Insights
Implications of China’s Five-Year Plan for the GCC
In light of China’s expected push to full technology independence, GCC States would be well advised to conduct thorough reviews of the security implications of their technological partnerships with China, if only from the perspective of the ramifications this may have on their relationship with the United States.
Implications of the US Presidential election for the GCC
The US elections present the GCC countries with potential challenges regardless of the outcome. On balance, the Gulf states would prefer a Donald Trump victory because it is easier to deal with an incumbent leader, who, despite being transactional and capricious, is still committed to the view that Saudi Arabia and the other GCC states are strategic allies and that the US has vital interests in the region that need protecting.
Universal Basic Income: a solution for labour challenges in GCC States?
A growing number of countries globally are considering and sometimes experimenting with Universal Basic Income (UBI), as an instrument for wealth distribution and social equity. GCC states could be the ideal testing ground for new distributional policies such as UBI which could reduce the fiscal burden of an over-extended public sector workforce while maintaining the social contract.
Why the GCC’s Economic Diversification Challenges are Unique
GCC expert and LSE Associate Professor Steffen Hertog shares his views on the root-cause behind the challenge of economic diversification in the Gulf. The post has been reproduced with the kind permission of the author and the original can be found on Dr. Hertog’s LSE blog.
COVID-19 in MENA: Reactions, Vulnerabilities, Prospects
Dr. Eckart Woertz from the GIGA Institute of Middle East Studies expands on the different responses to COVID-19 and the potetial economic and (geo)political consequences of the pandemic.
Belt and Road Initiative: Risks and Opportunities for the GCC
Dr. Martin Keulertz expands on the trade and security implications of the BRI for GCC countries, including the militarization of maritime routes and great power competition.