Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
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Border markets on Yemen’s northwestern border with Saudi Arabia gave rise to a distinct economic system and bridged communities. Yet the war in Yemen has either destroyed them or forced their closure.
Over time, the Kuwait-Saudi border has developed a unique, flexible approach of firm physical boundaries but open economic boundaries. This approach allows both countries to resolve border disputes, such as an oil-related dispute from 2009 to 2019, but more investment could further strengthen Kuwait-Saudi ties.
The states of the Arab Gulf have been defined by their unique combination of economic generosity and political parsimony—a system preserved by vast resource wealth and traditional institutions of governance that have managed to retain a preponderance of legitimacy.
The struggle between Saudi Arabia and the self-proclaimed Islamic State is also a contest for the soul of Wahhabism.
The Iranian nuclear agreement presents an opportunity to take a first step toward creating a new security order in the Gulf, one that could improve relations between Iran and the Gulf Arab states and facilitate a lessening of the U.S. military commitment.
Qatar wants to increase its influence and break free from Saudi Arabia’s orbit. But its miscalculations and domestic and international challenges make that difficult.
To achieve lasting peace in Saudi Arabia’s restive Eastern Province, the regime must address the deep-rooted sectarian, political, and socioeconomic drivers of dissent.
Arab monarchs have an opportunity to embark on a path of far-reaching political reform without losing their thrones, but the window to act is closing
Any effective U.S. diplomatic approach to Iran must involve other countries in the Gulf, but Washington will not succeed if it continues to strive for an anti-Iranian alliance. A normalization of relations between Iran and its neighbors is an important and attainable step for reintegrating Iran into the international community.
Rethinking the wisdom of relying on unstable Western economies for growth, the Arab world is increasingly focused on the diversification of its own economies.