Gulf Nashra Weekly Digest
Saudis Demand Labor Minister’s Resignation; Gulf Authors Discuss the Ban on the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan; Kuwait Uses DNA to Revoke Citizenship; and a New Book on GCC Achievements and Challenges.
Job seekers in Saudi Arabia waiting in line
Media Coverage
“Trump set to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE May 13-16: White House.” Al-Monitor, April 22, 2025
“The upcoming visit comes as the Trump administration pursues a diplomatic reset with Iran over its nuclear program. US officials have sent mixed signals on their objectives, but most recently have underscored that the minimum goal is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon — an objective backed up by the threat of military force.”
Go Deeper: “Trump’s Middle East Policy and Its Impact on Saudi Arabia.” New Lines Institute, March 13, 2025.
“Kuwait high court sentences former MPs to prison.” Middle East Monitor, April 21, 2025.
“Kuwait’s Court of Cassation, the country’s highest judicial body in the country, has issued a four-year prison sentence against former MP Walid Al-Tabtabaei, over challenging the Emir’s powers, Kuwaiti media reported..”
“In the same context, the Court of Cassation also sentenced former MPs Anwar Al-Fikr to three years in prison, and Hamad Al-Olayan and Hussein Al-Qallaf to two years in prison, also on charges related to challenging the Emir’s rights and powers.”
“Saudi Arabia releases report detailing Vision 2030 progress for 2024.” Al Arabiya English, April 25, 2025.
“Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said: “As we enter the ninth year of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, we are proud of the achievements of our nation’s sons and daughters. They have proven that challenges do not stand in the way of their ambitions. We have achieved our targets and exceeded some of them. We will continue to move steadily toward our 2030 goals. We renew our resolve to redouble our efforts and accelerate the pace of implementation, to invest in every opportunity and strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a leading country on the global level.”.”
Go Deeper: “Vision 2030: 2024 annual report.” Saudi Vision, April 25, 2025. [PDF].
“IMF projects a strong UAE economic growth forecast for 2026 at 5 percent.” Middle East Economy, April 23, 2025.
“The UAE is set to be the fastest-growing economy among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries this year and is projected to be the second fastest in 2026. With a forecasted growth of 5.6 percent for next year, Qatar will take the lead as the fastest-growing economy.”
Go Deeper: “Chapter 1: Global Prospects and Policies.” International Monetary Fund, April 14, 2025. [PDF].
“Oman property market cools in February as deals drop 8.3% .” Arab News, April 20, 2025.
“Despite the broader slowdown in Oman’s real estate market, revenue from legal transaction fees rose 5.9 percent to 12.3 million rials, up from 11.6 million rials a year earlier.”
Go Deeper: “Monthly Statistical Bulletin : April 2025.” National Centre for Statistics and Information, April 20, 2025. [PDF].
“New Kuwaiti citizenship rules: Genetic and biometric data now compulsory.” Zawya, April 21, 2025.
“The Ministry of Interior has issued Ministerial Resolution No. 678 of 2025 outlining the official use of modern scientific techniques—including genetic and biometric analysis—in the process of granting, withdrawing, revoking, or confirming Kuwaiti citizenship.”
Go Deeper: “Kuwait plans biometrics and DNA checks to revoke or confirm citizenship.” Biometric Update, April 21, 2025.
“Saudi Arabia's NEOM to appoint acting CEO to permanent role, sources say.” Reuters, April 22, 2025.
“Saudi Arabia is to officially appoint Aiman al-Mudaifer as the chief executive of NEOM..”
“Mudaifer has been NEOM's acting CEO since November, succeeding Nadhmi al-Nasr, the long-time former chief of the Red Sea urban and industrial development project that is nearly the size of Belgium.”
Go Deeper: “Neom replaces CEO in bid to move past negative headlines.” Arabian Gulf Business Insight, November 12, 2024.
Bahrain: “Parliament passes three proposed laws on employment and unemployment.” Al Watan, April 22, 2025.
“The Council of Representatives approved the proposed law to add a new paragraph to Article 4 of Decree-Law No. 41 of 2002 concerning privatization policies and regulations. The new addition stipulates that any contractor engaged with the government through a privatization contract must ensure a minimum Bahrainization rate of 50%.”
Go Deeper: “Numbers Increasing, Dependency Decreasing: The GCC Changing Labor Immigration Emphasis.” Gulf Research Center, 2024. [PDF].
“Saned: Over 70,000 Saudis Benefited from the System in One Year.” Okaz, April 22, 2025.
“A government report (reviewed by Okaz) revealed that approximately 70,548 Saudis benefited from the Saned system, including 14,822 beneficiaries in the first quarter, 15,746 in the second quarter, 19,692 in the third quarter, and the highest number in the fourth quarter with 20,288 beneficiaries.”
Go Deeper: “Breakthrough Pension Reform in Saudi Arabia—A Model for the MENA Region.” World Bank Blog, July 15, 2024.
Gulf Opinions
This week, Saudi commentators and social media users directed renewed criticism at Ahmad bin Sulaiman AlRajhi, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, amid the rising popularity of a hashtag calling for his resignation on X. A newly created community account, launched on April 11, 2025, played a key role in promoting the trend, advocating for stronger Saudization of the job market. While the campaign gained traction through reposts and comments, many of the participating accounts appeared anonymous or unverified, prompting speculation over whether this reflects concerns about legal repercussions or signals a coordinated influence effort. Opposition voices also engaged with the trend; among them, Turki Shalhoub, an anonymous Saudi opposition figure based abroad, described AlRajhi as the “Minister of the degree of fraud and theft,” accusing him of overseeing a failing employment policy.
On the other hand, the fifth anniversary of Saudi Vision 2030 appears to have been used as a counter-response to the growing criticism of the government's Saudization policies. For instance, in defense of the Kingdom’s labor market progress, Barjas AlBarjas (X) pointed to the 2024 annual report for Vision 2030, which declared that Saudi Arabia had achieved a “historic drop” in unemployment, reaching the initiative’s target rate of 7%. The criticism appeared to draw the attention of Minister Ahmad AlRajhi, who responded with a post on X highlighting recent efforts to advance Saudization.
The criticism of Saudi government policies—often laced with anti-foreigner sentiment—was addressed by Ahmad Al-Dhufairi in Al-Madina newspaper, where he cautioned against the rise of incitement and defamatory speech on social media. Al-Dhufairi warned that such behavior, masked as patriotism, risks undermining social cohesion and distorting public discourse under the guise of free expression.
In a separate discussion, Gulf commentators shifted their focus to the banning of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan and its broader implications across the regional political landscape. From the UAE, Ahmed Al-Hosani (Al Etihad) argued that the Brotherhood’s intervention in Sudan complicated the political scene and strained Khartoum’s relationship with the Emirates, especially following Sudan’s recent complaint at the International Court of Justice.
In Saudi Arabia, Mshari Al-Dhayidi (Asharq Al-Awsat) framed the conflict with the Brotherhood as primarily “intellectual, cultural, and educational,” asserting that meaningful critique must target the group’s ideological discourse rather than its political tactics. Echoing concerns about the Brotherhood’s methods, Sawsan Al-Shaer (Al-Watan) warned that such groups often lie dormant and conceal their activities, as seen in the exposure of a Jordanian cell, but never truly disappear. Writing in Al Bayan (UAE), Mohammed Yousef delivered a strong criticism, describing Brotherhood affiliates as “enemies of their own countries” who align with foreign powers and view themselves as a chosen elite loyal only to their supreme guide.
More Gulf Opinions
On Saudi Vision fifth anniversary:
“Anyone who reflects on the outcomes of Vision 2030 since its inception will observe a remarkable transformation at the social, cultural, and economic levels. The Vision’s programs and projects contribute to making society vibrant and full of life.”
Fahd Al-Bakr, Al Riyadh, (Saudi Arabia), April 25, 2025.
“In the Vision’s annual report, the steps toward realization rise above, and the entire nation moves in harmony with its values. Our culture is no longer one of promises—we are witnessing the achievements take shape before our eyes.”
Abdullah Al-Ghathami, X, (Saudi Arabia), April 25, 2025.
Other Topics
“The historic meeting between His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik—may God protect and preserve him—and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow was of great significance. The discussions focused on several vital issues: first, the development of relations between the two friendly countries, and second, a review of key regional and international matters of mutual concern. The meeting served to strengthen the longstanding friendship between the two nations and their peoples.”
Awad Baquwair, Oman, (Oman), April 22, 2025.
“The current state of large houses reflects an unrefined scene across many buildings and unfinished concrete structures in cities and neighborhoods throughout Qatar. These structures are no longer just empty plots, yet they have not fully become complete homes either.”
Moudhi Al-Hajri, Al-Raya, (Qatar), April, 24, 2025.
“Beginning pharmaceutical manufacturing within Bahrain contributes to reducing reliance on imports, which positively impacts the national budget and helps mitigate the cost fluctuations associated with global shipping and supply. This approach not only enhances economic sustainability but also creates a dynamic local economic cycle involving manufacturing, distribution, and export—thereby boosting GDP and creating new growth opportunities.”
Ismail Al-Sarraf, Akhbar Al Khaleej, (Bahrain), April, 20, 2025.
Gulf Nashra Picks
Book: Keshk, Ashraf and Al Resais, Mona “Gulf Cooperation Council Achievements and Challenges: Navigating Regional and International Relations.” Ethics Press, February 15, 2025.
Analysis: “Redlines and Realpolitik: Saudi Arabia’s Diplomatic Test Ahead of Trump’s Visit.” John Calabrese, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, April 22, 2025.
Podcast: “A Labor Market Without Saudization." Jadi Podcast, April 19, 2025. [English Subtitles].
Commentary: “Trump’s Second Term and the Gulf: Promise, Pitfalls, and the Pursuit of Peace.” Abdulla Bishara, Gulf International Forum, April 23, 2025.
Analysis: “Can Russia’s defense sector break through in the Gulf?” Jean-Loup Samaan, Atlantic Council, April 24, 2025.
Analysis: “Public-Private Partnerships Becoming the It Couple for Gulf Infrastructure Development.” Héla Miniaoui and Mohamed Bechri, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, April 17, 2025.
Podcast: “Building winning companies in Saudi with Sultan Ghaznawi.” The Majlis, April 20, 2025. [In English].
Analysis: “Gulf Economies and the Tariff Storm.” Robert Mogielnicki, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, April 21, 2025.
Webinar: “The Opportunities and Risks of Industrial Policy in the Gulf.” with Fuad Hasanov and Steffen Hertog by Tim Callen, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, April 18, 2025.
Analysis: “Energy Transition in the Gulf: Best Practices and Limitations.”Aisha Al-Sarihi, Carnegie, April 17, 2025.
Academic Paper: Shahbaz, Ahmed and Hassaniyan, Allan “The Growing Autonomy for GCC States’ Foreign Policy and Structural Changes in the Balance of Power in the Region.” Asian Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, April 10, 2025.
Analysis: “Trump Might Go for a Nuclear Deal Without a Larger Middle East Strategy.” Daniel Brumberg, Arab Center in Washington, April 22, 2025.
Analysis: “The US Energy Dominance Agenda and the Future of Qatar-South Korea Ties.” Adel Abdel Ghafar, Middle East Council on Global Affairs, April 23, 2025.
Policy Paper: “Digital Transformation in the Gulf Cooperation Council Economies.” International Monetary Fund, April 1, 2025.
Analysis: “UAE and US: Advancing AI within a Framework of Diversified Energy.” Emirates Policy Center, April 23, 2025.
Analysis: “The UAE siding with globalization is a strategic gain for the country.” Ebtesam AlKetbi, Emirates Policy Center, April 22, 2025.