Oman

Many Gulf states have shifted course on Syria, prioritizing concerns over growing Iranian and Turkish influence.

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.

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.

The unpredicted fallout from the coronavirus pandemic shortly after the new sultan ascended the throne not only raises the stakes associated with reform implementation but also will test the population’s ability to shoulder new economic burdens.

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.

Sultan Haitham’s 28 royal decrees aim to centralize and empower the government, but they are only the beginning of reforms in the sultanate.

While political narratives on Israel are shifting under the influence of some determined state leaders, resistance to normalization remains across Gulf societies.

A number of countries are expected to follow suit, each for its own distinct reasons.