Blog Post

France is positioning to be a more influential actor across the Middle East, but the European powerhouse is most likely to see immediate traction on the economic tracks that run to and from the Gulf.

The Houthis’ decision to dip their toes into the conflict is a calculated choice based on military capacity, a blueprint, and the need for retaliatory pressure.

A Saudi decision to invite Gulf partners to cohost the World Cup would reinforce the kingdom’s role as the driving force behind a more integrated, connected, and resilient Gulf.

A brief reopening of oil exports in June suggested the path ahead for the United Arab Emirates.

Recent data suggests that the positive impact of a decade of reforms to improve Saudi labor market outcomes may now be waning.

As Qatar looks to the future, it will have to assess the battered landscape of the global LNG industry, reassure its customer base, and rethink its approach for a very different market.

Under Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Qatar would be known – as a mediator, a broadcaster, a host of mega sports events, and an investor – and that notoriety would itself become a form of security: deterrence by relevance.

Following Saudi Arabia’s early exit from the World Cup, the kingdom’s soccer authorities may enter a period of introspection considering challenges that have cast a shadow over the post-2023 landscape of Saudi soccer.