The Gulf Nashra Weekly Digest
Saudi & France Push Palestine Summit, Oman Builds Recycling Hub, Gulf Voices on Social Media's Societal Impact.
Media Coverage
Geopolitics
“UN General Assembly backs Saudi-French plan to resume two-state summit on Sept. 22.” Arab News, September 5, 2025.
“The High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine initially convened during the 79th session of the General Assembly but was suspended on July 30. The conference will now resume during the General Assembly’s 80th session, at the level of heads of state and government, underscoring the need for what proponents describe as an urgent international push toward a just and lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.”
Go Deeper: “The Two-State Solution Conference: Implications of a Saudi–French Initiative.” Progress Center for Policies, July 28, 2025.
“UAE warns Israel that annexing West Bank would cross 'red line'.” BBC, September 3, 2025.
“A senior Emirati official, Lana Nusseibeh, said such a move would be the death knell of the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
Go Deeper: “Five Years On, UAE-Israel Normalization Weathers the Gaza Storm.” Giorgio Cafiero, Middle East Council on Global Affairs, September 1, 2025.
“HRH the Crown Prince Welcomes the UAE President in Riyadh.” Saudi Press Agency, September 3, 2025.
“Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today welcomed United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan upon his arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.”
Go Deeper: “Emirati-Saudi rivalry will stretch far beyond Yemen.” Oxford Analytica, August 29, 2025.
Economy & Market
“OPEC oil output rises further in August, survey finds.” Reuters, September 4, 2025.
“The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumped 27.84 million barrels per day last month, up 360,000 bpd from July's revised total, the survey showed, with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia making the largest increases.”
Go Deeper: “OPEC Is Pushing Down Oil Prices Despite a Cash Crunch in Saudi Arabia. Here Is Why” Jim Krane, Arab Center in Washington DC, August 21, 2025.
“Qatar backs US firm Anthropic's $13bln fundraise.” Zawya, September 4, 2025.
“The sovereign wealth fund, which oversees around $557 billion in assets, confirmed the investment on Tuesday, but it did not disclose how much it has allocated for the US-based firm.”
Go Deeper: “Artificial Intelligence in Qatar: Assessing the Potential Economic Impacts.” Tongfang Yuan, International Monetary Fund, March 2025. [PDF].
“Household spending in Gulf set to soar, study finds.” Semafor, September 3, 2025.
“Household spending growth in the Gulf is set to be nearly double that of the US over the next five years, creating a huge opportunity for consumer firms, according to a study by Oxford Economics. A prolonged oil price shock, however, could see that all unwind.”
Go Deeper: “Why GCC consumers are set to continue to outperform.” Oxford Economics, August 27, 2025.
“Oman to build Middle East’s first green ship recycling hub.” Muscat Daily, September 2, 2025.
“The project is expected to create approximately 2,000 direct and indirect jobs and stimulate secondary industries, including eco-friendly container manufacturing. It will also supply millions of tonnes of low-carbon steel to the iron and steel sectors, contributing to the growth of Oman’s non-oil GDP.”
Go Deeper: “The Gulf’s dark horse: Why Oman can seize a global trade realignment.” Nic Adams, Atlantic Council, August 28, 2025.
Domestic Issues
“Dubai records fastest population growth in its history, surpassing 4 million residents.” Gulf News, September 05, 2025.
“The emirate had already gained more than 208,000 residents in 2024, a 5.5 percent rise that pushed the population to 3.86 million by year-end. Daily averages in early 2025 show the population climbing by about 567 people per day.”
Go Deeper: “I Went to Dubai and Caught a Glimpse of the Future.” The New York Times, March 11, 2025.
“RCRC Brings the World-Famous Opera Carmen to Saudi Arabia for the First Time.” Arab News, September 5, 2025.
“The event is being held as part of the Saudi-China Cultural Year, commemorating the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The opening night drew more than 2,500 guests and dignitaries.”
Go Deeper: “Saudi Arabia's music scene is thriving, driven by a diverse array of talented artists and supportive industry initiatives.” Music Cities Events, November 21, 2024.
“Bahrain steers $3.5B McLaren takeover.” Samafor, September 3, 2025.
“Bahrain’s Mumtalakat and Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings are taking the wheel at McLaren. The two sovereign funds behind the racing arm are set to buy out the remaining 30% stake.”
Go Deeper: “Formula One revenue up 5.9% in 2024 as focus shifts to US rights renewal.” S&P Global, March 12, 2025.
“Kuwait finance minister sees boost in projects, diversification under parliament suspension.” Reuters, September 3, 2025.
“Kuwait’s acting finance minister said that the temporary suspension of parliament will help the government boost its flexibility in decision-making.”
“Kuwait's non-oil sector grew "slightly," by 3.6%, in 2024, Acting Minister of Finance Subaih Al-Mukhaizeem said in his latest economic report.”
Go Deeper: “Monopolization is stifling Kuwait’s economy—it’s time to rethink top-down policies.” Atlantic Council, February 11, 2025.
“Saudi housing projects exceed $106bln.” Zawya, September 3, 2025.
“Hogail also underlined the real estate sector’s importance as a driver of the national economy, now accounting for about 13.5 percent of Saudi Arabia’s GDP.”
Go Deeper: “Housing demand in Saudi Arabia surges as 72% look to own homes: report.” Arab News, March 4, 2025.
“Saudi Arabia’s Desert Ski Resort Faces Doubts Ahead of 2029 Winter Games.” PA, September 2, 2025.
“The future of the 2029 Asian Winter Games in Saudi Arabia’s Neom megacity has been thrown into doubt, with Olympic officials quietly exploring backup venues amid growing uncertainty over the feasibility of staging the event in the desert-based resort of Trojena.”
Go Deeper: “Saudi Arabia’s 2029 Asian Winter Games at risk from snow mountain delay.” Financial Times, August 20, 2025.
Gulf Opinions
This week, Gulf commentators voiced concern over the negative effects of social media on the customs, norms, and traditions of the region. Qatari writer Marzouq Al Harbi described “a crisis between technological development and the preservation of values,” citing the governments of Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar for banning the Roblox game, though he did not name it explicitly. He argued that such platforms expose children to harmful content, including private chat rooms where they may be lured into activities that violate local traditions. He emphasized that this game represents only a small part of the broader dangers of modern technology, which must be more closely monitored to safeguard society. From the UAE, Abdullah Al Hashemi turned his attention to Twitter (X). He argued that, unlike in the past, “bubbles are no longer confined to financial markets; they have now burst into the realm of social media, where demagogues dominate the scene, ‘ignorance’ is repackaged as ‘public opinion,’ and noise is mistaken for ‘truth.’” According to him, many commentators deliberately shape their discourse to serve private agendas or foreign interests, trading in people’s minds and selling illusions under slogans such as “freedom,” “dignity,” and “reform.” He traced this trend back to the so-called “Arab Spring” in Egypt, which he described as a product of social media.
In Bahrain, Ali Abdelkhaleq highlighted the growing role of TikTok in the daily lives of youth. He warned that many teenagers use such platforms merely to gain followers or collect “likes,” creating “the real dilemma” where digital metrics replace genuine “values,” and awareness is overshadowed by “the small screen.” He stressed: “The real challenge, then, does not lie in the application itself, but in the user’s awareness and ability to distinguish between what builds and what destroys.” He added that users can still transform these platforms into spaces that reflect their “authenticity and values.” His compatriot Rajab Qassim went further, describing TikTok not only as a threat to “social stability” but also to the “national economy,” labeling it “a cross-border economic crime” and even accusing it of facilitating “money laundering.” Saudi commentators shared similar concerns. Khaled Al Sulaiman criticized Twitter’s moderation, noting that while the platform sometimes flags misinformation, it still allows such posts to spread: “It hurts that some social media account holders rely on spreading fake news to achieve fame and exposure, but what is more painful is the lack of awareness among the audience of these accounts.” Hailah Abdullah raised the issue of celebrity culture, arguing that influencers have become a “phenomenon” shaping public opinion. While the term denotes any “pattern of behavior, practice, or idea” that grows independently of individual will, she noted that today’s celebrities represent not only a local but also a global phenomenon, “steering social media intentionally or unintentionally.” Finally, Fouad Al Hamad emphasized the hidden power of algorithms. He maintained that “behind every social media platform, there is a silent algorithm constantly at work—reshuffling content and carefully deciding what we ‘should’ see and what we ‘don’t need’ to see.” He noted that such systems are “not built randomly,” but are designed to study user behavior, preferences, and even usage times. “Every interaction we make—whether a like, a share, or a comment—is recorded and recycled to feed us even more of what captures our attention,” regardless of whether it is true or false.
Other Gulf Opinions
“We have neither heard nor seen China interfering in the affairs of other states, attempting to impose its dominance and decisions upon them, or forcing them to comply with its dictates, even when China’s geopolitical interests might require it. Instead, it has distanced itself from international conflicts, focused on its own development and economic growth, strived to achieve global peace and stability, and worked to spread modern technology, which has become an essential part of advancing the international community.”
Hamad Al Hazza, Al Jarida, (Kuwait), Sep 5, 2025.
“As for our executive authority, whose good intentions we acknowledge, it has chosen to define Kuwait’s higher interest in a different way, by resorting to the mass withdrawal of citizenships. It is as if we were treating a common cold with doses of chemotherapy, when in fact there is no cancer at all. Such a harsh remedy may, in time, prove to have caused more harm than good.”
Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Anjari, Al Seyassah, (Kuwait), Sep 4, 2025.
“‘Made in China’ once meant everything of poor quality. Today, however, when seriousness at work, clarity of purpose, and continuous learning come together, it is a practical realization of the wisdom of the historic Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, who once wrote in his famous book The Art of War: ‘Preparedness ensures victory.’”
Hussein Shobokshi, Okaz, (Saudi Arabia), Sep 1, 2025.
“There are opportunities to localize certain Indian industries in the Sultanate of Oman by transferring part of their operations to special economic zones and free zones. These areas are particularly well-prepared for investment, equipped with supportive facilities, and backed by continuously developing infrastructure. In addition, the authority overseeing these zones provides ongoing tax and fee exemptions to encourage foreign investment and foster a healthy investment environment. I would not rule out the possibility that future provisions of the agreement may include further forward-looking studies and research that could enhance the Oman–India free trade agreement, such as establishing a plant for assembling Indian vehicles in the Duqm Special Economic Zone, similar to the Karwa bus factory.”
Rashid bin Abdullah Al Shaidhani, Oman Daily, (Oman), Sep 1, 2025.
“In less than one year and a half, Kuwait has revoked the citizenships of more than 68,000 citizens, and the campaign continues. In this investigation, Fatima Hamad and Sultan Al-Amer trace the roots of this campaign, its context, and its impact on Kuwait's present and future.”
Sultan Alamer and Fatima Hamad, Alpheratz Magazine, (Saudi Arabia), Aug 27, 2025.
Picks
Book: Máté, Szalai, “The Foreign Policy of Smaller Gulf States: Size, Power, and Regime Stability in the Middle East.” Routledge, May 31, 2023.
Analysis: “Five Years On, UAE-Israel Normalization Weathers the Gaza Storm.” Giorgio Cafiero, Middle East Council on Global Affairs, September 1, 2025.
Analysis: “Kuwait’s Bureaucracy at a Crossroads: Why Government Innovation Stalls and How Analytics Can Reignite Reform.” Dalal Marafie, Carnegie, August 29, 2025.
Analysis: “Gulf Countries are Reshaping the Global Renewable Energy Map.” Chenjie Song, Middle East Institute, August 26, 2025.
Analysis: “What China wants in the Middle East.” Marc Lynch, The Ghost of Abu Aardvark, August 22, 2025.
Analysis: “Why Saudi Arabia Needs Greece’s Patriot Missile System.” Paul Iddon, Forbes, August 22, 2025.
Research: “Fiscal Multipliers in Resource-Rich Economies Evidence from the Gulf Countries.” Muhammad Chattha and Tobias Kawalec, World Bank, August 2025. [PDF].
Research: “AI Governance in the GCC States: A Comparative Analysis of National AI Strategies.” Mohammad Albous, Odeh Al-Jayyousi, and Melodena Stephens, Journal of Artificial Intelligence, April 25, 2025. [PDF].
Podcast: “The Middle East's Water and Climate Crisis: Lessons from Iran, Iraq, and the Gulf.” Interviewed by Alistair Taylor Interview with Karim Elgendy, Middle East Institute, August 14, 2025.