Login
Iran has named Mohammad Kazem Al-Sadeq as its new ambassador to Baghdad. As is often the case with Iranian ambassadors to Iraq, Sadeq is reportedly a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp’s elite Quds Force.
All six Gulf Co-operation Council states abstained in a vote at the UN General Assembly on 7 April on suspending Russia from the UN Human Rights Council.
GSN provides brief profiles of the eight members of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, which was formed at a GCC-convened summit in Riyadh in late March/early April.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to roil global oil and gas markets – particularly in Europe where countries are chasing alternative supplies to reduce their heavy energy dependency on Russia.
Risk Management Report: International politics and economics. Breakeven prices: Oil prices have remained high in the shadow of the Ukraine war, with the cost of a barrel well above $100 through much of March and April. This means that most Gulf states are in a position to post budget surpluses this year.
Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah travelled to Italy on 12 May on what was described by officials as a “private visit”.
Donors have pledged $33m for a United Nations plan to secure the decaying FSO Safer oil tanker, moored off the Yemen coast. The funds were pledged at an event in The Hague on 11 May co-hosted by the UN and the Dutch government.
King Hamad’s administration is seeking to portray the island kingdom as committed to reform despite growing sectarianism and opposition complaints about transparency shortfalls
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has been comfortably re-elected as speaker of the Majlis-e Shura-ye Eslami (parliament) for the third consecutive year.
GSN Risk Grade: D4 Recent developments- Kadhimi to remain? A group of Iran-backed Shia parties known as the Co-ordination Framework may back Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi for another term of office, according to local media reports.
Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al-Qasimi set up the University of Khorfakkan, described as a “non-profit academic scientific institution”, that will offer degrees in subjects including marine sciences, law, business administration and IT.
Turkey’s Ares Shipyard said it had won a contract to provide its Ares 40 Fast Interceptor Craft to the Qatar Coast Guard. Meanwhile, the Al-Shamal training ship arrived in Doha on 9 June, built by another Turkish firm, Anadolu Shipyard.
UK international trade minister Ranil Jayawardena visited Doha in early June, where he met commerce and industry minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Al-Thani. Jayawardena was also hosted by the Syrian-Qatari Al-Khayyat brothers, Ramez and Moutaz.
United Nations envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg told the UN Security Council on 14 June there had been no confirmed airstrikes inside Yemen, or cross-border attacks from Yemen, since the first country-wide ceasefire in six years, announced on 2 April. A 60-day extension to the truce was announced by Grundberg on 2 June.
Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah suffered a “minor discomfort requiring rest”. The episode comes amid lingering concern about the health of Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
