Current Affairs of the GCC

Higher interest rates in all Western countries and mature economies, not only the United States, will impact emerging and developing economies in the Middle East and North Africa.

If the IMF grants Egypt's request, this fresh financial assistance will be added to a pool of prior loans totaling more than USD 24 billion, making Egypt the IMF's second largest borrower behind Argentina.

Macron's engagement with dictators and anti-democratic groups may benefit France in the short term, but if he can persuade regional actors to respect human rights, the region's people may have something to look forward to.

Qatar has been in talks with the US since the beginning of 2022 about the possibility of increasing liquefied gas shipments to the European market in the event that Russia limits gas supply to Europe.

Maintaining regional security and stability is an integral component of Oman's internal stability.

Macron currently maintains a healthy lead in all polls, with an average of 56 percent of the vote. But his win over Le Pen from 2017 saw him receive 66 percent of the vote, indicating a significant drop in support.

These developments all point to the larger intention behind such a summit for the Arab states - the consolidation of domestic power by illiberal authoritarians.

The main problem lies in the marked deterioration in the kingdom's relationship with the United States.

Along with fostering closer ties with China and France, the relationship between the UAE and Israel will likely strengthen as the U.S disengages from the region.

The oil-producing countries that are part of the OPEC+ are committed to a conservative plan to increase production, aiming to preserve their gains from the rise in global oil prices.

The Bedoon crisis will be not solved in the medium or even the long term.

Ballot boxes in Doha are meant for the “original Qataris” and the World Cup.

Al-Khelaifi will stand in 2022 alongside Messi and the World Cup in Qatar’s starting line-up.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are racing to diversify their economies as they gear up for a post oil future.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad demands to be glorified by the citizens he oppresses, not just tolerated.

Despite indications that Saudi Arabia and Qatar are willing to put the tensions aside in order to present a more united front during troubled times, there have been no major changes so far.

Just last April, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) sent a clear message to Oman after adviser Stéphane Roudet and his team visited Muscat for 13 days visit. The team concluded that Oman is a long way from boasting an economy that can one day be …

The economic integration has always come first in the GCC, while political cooperation has tended to be shaky. This is because there has often been a general concern among the members about ceding sovereignty in favour of adopting a more homogenous …

The new emir was tested by the Saudis and Emiratis with the aim of changing Qatar’s regional policies, and after the crisis was resolved there was an improvement in relations, notably with respect to the Iran nuclear deal and Syria. But this proved …

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani also brushed aside the effects, saying, “The negative impacts of the blockade were temporary and our economy has managed to contain most of them very quickly, while adapting and developing itself in the …

Some Twitter users hailed the song for declaring loyalty to the Saudi kingdom. Others criticized the artists for aiding a propaganda campaign against Qatar, arguing that music should not serve political agendas.

The main problem that triggered the rift was never healed. Even though the Qataris toned down al-Jazeera’s coverage, closed the al-Jazeera office in Cairo and evicted a few Muslim Brotherhood members from the Qatari capital Doha, its ambition to be …

The low oil prices are no longer seen as only temporary. And the way things look—with continuing low demand and OPEC not fundamentally changing its position—this will not change anytime soon. "It may actually be a blessing in disguise,” says a …

The oil price drop has effected the GCC countries, where for the first time, the gulf governments are willing to cut the oil derivatives subsidies, which created a state of fidget among the citizens.

Gulf countries are as richly endowed with renewable resources as they are with hydrocarbons. They benefit from strong regular sunshine and the space to develop large solar power plants, but despite the potential, some barriers remain that may prevent …

No matter how rich, the care-free life of the past decade or so is at risk. In April 2015, the World Bank estimated that the GDP of the GCC states could fall in 2015 by $215 billion, about 14 per cent of their combined GDP, so it is time to come up …

According to reports, the coalition is preparing for a ground assault in northern Yemen with a three-pronged attack from the provinces of Saada in the north, Marib in the east, and Jawf in the northeast. Several thousand UAE and Saudi forces, along …

The GCC wants Europe to take the refugees, while the latter prefer Europe to the Gulf countries. Muslims make their annual pilgrimage to Mecca, but today, at least for the Syrians and other Muslims and non-Muslims in need, the qiblah is Europe.

Most embassies in Yemen were closed in February 2015, and disputed president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi left for Aden after he escaped—or was released?—by the Houthis from house arrest in Sanaʿa. The impoverished city in the south has become the …

However all was not well between Qatar and Egypt, as Doha withdrew its ambassador from Cairo in February after Egypt accused Qatar of supporting ‘terrorism’ in Libya where IS had beheaded 20 Egyptian Copts. This time other GCC-states supported …

After their independence, some of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states created Sovereign Wealth Funds