Great Power Competition Makes Its Exit as Middle Eastern AI Ambitions Grow
As the Trump Administration downgrades the policy importance of science and technology, Middle Eastern states are pursuing tech autonomy
Tag: Saudi Arabia
From Cold War to Regional Reconciliation: The New Pragmatism in the Middle East
The new pragmatism in the Middle East is leading to a regional reconciliation process that, though some critics doubt it, is showing signs that it can sustain itself in the near future.
The Saudi Gambit in Washington
Saudi Arabia is in a position to become a major international player but to sustain such a role it needs to consolidate its leadership in the Middle East.
The Arab Summit, which concluded in Jeddah last weekend, may well have just confirmed the Kingdom’s leadership of the Arab World. But now Riyadh needs to transform that into a regional leadership role.
Such a regional undertaking requires—in addition to taking the lead on the political settlement of the various crises that have plagued the region—the sagacious management of its relationships with both the United States and Israel. » Read more about: The Saudi Gambit in Washington »
Iran-Saudi Arabia: A Regional Transformation?
The expected resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran has the potential to reshape the dynamics of the Middle East by bringing an end to proxy wars and creating opportunity for regional stability.
The Saudi-U.S. Nexus: BFFs No More?
Years of tension between Riyadh and Washington over key geopolitical issues have soured a once ironclad relationship.
Managing Crises, the Least-Bad Option
Conflict management in the MENA region has little chance of succeeding as conflicts increasingly intersect and tensions driven by larger, regional triggers become even more unpredictable
Competing Economic Visions in the Gulf
Economic visions offer regional governments roadmaps for development, but they can also serve as a tool for measurement and—ultimately—accountability
A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Did Saudi Arabia miss a huge opportunity at an early engagement with Iraq?
Locked-in Emissions: The Climate Change Arms Trade
With militaries’ locked-in fossil fuel systems and looming climate chaos, the arms industry continues to take advantage of nefarious profit opportunities.
Maintaining the U.S.-Saudi Relationship
The once booming strategic alliance between Riyadh and Washington has weathered a number of regional storms but is beginning to show wear and tear.
The Long Road to Economic Transformation in the Gulf
To successfully reinvent their economies, Gulf states must move past the deadweight of legacy policies and their adverse consequences.
A Timeline of Arab Rapprochement
A blockade of Qatar is lifted after Arabs mend fences and resume diplomatic ties.
Embracing Change: U.S. Foreign Policy Shifts
Former U.S. diplomat and American University in Cairo President Francis Ricciardone discusses whether a Biden win will see a return to a rules based international order.
Re-Engineering Regional Security
In the last half-century, Egypt has had to negotiate its way through the Arab–Israeli peace process, regional nuclear proliferation, and domestic political transition. What has it taught us?
The Geo-economic Fallout of COVID-19 for the Middle East
The COVID-19 coronavirus will cause long-term consequences for the Middle East; a combination of chaos in oil markets and contraction of gross domestic product will present challenges for years to come.
Facing the Nuclear Storm
Countries across the Middle East are building or have already started operating their nuclear power plants. To assess how “resilient” their nuclear energy systems are, one must look at a number of important risks and factors
Thinking Arab Futures
Drivers, scenarios, and strategic choices for an improved Arab World
Erdoğan’s Failure on the Nile
How Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went from being a regional Islamist leader in the Arab Spring to being the Middle East’s odd man out
Saudi Arabia’s Moment in the Sun
Although cooperation with China can help Saudi Arabia boost production of solar power, global trade dynamics may complicate the kingdom’s renewable energy goals.
Russia’s Eye on Syrian Reconstruction
Russia is primed to benefit economically from an influx of foreign investment in Syria, but an emerging rivalry with China and Iran for contracts could erode its long-term leverage.
The Dream of a City
Will Neom, the Saudi leadership’s new “city of the future,” become a reality?
Preserving Kurdish Autonomy
Divisions among the states vested in Syria are opening possibilities for Syria’s Kurds to secure greater protection for their autonomy.
A New Beginning for Yemen?
The strategic role of the United States—and others—in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen.
The UAE’s Security-Economic Nexus in Yemen
The UAE’s growing investment in Yemen’s energy and security infrastructure is increasingly the driving force behind its counterterrorism involvement.
Jordan at the Crossroads
Jordan’s economic, demographic and geographic characteristics have left the country vulnerable to mass protests and external pressure that can only be overcome by a comprehensive reform program.
Saudi, Inc.
How Saudi Arabia’s national oil company transformed the desert kingdom.
A New Kingdom of Saud?
Saudi Arabia is undergoing a massive transformation with all eyes set on the “Vision 2030” plan. How successful will the country be in reshaping its future?
The Widening Saudi–Iran Divide
The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran marks a deepening division between regional powers and international hegemons in the Persian Gulf. The Saudis and Iranians have to learn to cooperate or risk further confrontation.
Saudi Arabia’s Post-Oil Future
The story behind Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdelaziz Al-Saud’s vision to take the country into the future
Saudi Brinkmanship in Lebanon
Saudi Arabia’s recent moves against Hezbollah and the Lebanese government could end up weakening its own allies and further destabilizing the Lebanese political arena.
History is Being Made, but Dangers Also Lurk Ahead
The best hope for the Middle East is for sensible and responsible people in all concerned lands, especially around the Gulf, to grasp the catastrophes that will engulf much of the region if current trends continue.
Gulf States Face Their Biggest Challenge
The GCC states are now entering into the early stages of reconfigured citizen-state relations similar to what most other non-energy-rich Arab countries experienced from 1986 to 1995.
Saudi Arabia Is Not “Sunni Central”
Unlike what many Western pundits think, Saudi Arabia does not represent the “true” Sunni Islam. Even within the country, there are older traditions of Islam that are far more open and tolerant than the Kingdom’s official Wahhabist sect.
Ending the Iranian-Saudi Cold War
A diplomacy deficit between Iran and Saudi Arabia has exacerbated volatility across the Middle East. Ending the Iranian-Saudi cold war, and building a collective security framework for the Middle East is the only option likely to succeed.
Saud Al-Faisal: Statesman Diplomat
Saudi Arabia’s longtime minister of foreign affairs, Prince Saud Al-Faisal passed away this Ramadan. He was among the kingdom’s most influential men. A former Egyptian foreign minister reflects on the Arab statesman and diplomat.