Gulf Nashra Weekly Digest
Emiratis Debate ICJ Dismissal of Sudan’s Case, Trump’s Visit to Arabia, Ceasefire in Yemen, and a Book on Saudi-UAE Relations
Media Coverage
“Trump to hold summit with Gulf leaders during Saudi Arabia trip.” Axios, May 3, 2025.
“The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) is planning to invite to the summit the leaders of all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries — the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.”
Go Deeper: “Trump’s Middle East Visit: A Calculated Power Play in the New Geopolitical Normal.” Geopolitical Monitor, May 6, 2025.
“Trump administration to announce U.S. will call Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf during Middle East visit: Report.” CNBC, May 7 2025.
“The development was reported by The Associated Press, citing two unnamed U.S. officials, and is set to be timed for Trump’s Middle East visit on May 13 to 16, during which time he will make stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.”
Go Deeper: Seyed Hadi Borhani “From One Gulf to Two Gulfs: Bridging the Persian-Arabian Divide in Palestine.” Journal of World Sociopolitical Studies, 2023. [PDF].
“Exclusive: Under Trump, Saudi civil nuclear talks delinked from Israel recognition, sources say.” Reuters, May 8, 2025.
“The United States is no longer demanding Saudi Arabia normalise ties with Israel as a condition for progress on civil nuclear cooperation talks, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit next week.”
Go Deeper: “Saudi Arabia told US to keep Israel normalisation off agenda for Trump's visit, sources say.” Middle East Eye, May 2, 2025.
“Sudan cuts ties with UAE as Port Sudan reels from drone strikes.”Middle East Eye, May 6, 2025.
“The RSF, which has been at war with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since April 2023, has not yet claimed responsibility for the Port Sudan attacks, while the UAE has strongly condemned them.”
Go Deeper: “Top UN court dismisses Sudan’s genocide case against UAE.” CNN, May 5, 2025.
“Exclusive: Qatari financing of Syrian salaries gets US go-ahead, sources say.” Reuters, May 8, 2025.
“The Syrian finance minister confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that Qatar was set to provide Syria with $29 million monthly for three months, which can be extended, in order to pay salaries to civilian public-sector workers.”
Go Deeper: “After Assad, What Role will Qatar Play in Syria?” Gulf International Forum, Feb 17, 2025.
“Oman announces ceasefire agreement between US, Yemen's Houthis.” Anadolu Ajansi, May 6, 2025.
“Oman on Tuesday announced that its mediatory efforts led to a ceasefire between the US and Houthis in Yemen, after President Donald Trump said the group will not be carrying out attacks on commercial ships.”
Go Deeper: “Exclusive: Saudi Arabia pressed Trump to stop attacks on Yemen ahead of visit.” Middle East Eye, May 6, 2025.
“Exclusive: UAE mediating secret talks between Israel and Syria, sources say.” Reuters, May 7, 2025.
“The United Arab Emirates has set up a backchannel for talks between Israel and Syria, three people familiar with the matter said, as Syria's new rulers seek regional help to manage an increasingly hostile relationship with their southern neighbour.”
Go Deeper: “UAE may need al-Sharaa as much as he needs it. Here's why.” Reasonable Statcraft, Apr 16, 2025.
“Top CEOs heading to Saudi Arabia’s ‘MAGA in the Desert’ conference to boost investing in the US.” New York Post, May 6, 2025.
“Top US corporate titans including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Larry Fink are heading to Saudi Arabia next week for an investor conference — even as President Trump himself flies to the oil-rich kingdom to meet with regional heads of state, The Post has learned..”
Go Deeper: “Why Trump Should Make a U.S.-Saudi Deal Contingent on a Gaza Cease-fire From Netanyahu.” Haaretz, May 7, 2025.
Kuwait: “Criminal Court: Salman Al-Khaldi sentenced to 5 years in State Security case.”
“The Criminal Court had charged Al-Khaldi with deliberately undermining the authority of His Highness the Amir through his account on the "X" platform and with intentionally misusing social media.”
Go Deeper: “Iraq’s extradition of Kuwaiti dissident sparks controversy.” The New Region, Jan 02, 2025.
Gulf Opinions
This week, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) “dismissed” Sudan’s case accusing the United Arab Emirates of violating the Genocide Convention by allegedly supporting paramilitary forces in the Darfur region. Emirati commentators have widely welcomed the court's decision, celebrating the case’s “dismissal.” In this context, Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, stated on his official X account that “the UAE remains committed to its historic ties with brotherly Sudan, rejects the decisions of any party involved in the conflict, and renews its call for peace and for an independent, civilian-led leadership.” He also reaffirmed “the UAE’s support for the Sudanese community and visitors, along with its ongoing humanitarian assistance to the Sudanese people.” Abdulaziz Almaamari argued that the UAE “does not require” formal exoneration from any court, as the allegations brought forth by Sudanese authorities are, according to legal experts, entirely “baseless.” He described the case as a political and legal miscalculation, reflective of a regime plagued by chronic failures and mismanagement. Indeed, reports from the United Nations, the highest authority in the international system, directly contradict Sudan’s narrative and undermine its claims. Mohamed Yousif asserted that the core of Sudan’s challenges lies in the “intervention of the Muslim Brotherhood.” He described its remnants as a "hypocritical faction" now operating from “European shelters under the guise of international organizations and intellectual platforms.” He added that these individuals are responsible for the looting of Sudanese property, the disintegration of a once-peaceful and united society, and the exploitation of national unity for personal gain. In addition, Abdullah Alawadhi noted that Sudan's actions not only strain its “historical relationship” with a long-standing “ally,” the UAE, but also risk the well-being of over 200,000 Sudanese citizens residing in the Emirates. He emphasized that such diplomatic blunders further “deepen Sudan’s isolation,” exacerbate internal fragmentation, and exemplify the broader dysfunction that has fueled national instability. From the UAE Federal National Council, Mohammed Al-Sawafi, Director of the Parliamentary Media Department, stressed that what Sudan needs now is political prudence. He advised Sudanese leaders to avoid inflaming disputes with other nations during a time of deep “domestic and foreign crises.” True leadership, he suggested, lies in “prioritizing” the resolution of internal conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, rather than persisting in divisive rhetoric. Sudan, he concluded, still faces a long road to recovery and national unity. Finally, Amal Alhaddabi reiterated that the UAE has consistently adopted a “neutral and humanitarian stance” in the Sudanese conflict. She emphasized that the Emirates has never supported any of the warring factions and has continuously called for an end to the hostilities. Since the onset of the crisis, the UAE has delivered over $600 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan, including a $200 million pledge made during the High-Level Humanitarian Conference for Sudan held in Addis Ababa in February. Over the past decade, the UAE’s total assistance to Sudan has exceeded $3.5 billion, reaffirming its commitment to the Sudanese people.
More Gulf Opinions
On Sudan
“The UAE’s achievements are countless across all sectors, whether in industry, education, soft power, space, emergency and crisis management, healthcare, diplomacy and foreign policy, infrastructure, foreign trade, and many more. It is therefore no surprise that some resentful individuals spread their venom against the UAE and its leadership, filing legal claims with no legal basis, thinking they can undermine the resolve of the Emirati people or halt the country’s progress and prosperity.”
Abdullah Alshaiba, Aletihad, (UAE), May 5, 2025.
“The Sudanese army is pursuing a path that will lead only to the fragmentation and destruction of Sudan, turning it into a weakened state—unless it reassesses its course and returns to reason.”
Moza Alabbar, Albayan, (UAE), May 9, 2025.
“The Port Sudan authority, which is responsible for killing the Sudanese people, has long lived under the delusion that the UAE supports the Rapid Support Forces, a claim proven false by the International Court of Justice. Now, this authority clings to an even greater delusion: that the UAE bombed an airport, port, and hotel in Port Sudan. It’s time for the leaders of this authority to visit a psychiatric clinic to assess their mental well-being.”
Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, X, (UAE), May 7, 2025.
Other Topics
“With the India–Pakistan conflict resurfacing on the global stage, the potential for alignment among allies becomes apparent, even if that alignment is defined by the type of weaponry. India is armed primarily with American weapons, while Pakistan relies on Chinese arms. From this perspective, four nuclear powers are effectively in play. If we shift the lens to forms of governance as a basis for alignment, we observe that India is a democratic state, whereas Pakistan is governed by the military, raising questions about the nature of possible alliances. Looking at population strength, India has surpassed 1.2 billion people, and in nearly every aspect, what Pakistan possesses, India holds in double measure.”
Abdo Khal, Okaz, (Saudi Arabia), May 8, 2025.
“Despite the rapidly evolving security developments in the region and the numerous pressing issues, President Trump returns this time to find Riyadh playing a major and active role in key regional and international political files. Saudi Arabia is now a partner in efforts to bridge the gap between the two global powers, Russia and the United States. It is also strongly involved in initiatives aimed at resolving the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, having played a significant role in the prisoner exchange between them, and even hosting talks that led to the signing of the "’metals deal.’”
Jameel Al Theyabi, Okaz, (Saudi Arabia), May 8, 2025.
“If reports are true that nuclear cooperation has been decoupled from normalization, then this marks a Saudi diplomatic success in reshaping its relationship with the United States to be based on mutual interests, after it had been framed around normalization with Israel from 2017 to 2023. Netanyahu chose extermination, and Saudi Arabia won over America.”
Sultan Alamer, X, (Saudi Arabia), May 8, 2025.
“From a sustainable development perspective, rebuilding Syria cannot be reduced to merely reconstructing infrastructure or restoring central state institutions. What is truly needed is the design of a new social project that restores the dignity of the citizen and lays the foundation for participatory governance and social justice. In this context, sustainable development is not just a slogan, it is a historical necessity, beginning with eradicating poverty, advancing education, rebuilding trust among societal components, and ensuring transparency in resource management.”
Faisal Aljazaf, Al Seyassah, (Kuwait), May 6, 2025.
“What we are witnessing today in the weakening of the Houthis marks the beginning of the end for the Wilayat al-Faqih project in the region. The signs of this project's collapse have become increasingly evident, and the voices of the free within Iran are rising against the regime of the mullahs, heralding a new era of freedom and stability.”
Ahdeya Ahmed AlSayed, Al Watan, (Bahrain), May 7, 2025.
“Two emerging developments, both predating Trump’s second presidential term but potentially accelerated by his policies, merit close attention. The first is China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), which now includes 160 members and has seen an 80% increase in transaction volume since 2022. The second is the mBridge platform, a digital currency project connecting the central banks of China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. Additionally, the euro has matured into a major currency zone, now accounting for approximately 22% of international transactions, although this figure includes intra-European Union activity.”
Fahad Badar, Al Sharq, (Qatar), May 6, 2025.
Gulf Nashra Picks
Book: Mason Robert “Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates : foreign policy and strategic alliances in an uncertain world” Manchester University Press, January 2023.
Analysis: “The First 100 Days: Trump’s Middle East Policy Revisited.” Middle East Council on Global Affairs, April 29, 2025.
Analysis: “Why Trump Should Make a U.S.-Saudi Deal Contingent on a Gaza Cease-fire From Netanyahu.” Haaretz, May 7, 2025.
Podcast: “Trump’s Gulf Visit: Strategic Stakes and Symbolic Optics.” with Ibrahim Al-Assil, Middle East Institute, May 8, 2025.
Analysis: “Saudi Economic Diversification and the Current Account Deficit.” Tim Callen, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, May 6, 2025.
Adamic Paper: Akbar Mahmood, Ogalo Habil, Sankar Jayendira, Ramayah T. “Exploring adoption of E‑learning in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) education sector.” Discover Sustainability,March 26, 2025. [PDF].
Analysis: “Changing GCC Outlook Toward US-Iran Talks.” Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Arab Center Washington DC, May 7, 2025.
Analysis: “US Policy in the Middle East: A Report Card.” Brian Katulis, Middle East Institute, May 8, 2025. [PDF].
Analysis: “UAE may need al-Sharaa as much as he needs it. Here's why.” Reasonable Statcraft, Apr 16, 2025.
Analysis: “US Policy and Gulf Arab Interests: More Clash, Less Harmony.” Jim Krane, Arab Center Washington DC, May 6, 2025.
Webinar: “Will Trump’s Visit Mark a New Chapter in U.S.-Saudi Relations?” Speaker Gregory Gause, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, May 15, 2025.
Analysis: “Realigning US-Saudi relations for the AI era.” Mohammed Soliman, Middle East Institute, May 5, 2025.
Podcast: “From founder to founder with Adel Alateeq.” The Majlis, May 4, 2025. [English].
Analysis: “Trump’s Middle East Visit: A Calculated Power Play in the New Geopolitical Normal.” Geopolitical Monitor, May 6, 2025.
Analysis: “Rethinking Gulf Water Security.” Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Naser Alsayed, May 2, 2025.