Uneasy neighbours
Strains within the GCC and shifting external alliances will make for an unsettled year
The Gulf Cooperation Council began 2017 looking at the new US administration with hope, albeit—as in other parts of the world—with varying expectations. Obama's approach to the GCC and broader region was seen by GCC countries as misaligned with its interests. The Gulf states looked at Obama's support for Arab Spring protests; his engagement with Iran over its nuclear programme; and his administration's lack of action in Libya, Syria and Yemen as symptoms of America's dwindling interest and engagement in the region, and, at times, of policies perceived as opposed to some of the GCC states' interests. The incoming Trump administration attempted a reset by recasting American priorities in the r
Also in this section
4 February 2025
This premier event is poised to address the evolving technology and investment demands of North America’s thriving chemical and pharmaceutical sectors
4 February 2025
The threat of Trump tariffs and the departure of Trudeau have sharpened the domestic political focus on boosting the oil and gas industry
3 February 2025
Alaska has been engulfed by a lack of consistent policymaking and highlights the challenges financing energy projects in the US
31 January 2025
Several projects are expected to boost production this year as strategically important region looks to environmental rules, fiscal policies, oil prices and demand trends longer term
