AI global governance regime gradually taking shape
In recent years, the international community has witnessed a surge in momentum toward the development of standards for artificial intelligence (AI) governance. The AI Safety Summit, convened last month by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, marked a diplomatic milestone and a definite step in the right direction. However, its impact is contingent on the ability of the global community to navigate the multiparty landscape of AI governance.
War delays but likely will not fully derail IMEC plans
The Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel and the latter’s ongoing military operation in Gaza have stalled progress in the development of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and raised questions about its prospects for eventual completion. The IMEC faces multiple viability challenges, but none of them are insurmountable; thus, its participants are unlikely to abandon it.
Climate casualties: How the Gaza war threatens Mideast climate action
The renewed violence in Gaza could not have come at a less opportune time for the climate agenda in the Middle East. From energy economics to environmental degradation, the ripple effects of conflict will complicate the path ahead.
As talk of a revived Israeli-Palestinian political process grows, the Abraham Accords partners must play a role
Oct. 7 sounded the death knell of the Abraham Accords. Yet the end to the initial conceit of the Abraham Accords does not mean an end to the essential role that the Abraham Accords partners can play in helping broker an Israeli-Palestinian agreement.
Despite the Houthis’ geographical distance from Israel and perceived limited capabilities, the threat they represent is all too real and if underestimated, they have the potential to derail diplomatic efforts and destabilize the region, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
The Abraham Accords can still help bring peace to the Middle East
With the Israel-Hamas war stretching into its fourth week, the international focus is increasingly shifting to what will come the day after the shooting stops, and how the parties and the international community can move forward.
In mid-October 2023, Yemen’s foreign minister traveled to Kenya to attend the Munich Leaders Meeting in Nairobi and met with Kenyan officials on the sidelines. Although bilateral ties between the two countries date back centuries, Yemeni-Kenyan relations have yet to reach their full potential. The conclusion of a political consultation agreement would pave the way for the resumption of ministerial-level bilateral committees between the two governments.
The Houthis’ Red Sea missile and drone attack: Drivers and implications
On Oct. 19, the Pentagon press secretary confirmed that the Iran-backed Houthi militia targeted the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, in the Red Sea. The USS Carney reportedly intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones without sustaining any damage or casualties. Although the Houthis have yet to claim responsibility for the attack, the drones and missiles were likely fired from north-western, Houthi-held positions in Hodeida and Hajjah governorates on Yemen’s Red Sea coast and were headed “north,” most likely toward Israel.
In the eye of the storm: The battle over fossil fuels at COP28
As the existential threat of climate change continues to intensify, the future of fossil fuels has been thrust into the international spotlight. Reducing hydrocarbon production and consumption has gained traction in international climate talks amid warnings that the window to avoid catastrophic warming is closing quickly.
The US Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy: A blueprint for building cyber talent in the Gulf
In July 2023, the White House released the National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy. The strategy is designed to address the cybersecurity workforce shortage by emphasizing skills-based hiring and lifelong learning. It also provides guidance for other nations, particularly in the Gulf region, as they undergo their own digital transformation and work toward gender equality in their workforces.
التحرك بحذر على رمال متحركة: تقييم نهج بايدن في سياسة الشرق الأوسط، 2021-2023
يقدم هذا التقرير تقييماً مؤقتاً لاستراتيجية إدارة بايدن الشاملة تجاه الشرق الأوسط، ويبحث الفرص والمخاطر الاستراتيجية للسياسة الأمريكية في المنطقة بشكل عام.
Key takeaways from Mohammed bin Salman’s Fox interview
Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman’s interview on Wednesday night with Bret Baier of Fox News didn’t break news or produce controversy. But that wasn’t the point of his appearance on one of America’s top networks.
The war next door: Omani foreign policy toward Yemen
Over the past decade of turmoil, conflict, and external military intervention in Yemen, Oman’s foreign policy has emerged as the Gulf exception. Muscat has pursued a unique role, driven by both pragmatic concern and opportunity. It has harnessed its relations with most of the actors involved, including armed non-state actors, and sought to access new economic opportunities as part of its policies of strategic hedging, omni-balancing, and undeclared alignment.
