Confrontation or Cooperation?

Inter-Branch Conflict and Kuwait’s Political Crisis

Less than 20 months into its four-year term, Kuwait’s National Assembly was dissolved on August 2nd. Thus ended a contentious legislative period characterized by the resignation of three governments and the failure to pass a budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year and a law to raise the country’s debt ceiling. Ahead of Kuwait's next parliamentary elections on September 29th, this policy report explores the roots of Kuwait's current political crisis and prospects for cooperation between the government and the forthcoming legislature in the passage of much-needed fiscal legislation.

German-Arab Gulf Dialogue on Security and Cooperation in Berlin

On 15th and 16th September 2022, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in cooperation with the German-Arab Friendship Association (DAFG) and the German Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS) organized the fourth German-Arab Dialogue on Security and Cooperation in Berlin.

Recommendations of the Conference on Economic Diversification in the Gulf States

The recommendation of the conference on “Economic Diversification” that was held on 30-31 August in Salalah, Oman resulted in a number of recommendations.

Conference on Economic Diversification in Salalah, Oman

Under the auspices of H.E. Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousuf, Oman’s Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, the Regional Programme Gulf States and its partners, the Smart Investment Gateway (SIG) and Al Roya newspaper, held a conference in Salalah, Oman on August 30 and 31 titled “Economic Diversification in the Gulf States: Between Reality and Prospective.” The details of this conference are in this report.

Going Local: Rethinking Approaches to Peace in Yemen

In July 2022, a group of around 15 Yemeni and international analysts met in Istanbul for two days to discuss local approaches to peacebuilding in Yemen.

A Workshop on How to be Social Active in Bahrain

As part of its annual civic education program, the Youth Pioneer Society (YPS), held on June 6, 2022, a workshop on how to be socially active in Bahrain. The workshop aimed to discuss the different ways in which young men and women can be influential in their surroundings and the different ways of having influence in different areas.

Conference on Social Media in Kuwait University

16 May 2022

On May 16th, the Department of Philosophy at the College of Arts in Kuwait University together with the Regional Program Gulf States organized a one-day conference in Kuwait on the impact of social media on people’s freedom, identity, culture, psychology, and political activism. The conference was attended by tens of university students and faculty members, and it received wide media coverage in Kuwait.

Bright Lights, Smart City

Dubai Projects Its Future at Expo

This article explores the role of Expo 2020 in terms of its functions beyond the economic and tourism related gains to the UAE. It discusses the significance of such a mega event regarding the public diplomacy angle and highlights factors such as person-to-person diplomacy and the projection of green futures as being of equal importance to the government.

The United Arab Emirates in Yemen

From Direct to Indirect Engagement and Back

This article explains why the UAE changed its strategy in the war in Yemen from direct engagement in 2015, to indirect engagement in 2019, and why this strategy was reversed back in early 2022. It also discusses Iran’s connection to the Houthi attacks on the UAE, and the prospects for UAE direct engagement in the war.

Placemaking, a stress relief tool for deliverables in GCC smart cities

The city around the public space was the founding principle of the traditional GCC cities. Today, placemaking strategies can generate a sustainable, vibrant, and livable public space as the active interface of smart cities. Engaging with the community on PPPP projects could be an effective stress relief on economic burden and constructive support in decision making for the national and local governments.