Qatar

Aspects of the Gulf conflict have trickled down to North Africa and fault lines have further hardened in various states due to their own internal political and socioeconomic dynamics.

Biden will likely put weapons sales to the Gulf on the back burner, but, at the end of the day, the administration’s positions on arms sales will reflect continuity, not change.

Economic gains associated with the Gulf reconciliation will be narrow and limited, and any economic momentum should be channeled to tackle longer-term challenges in the region.

Why has Qatar so doggedly pursued policies that so often have such adverse repercussions on its relations with its closest neighbors?

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

As regional competition intensifies across the Middle East and North Africa, Tunisia is likely to become another strategic fault line.

Even the UAE seems ready to reconcile but underlying disputes are likely to persist.

Policy decisions implemented by middle powers like Morocco are shedding light on wider regional realignments and their strategic implications.