of deep uncertainty about US commitments in the region and with a myriad of potential flashpoints, failing to engage with the Abraham Accords is a missed opportunity for the Biden administration.

The Arab world has taken note of the withdrawal from Afghanistan and is starting to wonder whether Syria, with several hundred US troops, will be next.

The organization may have smoothed over the cracks this time. But the UAE’s very public dissent may be just the first sign of things to come

The latest issue of International Affairs has 16 articles on a range of subjects from transnational politics in the Gulf to psychological warfare in China.

Contrary to media reports, the UAE is not about to leave OPEC and, despite a public stand-off with Saudi Arabia, compromise and agreement will be reached.

Women protest in Cairo on 26 November 2011 as thousands of Egyptians occupy Tahrir Square a year after the Arab Spring swept the region. Photo: Getty Images.

In a series exploring women in international affairs, Alanoud Alsharekh and Azadeh Pourzand speak to Gitika Bhardwaj about the evolution of women’s rights across the Middle East.

Turkey making overtures to Egypt and Saudi Arabia is symptomatic of a wider aim to end its international isolation and be a player in the Eastern Mediterranean.

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Yemeni and international policymakers and experts discuss prospects for peace in Yemen.

A conference where analysts and experts reflect on their experiences and lessons learned from a decade of upheaval and contention in the region since the Arab Spring.