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Sheikh Mubarak Bin Fahad Bin Jassim Bin Mohammed Al-Thani was named as Qatar's ambassador to Oman. Mubarak has previously served as ambassador to Azerbaijan (2008-14) and Serbia (2015-21).

Emirati Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Juma Al-Maktoum has been involved in a number of business deals around Africa. During the Covid pandemic, he was connected to efforts to sell Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in several countries in Africa and Asia. 

There appeared to be limited interest from the Gulf region in China's third Belt and Road Forum for International Co-operation.  The UAE was the most notable Gulf presence, sending Ras Al-Khaimah Ruler Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al-Qasimi to lead its delegation. 

A Dubai-based company backed by a well-connected but relatively low-profile member of Dubai's ruling Al-Maktoum family has been signing deals across Africa to generate carbon credits – while generating some controversy in the process.

The extent to which Iran knew about, or helped with, the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel remains a point of conjecture. Some were quick to point the finger of suspicion at the Tehran regime, which is undoubtedly a major supplier of military materiel to Hamas and the driving force behind the 'Axis of Resistance' that is now confronting Israel.

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (MBZ) made a surprise visit to Doha early October, ostensibly for the opening of the International Horticultural Expo 2023 but, in reality, to cement and expand relations between the two countries’ leaderships.

Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on 9 October that Tehran’s diplomatic relations with Sudan were to resume after a seven-year break, with the reopening of embassies in the near future.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khaled Bin Mohammed arrived in Serbia late September on what was described as a working visit. Apart from cultivating business ties, the purpose of visiting Belgrade and then Tirana, Albania was not clear. However, analysts suggested that the UAE may be trying to mediate between Serbia and the Albanian-majority territory of Kosovo, whose independence is not recognised by Belgrade.

Kuwait was one of 15 countries elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council. It will serve a three-year term, starting 1 January 2024, alongside Albania, Brazil, China, France and others. The 47 seats on the council are distributed on a regional basis.

The Palestinian issue has been steadily sidelined in the minds of most leaders in recent years, but that all changed with Hamas' brutal attack on Israel on 7 October and the devastating bombardment of Gaza that has followed. With the death toll quickly running into the thousands and claims of war crimes being levelled against both sides, Gulf governments are scrambling to deal with the fallout.

Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of her fight for women’s rights. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said the award also recognised all those who had demonstrated over the past year against the Iranian regime's oppression of women.

Official statements from the Gulf monarchies have called for de-escalation and international mediation between Hamas and Israel, but there have been notable differences in where blame has been apportioned.

The recent decision by Iraq's Constitutional Court to annul a 2013 law that regulated the use of the Khor Abdullah waterway shared with Kuwait has continued to cause diplomatic waves, with Kuwait rallying its international friends and partners to put pressure on Baghdad over the decision. 

Global and regional powers have drawn up a series of plans to develop new trade corridors through Gulf countries over recent years, with the latest emerging at the G20 summit in India which will pass through the UAE, Saudi Arabia and on to Jordan and Israel. The ambitious plan could take decades to realise and will face competition from rival schemes backed by Iran, Iraq, Russia and Turkey. 

Iran and Djibouti have agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations that were severed by the African country in 2016 following the storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran. The decision follows the recent rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.