Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Alastair Sloan
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Saudi Arabia's housing predicament
The housing crisis in Saudi Arabia is multi-faceted, deep-rooted and difficult to solve completely: but the government response has been limp at best, at times even exacerbating the problem. Just 30% of Saudi Arabians own their home. The international average is 70%. Part of the problem is low penetration of...
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UAE investments in Serbia promise much, but can they deliver?
In October last year, the United Arab Emirates stepped in to bail-out the debt-ridden Serbian economy. The deal promised billions in loans and investments, averting a looming debt crisis and promising revitalisation of the agriculture, aerospace and construction industries. Although some high profile partnerships have now come good, scepticism...
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Food security is high on the agenda for GCC countries
Food security is high on the agenda for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) this year, with member states convening next month to discuss how a region which imports between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of its nutritional assets can avoid future shortages. This is not a new...
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Gulf States penalise Qatar for 'support' of Muslim Brotherhood
After a brief spat between Qatar and UAE over a provocative sermon, Foreign Ministers across the GCC have been quick to assure each other, and the public, that relations between the Gulf States are good. But as diplomatic dressings are hurriedly applied, initial, hastier reactions showed how ostracised Qatar...
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Oman leads opposition to Gulf political union
While the GCC seemed shocked when Oman threatened to pull out of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), if any union went ahead, the announcement should have come as no surprise. For member states, many of whom secretly oppose a union, it will have been a relief that Oman spoke...
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Russia set to step into the Gulf as Washington looks to Iran
Russia is keen to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the Iranian nuclear deal, as Gulf states become open to working with new international partners. However, it’s unclear the extent to which the Russians can build positive links with the conservatives in the Gulf, although Putin is keen to...