Troubled waters in the Gulf
The Qatar crisis has ensured that the region can no longer boast being an oasis of tranquillity
These are, to put it mildly, unsettling days for the Arab Gulf states. The Qatar crisis demonstrates dramatically what they had perhaps been unwilling to accept before: the comfort blanket of solid and enduring political stability has been removed. After decades of quiet oil-funded prosperity and back-seat regional politics, the six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) face a maelstrom of challenges. Even before the Qatar controversy erupted, the population of the Gulf was witnessing a radical change in leadership styles—at least in two of the key GCC states, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Two charismatic and ambitious le
Also in this section
22 November 2024
The Energy Transition Advancement Index highlights how the Kingdom can ease its oil dependency and catch up with peers Norway and UAE
21 November 2024
E&P company is charting its own course through the transition, with a highly focused natural gas portfolio, early action on its own emissions and the development of a major carbon storage project
21 November 2024
Maintaining a competitive edge means the transformation must maximise oil resources as well as make strategic moves with critical minerals
20 November 2024
The oil behemoth recognises the need to broaden its energy mix to reduce both environmental and economic risks
