Diversification is the principal economic objective for the Gulf States. The steep and sustained fall in oil prices over the last few years has added to the collective urgency to seek new sources of revenue. As such, the overriding theme of regional economic summits in recent years has focused on the question, “how do we transition to a knowledge-based economy?” This is the central question taken up by the contributors to this volume. A growing body of literature has begun to address how state policy in conjunction with universities, think tanks, and businesses can create the groundwork to support knowledge-intensive industries. But, so far, comparatively little work has been done on the potential of this matrix of policies to succeed in the current political and economic context of the GCC. This volume assesses current policies designed to engender knowledge-based economies in the region and analyzes how a diverse array of actors, including government agencies, national and transnational businesses, universities, and individuals coordinate and mediate the transmission of knowledge to support knowledge-intensive industries. This volume is based on a workshop held at the Gulf Research Meeting organized by the Gulf Research Center Cambridge in summer 2015.
Rapid population growth, increasing urbanization, the vital need for air-conditioning and water desalination, as well as energy-intensive industries are driving the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to burn growing amounts of their hydrocarbon production, or become importers of natural gas to sustain their fast economic development.
The joint comprehensive action plan (JCPOA) finally led to the lifting of sanctions on the lsamic Republic of Iran. Coming into force on January 16, 2016 the lifting of sanctions has apparently opened the floodgates to business transactions, in what has been dubbed the biggest emerging market since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
he investment options of the GCC countries have narrowed since the decline in oil prices in the second half of 2014 and they have had to reconsider their fiscal spending. They have repatriated foreign assets and cut down their foreign portfolio investments.
In 2015, relations between the GCC states and Russia fluctuated considerably,showing both upswing and downswing tendencies. Though paramount importance continued to be attached to bilateral relations, the differences between the bilateral tracks were very evident and substantial.
This paper deals with developments in the relations between the GCC countries and the European U-nion countries during 2015 in terms of the issues and interactions that defined those relations.
Relations between Latin America and the Gulf countries have been hitherto a little explored topic in academic research. With the notable exception of the ill-fated 2010 Iranian nuclear agreement with Turkey and Brazil, this lack of interest in issues between the two regions can be largely explained by the absence of controversial political matters with which to attract media and scholarly attention.
The price war that may be dated to OPEC's conference on November 27, 2014 continued in 2015 and shows no sign of soon leading to a new equilibrium. Crude oil production continues to exceed global demand; stocks are increasing, and, at the time of writing, prices remain on a downward slope.
The Gulf Yearbook 2008-2009 is the sixth in the annual Yearbook series published by the Gulf Research Center focusing on the key political, economic, social and strategic challenges that define developments in the Gulf region. As in the past years, the Yearbook offers a combination of overviews of major events and in-depth analysis of key issues to facilitate better understanding of the challenges faced by the region. The first section covers political developments such as parliamentary elections in Kuwait and the political role of women in the GCC. In the section on foreign relations, the papers cover a spectrum of issues relating to the GCC’s relations with the US, Europe, Asia, Africa and Turkey. Defense and security issues – including efforts to establish a regional security system – are examined in section three, while section four provides an overview of the economic developments in the region, including in the energy and telecom sectors. Educational reform and water policies in the region are examined in section five pertaining to social issues in the Gulf region. The final section on Iran and Yemen provides an insight into developments in these two important countries of the region.
The Gulf Yearbook 2007-2008 is the fifth in the annual Yearbook series published by the Gulf Research Center focusing on the key political, economic, social and strategic challenges that define developments in the Gulf region. Not only has the Yearbook become a major contribution to innovative, in-depth and authoritative analysis of the Gulf, but its combination of general overviews of major events and in-depth articles on key issues provides a better understanding of the numerous challenges that the region confronts. The Gulf Yearbook 2007-2008 is divided into seven major sections with each section introduced by a general overview article. The first section focuses on the Gulf’s political development with a particular look into election laws in the GCC, the recent elections in Oman and Qatar, as well as the status of civil society in the GCC states. From an economic perspective, the second section assesses the status of and prospects for regional economic integration, developments in the energy sector, and the role of GCC companies in a globalized setting. The Yearbook then introduces a new section on human development featuring articles on education, national identity and demography. Security and defense issues form the fourth part of the Yearbook with an emphasis on nuclear developments, energy security, labor migration and soft security issues. In the section on foreign relations of the Gulf States, specific contributions look into the regional role played by Saudi Arabia, the current US strategy in Iraq, and the role played by the Gulf with regard to the crisis in Darfur. Articles on Gulf-Europe and Gulf-US relations complete this section. This is followed by a closer look in section six at the events in Iraq, Iran and Yemen, and their impact on the region as a whole. The volume is then completed with an analysis of environmental policies as the need to develop sustainable growth processes continues to increase in importance. Overall, the Gulf Yearbook 2007-2008 provides a comprehensive overview of the region’s developments and extends an analytical framework that outlines and examines key trends and scenarios for 2008.
The Gulf Yearbook 2006-2007 highlights the main and critical developments of the year for the Gulf region focusing on the major political, economic, security, and social trends. With the Gulf region facing challenges on numerous fronts, the Yearbook attempts to throw an analytical perspective on what has been another tumultuous year in Gulf affairs. It looks at the key political and social developments in the region with a particular focus on the election processes taking place, for example in Kuwait and Bahrain. This is followed by an in-depth look into the economic issues that have dominated the year including the situation of the financial markets and the status of the region’s petrochemical industry. With oil prices hovering at record levels, an evaluation of the oil sector completes this section. Security and defense issues dominate the third part of the Yearbook with developments in Iraq, the debate over the Iranian nuclear program and terrorism and counter-terrorism strategies all requiring a specific focus. In the fourth section, the Gulf Yearbook turns to the international relations of the Gulf with a look at the impact of US policy in the region and the emerging roles that both Europe and Asia are playing. Particular emphasis is given to some of the regional developments including the conflict in Lebanon of the summer of 2006 and its repercussions. This is followed by a closer look at events in Iraq, Iran and Yemen and their impact on the region as a whole. The volume is then completed with an analysis of environmental policies as the need to develop a sustainable growth process has taken on an increased importance throughout the year. Overall, the Gulf Yearbook 2006-2007 not only provides a comprehensive overview of the Gulf’s developments in 2006 but equally extends an analytical framework whereby key trends and scenarios for 2007 can be outlined and examined.
The Gulf Yearbook 2005-2006 is the third volume in the annual series of the GRC Yearbook. Focusing on the events that have impacted on the Gulf region throughout the previous year, this year’s publication picks up on where the last report ended and outlines the pivotal events of the year in terms of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran, Iraq and Yemen and their relations with the broader regional and international environment. In a series of analytical chapters, the books looks at key issues such as political reform, economic development and the threat of terrorism Furthermore, an in-depth look is provided at the developments within the GCC states from a domestic, economic and foreign relations perspective. These items are complimented by a timeline of events for the year 2005. Written by prominent scholars, subject experts and GRC’s own in-house research team, The Gulf Yearbook 2005-2006 is an important guide to the key events that have impacted on the region this year.
The Gulf Yearbook 2004 is the second volume in the annual series of the GRC Yearbook. Focusing on the events that have impacted on the Gulf region throughout the previous year, this year’s publication picks up on where the last report ended and outlines the pivotal events of the year in terms of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran, Iraq and Yemen and their relations with the broader regional and international environment. In a series of analytical chapters, the books looks at key issues such as political reform, economic development and the threat of terrorism Furthermore, an in-depth look is provided at the developments within the GCC states from a domestic, economic and foreign relations perspective. These items are complimented by a timeline of events for the year 2004. Written by prominent scholars, subject experts and GRC’s own in-house research team, The Gulf Yearbook 2004 is an important guide to the key events that have impacted on the region this year.
The scientific method adopted in the report avoids prejudices, considers the region's typical characteristics and takes into account the interactions of domestic; regional and international changes. The aim is to provide an analytical overview of the year's key events in or relevant to the Gulf region for all those interested in knowledge about the Gulf region.
