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While Qatar has not signed up to the Abraham Accords to normalise ties with Israel, it has developed a viable working relationship with the Israeli government over recent years, particularly in regard to funding and other aid to Hamas-run Gaza.

Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron made a surprise return to the British government when he was appointed foreign secretary. During his time as premier, from 2010 to 2016, he did much to expand relations with the Gulf states.

Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani made a number of changes to his cabinet on 8 January, less than a year after his last major overhaul to the executive team. Among the most significant changes was the promotion of minister of state for foreign affairs Sultan Bin Saad Al-Muraikhi to the cabinet. 

Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s favoured Public Investment Fund has been among the most prominent clients of US lobbying and legal firms over the past year, as Saudi Arabia seeks to strengthen its relations with Washington and support its subsidiaries’ investments in the American market.

In a noticeable uptick in President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan’s recent overseas travel, MBZ has gone to Azerbaijan and India to cement commercial ties, in his first visit to another Brics member since the UAE joined the big emerging economies’ club at the start of the year.

A five-year contract for Bahrain Steel to supply Emirates Steel Arkan with iron ore pellets appears to be motivated by both commercial and geopolitical considerations, with the Abu Dhabi government-owned steel-maker saying it was designed to “strengthen economic ties within the GCC”.

 There is mounting evidence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS)’s recent appreciation of diplomatic endeavours, which is apparent in the revelations of talks with Iran in Baghdad (GSN 1,124/17), renewed attempts to secure a peace deal in Yemen, signs of a reset of relations with Syria and Turkey and the Al-Ula agreement in January, which ended the Qatar boycott.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (MBZ) became one of the first international leaders to visit Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following his recent re-election.

Foreign affairs and international cooperation minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan held a meeting with his Albanian counterpart Ditmir Bushati in Abu Dhabi on 17 November. The two men discussed bilateral ties and, according to the official readout from the UAE, “exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual concern”. They also signed a memorandum of understanding on political consultation between the two countries.

Some $35bn worth of potential deals were announced during the Omani leader’s two-day state visit to neighbouring UAE, with the project to develop a rail link between Sohar port and Abu Dhabi now officially up and running – and among measures that could help improve previously sometimes strained relations.

Royal Court advisor and former economy and planning minister Mohammed Bin Maziad Al-Tuwaijri has been nominated by Saudi Arabia for the post of World Trade Organisation (WTO) director-general. He is competing against seven others for the job, after his nomination was filed just ahead of the deadline on 8 July.

The inaugural summit between the European Union and the League of Arab States, held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh over two days in late February, provided few surprises, amid a distinctly mixed approach to the event by Gulf governments – while some countries’ delegations were led by heads of states, others were fronted by more lowly diplomats. Among the first group were King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, President Barham Salih of Iraq, Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia and President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi of Yemen.

Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah travelled to Cairo for a two-day visit starting on 20 October, to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues in what he said on arrival are “these trying times”. He said Egypt had always been “near and dear to the hearts of Kuwaitis”. He held talks with his counterpart Mostafa Madbouly and President Abdel-Fatah El Sisi, delivering a handwritten message from Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah – one of a number sent by the emir to countries involved in the Qatar dispute.

Minister responsible for foreign affairs Yousef Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah signed a memorandum of co-operation with the European Union high representative for foreign affairs and security policy Federica Mogherini in Brussels on 20 September. The new deal will provide the basis for enhanced political dialogue and strengthened co-operation, according to a statement issued by Mogherini. Those “issues of mutual interest” include the Qatar crisis, relations with Iran and efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Yemen war.

Foreign affairs minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held talks with King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in separate meetings in Madrid on 13 September. Following the meeting with Sanchez, the two men signed a joint declaration to co-operate in international investment projects, with a particular emphasis on Latin America.