Gulf politics
in the energy transition era
Governance
As changing economic realities force the Gulf Arab states to rethink decades-old state-society relations, is a new social contract that allows local communities to voice their concerns in sight, or even more of top-down decision-makings?
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“We want the separation of powers” - Al-Monitor, United States.
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Saudi Arabia's local communities powerless in face of infrastructure projects and long-term reforms - Al-Monitor, United States.
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Will high oil prices setback Gulf reforms? - Al-Monitor, United States.
Gulf Unity
History indicates inter-Gulf rivalry has often prevailed over the common interest. Will unhealthy economic competitions with one another prevail over the spirit of cooperation enshrined in the 1981 Gulf Cooperation Council charter?
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2017-2021 GCC crisis: Gulf rulers privileged self-serving nationalistic rhetorics at the expense of vibrant familial ties - Haaretz, Israel.
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Football and Qatar's 2022 World Cup, a “unique platform of exchange” or a catalyst for further divide? - Al-Monitor, United States
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Death of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah: the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has lost a 'voice of wisdom' - Al Jazeera, Qatar.
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GCC Railway: a train across a fractured Gulf or national interests to be placed above regional ones? - Al-Monitor, United States.
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GCC turns 40, all eyes on the post-oil era - Al-Monitor, United States
Political Repression
The murder of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 by a team of Saudi operatives shed light as never before on political repression in the Gulf states. Saudi activists said the kingdom has become “a police state" under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and that "no one dares to talk".
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Saudi Arabia prohibits dual citizenship but wealthy families buy second citizenship to escape political repression - Al-Monitor, United States.
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A day with Kuwait's censors - Middle East Eye, United Kingdom.
