Saudi Arabia Enhancing Cooperation with Europe: The Crown Prince’s visit to France and Greece
Politics

Saudi Arabia Enhancing Cooperation with Europe: The Crown Prince’s visit to France and Greece

Just a month after his regional tour, during which he met with his Egyptian, Jordanian and Turkish counterparts, and only two weeks after US President Joe Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, embarked on a European tour. He first visited Greece before heading to France with a view to discussing avenues to deepen bilateral relations, regional developments as well as areas of cooperation.

August 10, 2022
UN General Assembly adopts resolution recognising the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment
Politics, Social

UN General Assembly adopts resolution recognising the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment

On 28 July the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution that recognises the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. The resolution passed with 161 votes in favour and 8 abstentions. The substantive parts of the resolution do not provide specific details as to the content of the right. The resolution affirms that realising the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment requires full implementation of existing international obligations concerning environmental law. In meeting these obligations, the resolution calls on all stakeholders, including states, international organisations, and businesses to take action for bringing about a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment for all.

August 9, 2022
France and UAE Further Cooperation on Energy and Climate Change
Politics, Technology

France and UAE Further Cooperation on Energy and Climate Change

On 18-19 July, the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, was in Paris for an official meeting with the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron. This was Sheikh Mohammed’s first official state visit overseas since becoming President in May of this year. The visit resulted in a range of agreements being signed in relation to energy security and action to address climate change. The current context of the visit with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the numerous sanctions that the European Union (EU) has imposed has led to European states seeking to diversify their sources of energy supplies. At the same time, the agreements also emphasise the need to further efforts directed at addressing climate change.

July 26, 2022
Saudi Arabia to Open Its Airspace to Israel
Politics

Saudi Arabia to Open Its Airspace to Israel

Over the past two years, diplomatic and trade relations between certain Arab states and Israel have taken an unprecedented turn. In December 2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain officially normalised diplomatic relations with Israel by signing the Abraham Accords. Although not party to the Accords it appears Saudi Arabia is working towards rapprochement with Israel.

July 22, 2022
The Abraham Accords: Combatting Anti-Semitism in the MENA Region
Politics, Security

The Abraham Accords: Combatting Anti-Semitism in the MENA Region

Over the past few years, several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have sought to normalise their relations with Israel. In September 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) decided to normalise their diplomatic relations with the Jewish State by signing the Abraham Accords. Morocco and Sudan soon followed. In some cases, this rapprochement has also taken place in parallel with national policies to help to combat anti-Semitism or anti-Jewish sentiment. Bahrain and Morocco, historically home to a large Jewish community, signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the United States (US) to combat anti-Semitism in October 2020 and January 2021 respectively.

July 4, 2022
UAE-Sudan Engagement on Red Sea Port
Politics, Economics

UAE-Sudan Engagement on Red Sea Port

After several months of turmoil following a military coup last October, calm appears to have come back to the streets of Khartoum, the Sudanese capital. The dire economic situation of the country, paralyzed by unprecedented popular protests and riots that accompanied the fall of Omar El Bashir’s regime, has been further aggravated by the cut in international aid imposed since the military takeover. A recently published United Nations report also warns of a risk of famine which could affect no less than a third of the country's population owing to the multiple social, economic and political shocks that have destabilised Sudan in recent months.

June 29, 2022
Towards energy independence from Moscow? The EU, Egypt and Israel sign a gas agreement in Cairo
Politics

Towards energy independence from Moscow? The EU, Egypt and Israel sign a gas agreement in Cairo

While the member states of the European Union (EU) are seeking to forge new bilateral partnerships to alleviate their domestic dependence on Russian gas and oil, the EU’s institutions are also working to find new energy partners for the bloc. At the end of March, Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, traveled to the State of Kuwait to strengthen strategic ties with this major oil producer (Kuwait is home to nearly 7% of the known global oil reserves). New partnerships for energy supply have become increasingly pressing since the 27 agreed an embargo on Russian oil at the EU summit held in Brussels on 30 and 31 May 2022.

June 22, 2022
FTA Between Israel and UAE – Two Years since the Abraham Accords
Politics, Economics

FTA Between Israel and UAE – Two Years since the Abraham Accords

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel normalised diplomatic relations in September 2020 by signing the Abraham Accords. Since then, the two countries have engaged in a range of cooperation projects, in the area of energy among others, in addition to opening embassies in their respective countries.

June 7, 2022
LNG - Germany and Qatar May Soon Reach Common Ground
Politics, Security

LNG - Germany and Qatar May Soon Reach Common Ground

While the prospect of a rapid agreement between Qatar and Germany on the delivery of liquified natural gas (LNG) still seemed unlikely a month ago, in particular owing to Berlin's reluctance to sign long-term deals with its Gulf partner as well as Doha’s willingness to prevent Germany from rerouting the gas to other member states of the European Union (EU), the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani signed a joint declaration to eventually expand their energy partnership during an official meeting in the German capital on Friday 20 May 2022. According to the terms of the declaration, Qatar is to deliver LNG to Germany by 2024.

June 2, 2022

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