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The UAE's long-awaited government reshuffle saw a significant shake up in key technocratic posts but, unsurprisingly, no change in the "power ministries." The cabinet shake up, announced at the end of March, saw the installation of eight new ministers in the 21 member cabinet under Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid.

Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, who died in May 2022, lived through a period of extraordinary change for his country. Born at a time when pre-oil Abu Dhabi was relatively isolated and under British protection, as head of state from 2004 until 2022, Khalifa played a key role in the UAE’s emergence on the regional and world stage – while being progressively replaced in decision-making by his half-brothers, led by Mohammed Bin Zayed.

The issue leads with an in-depth look at UAE national security advisor Sheikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan's $1trn-plus investment empire. Through its lead article and five linked charts, GSN examines the structure of Tahnoun’s business empire and the identities of those individuals who work most closely with him. Politics coverage also leads with the UAE. GSN presents a new series of profiles of the Al-Nahyan family, including the powerful Bani Fatima brothers – UAE President Mohammed Bin Zayed and sheikhs Hamdan (ruler’s representative in Al-Dhafra region), Hazza (Abu Dhabi deputy ruler), Tahnoun (national security advisor and Abu Dhabi deputy ruler), Mansour (vice president, deputy prime minister and Presidential Court chairman) and Abdullah (foreign minister). GSN's coverage includes a new Al-Nahyan influence chart that focuses on the family relationships that are central to decision-making in Abu Dhabi and the UAE, alongside a second chart focused on all the sons of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan, including the Bani Fatima brothers. The issue also looks at Kuwait, where elections on 4 April returned a National Assembly that is expected to once again provide resolute opposition to any government. Economy and business coverage focuses on Saudi Arabia, where Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s government is reportedly scaling back some of its vastly expensive megaprojects, such as The Line in Neom, in a sign that Riyadh continues to struggle to attract the foreign direct investment it needs for MBS’ Vision 2030 reform agenda. Energy and industry coverage leads with a look at how wealthy Gulf national oil companies are seeking lower-carbon expansion opportunities across Africa.

Sheikha Shamma Bint Sultan, a grand-daughter of the late President Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, has become prominent on environmental issues. This places her in a topical and controversial area following the UAE's hosting of the COP28 summit in November 2023, where it promoted an agenda that was opposed by many climate activists.

Saudi Aramco said on 17 January it would increase the capital allotted to its global venture capital arm Aramco Ventures, from $3bn to $7bn over the next four years.

The QIA’s new $200m fund is designed to bring more foreign investment into Qatar, as the first step of a wider plan to partner with local and international asset management firms.

Sheikh Zayed was sworn in as the UAE’s ambassador to Qatar in August 2023, two-and-a-half years after the end of the boycott of Qatar by its neighbours.

Revised March 2024, this graphic illustrates the connections and relationships across key areas of Iranian politics and business. Centred around Rahbar (Supreme Leader) Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the chart shows the extent to which officials with an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC or Pasdaran) background occupy key positions across the Islamic Republic. The chart covers politics, judicial appointments, key security institutions and personnel, clerics and religious bodies and bonyads (wealthy economic foundations). Names of key individuals link through to Key Player profiles, with supporting articles from the extensive GSN archive.  

Published in February 2013, this file groups together a series of graphics showing Saudi Arabia's energy comsumption mix, electricity generation capacity gap, and 2032 generation targets. Also included is a small map showing main interconnections within the electricity grid, a graphic showing day and night load variations, and a chart showing the planned deployment of alternative energy over the 2013-2032 period. It is available as pdf file. The graphics are eps images and do not lose resolution when enlarged.

Revised in January 2013, this map provides an overview of infrastructure in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Roads, railways, and the location of major oil and gas producing infrastructure, including pipelines, refineries and tanker terminals are shown.

Revised in January 2013, this map provides an overview of infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including major roads, and hydrocarbons facilities. The location of oil and gas producing areas and associated pipelines, refineries, processing facilities and tanker terminals are shown. Regional boundaries are marked.

Published July 2014, this map provides an overview of electricity infrastructure in Iraq. Actual and planned generation sites (including thermal and hydroelectric) are marked, alongside the country's existing 400kV and 132kv transmission lines. The map is a pdf file. The images are made using eps graphics, which don't lose resolution as they are enlarged.

Revised in January 2011, this map provides an overview of infrastructure in the Republic of Iraq. Major rivers and waterways, roads, railways and airports are shown alongside oil and gas industry infrastructure, including pipelines, production areas, refineries, gas processing facilities and tanker terminals

Published March 2014, this map provides an overview of Kuwait's oil and gas infrastructure. Oil and gas producing and exploration areas are marked, alongside downstream infrastructure including pipelines, oil tanker terminals, gas processing plants and proposed LNG regasification plants.

This map provides an overview of Renewables Energy in the gulf. the map shows various associated details such as solar exposure, and the installed capacity of renewables projects.