Qatar: Out in the cold
The GCC faces an unprecedented crisis as three member states politically and economically ostracise Doha
It doesn't get much worse than this. What began as a media war of words has escalated into the most serious diplomatic spat the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has witnessed since its creation in 1981. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have not only cut diplomatic relations with Qatar, but they've also shut down all transport links with it and banned their citizens from going there. These are the harshest measures that can be imposed on a neighbouring country—short of military intervention. The anti-Qatar move is being led by Saudi Arabia which has long accused the Doha leadership of wrecking Gulf unity by backing the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamic groups, and mai
Also in this section
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
1 April 2026
The US-Iran conflict demonstrates the need for diversification in several senses of the word. It also exposes the limits of Washington applying pressure on major oil and gas producers it considers geopolitical adversaries
31 March 2026
Disappointing results in its bidding round are a reality check for Libya, and global exploration generally
