On Wednesday, 1st July 2020, members of the Honorary Advisory Board (HAB) of the Bussola Institute met via videolink to engage in public debate on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to consider its future implications, particularly in the context of European-Gulf relations. This short paper summarises members of the HAB’s contributions to the rich and diverse […]

On July 14, Ms Rosamaria Gili, Head of the Maghreb division at the European External Action Service, Dr Abdel Aziz Abu Hamad Aluwaisheg, Assistant Secretary General for Political and Negotiations Affairs at the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Dr Abdullah K. Al-Saud, Assistant Professor at Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, virtually gathered to discuss the […]

The impact of the COVID-19 upon the world in 2020 has been profound.  Measures to contain the spread of the virus have had, and continue to have, significant impact on the day to day lives of people.  Extremists and ideologues have been swift in their efforts to take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to blame […]

What the EU and the GCC can do to revitalise Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been at the forefront of political debate concerning the Middle East region for more than 70 years.  Despite the latest US initiative, the international community seems unwilling and unable to make progress towards a comprehensive and equitable outcome […]

The world is experiencing the highest levels of human displacement ever, with over seventy million people affected around the world.  The conflicts in Syria and the wider Middle East have caused millions of people to flee their homes and livelihoods.  In 2016 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, recognising the need for increased global […]

The United Kingdom (UK) formally left the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020.  This paper considers how relations between the EU, UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are likely to be affected by this important geopolitical development.  It suggests that, while many aspects of this triangular relationship are unlikely to change substantially, […]

The 2019 Annual Review provides an overview of the work the Bussola Institute carried out during 2019.  As the Chair of Bussola’s Board of Directors, HE Amal al-Haddabi observes: “2019 has proved to be an excellent first full year of operation for the Bussola Institute.  I am confident that this augurs well for the future […]

In this research paper, the Bussola Institute provides an overview of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Europe and the Gulf region and analyses some of the key implications, both regionally and globally, of this global pandemic. In both regions, various mitigation and containment policies have been put in place.  However, at the time of […]

The relationship between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Asian states, including China, India, Japan and South Korea, has long been complementary. While the focus of the GCC-Asia relationship has concentrated predominantly on the energy dimension, this represents only one part of what is becoming a more complex set of exchanges. Increasingly, a more […]

Tackling the multiple challenges of climate change is a matter of the highest priority for both the Gulf states and the European Union.  Incoming EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that a “Green Deal for Europe” will be her top priority, while all six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) […]