Energy & Economics

Policy Analysis on Energy & Economics

Three experts discuss how Washington should shape its regional response to persistent protest movements, economic struggles, and democratic backsliding.

Dec 2, 2021

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Chiraz Arbi
Yasir Zaidan
Alberto Fernandez

An Emirati family relaxes on the shore in Dubai

Articles & Testimony

The UAE’s Second Half-Century: Building Forward to What?

The country is well-positioned to further the progress it has made on multiple fronts, from balancing relations with competing regional and global powers, to diversifying its economy and addressing long-term environmental concerns.

Dec 2, 2021

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David Pollock

Iranian and international negotiators participate in nuclear talks in Vienna, 2021.

Brief Analysis

Reading Through Iran’s Nuclear Demands

Tehran has maintained its stringent line of insisting that Washington lift all sanctions, verify their removal, and provide future guarantees before it will lift a finger on resuming compliance with the JCPOA.

Nov 24, 2021

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Omer Carmi

Brief Analysis

Delta Crescent Energy: Refining U.S. Stabilization Strategies in Northeast Syria

If the Biden administration moves forward with canceling the company’s license, it will need to prepare for increased military and economic pressure in the northeast amid further encroachment by Russian personnel.

Nov 24, 2021

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Calvin Wilder
Kenneth R. Rosen

Articles & Testimony

US Leads a Global Release of Oil from Reserves, But Will It Outmaneuver OPEC+?

Besides reopening the debate about proper use of the strategic reserve, the decision is not guaranteed to sway Washington’s tussle with Moscow and Riyadh.

Nov 23, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

UAE to Fund Israel and Jordan’s Solar/Water Deal

The trilateral agreement will combine long-established peace partners with one of the Gulf parties to last year’s Abraham Accords, providing a model for broader normalization efforts.

Nov 18, 2021

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Ghaith al-Omari
Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Biden’s Other Setback: OPEC+ Ignores His Plea for Help

The political costs of oil and gas pricing are increasing amid diplomatic snubs, LNG logistics, and the onset of winter weather.

Nov 8, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Saudi Prince’s “Net Zero by 2060” Goal Comes with Intriguing Contradictions

His presence at a major climate event will be awash in speculation regarding Canadian hit squads, British charities, and uncertain relations with the Biden administration.

Oct 25, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Saudi Arabia: What Has Changed, What Hasn’t

An expert discusses persistent questions about Saudi policy two decades since the September 11 attacks, explaining why some of them are still so difficult to answer definitively.

Oct 13, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Newcastle United fans celebrate the Saudi purchase of their team

Brief Analysis

Saudi Soccer Investment Augurs a Different Gulf Rivalry

Riyadh’s purchase of a struggling English club could shift some of the region’s core tensions and maneuvering to a different field of play.

Oct 8, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

High Prices, Winter Shortages Delay Arrival of Post-Fossil Fuel World

The long timeframes and commercial calculations involved in such a transition have left Washington and other capitals more reliant on OPEC+ decisionmaking than they would like.

Oct 6, 2021

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Simon Henderson

U.S., Israeli, Bahraini, and Qatari flags on a mural celebrating the Abraham Accords

Articles & Testimony

Think Regionally: A US Role for Deepening the Abraham Accords

Washington should look to economic forums in other regions as a model for establishing regular cooperation between Arab and Israeli officials, business leaders, academics, and civil society groups.

Oct 3, 2021

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David Makovsky
Josh Kram

Articles & Testimony

The Assad Regime’s Business Model for Supporting the Islamic State

The international community stepped up to the ISIS challenge but has failed miserably to address the multifaceted problems presented by Assad, whose regime has worked with the terrorist group on and off for years.

Sep 26, 2021

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Matthew Levitt

Photo of Naftali Bennett and Abdul Fattah al-Sisi meeting in Sharm al-Sheikh.

Brief Analysis

The Bennett-Sisi Meeting: A Rare Chance to Publicly Boost Relations

The welcome visit indicates that Egypt-Israel ties can thrive post-Netanyahu, potentially expanding from the security domain to economic and civil affairs.

Sep 13, 2021

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Haisam Hassanein

Brief Analysis

UAE-Israel Gas Deal (Finally) Finalized

Given ongoing environmental concerns over energy cooperation, the chances that the two partners will fully realize their commercial potential are still up in the air.

Sep 3, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

UN Session on GERD Dispute Strains Egypt-Russia Relations

Moscow is keen on courting Ethiopia, and Cairo is beginning to realize its partner’s limitations, yet the two governments will nevertheless continue cooperating on hot-button issues like weapons procurement.

Aug 17, 2021

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Haisam Hassanein

Articles & Testimony

What’s Behind Biden’s Not-So-Green Request for More Oil?

The announcement raises several awkward geopolitical questions, but market factors may ultimately make U.S. pressure moot.

Aug 12, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Iranian military drone aircraft on display.

Articles & Testimony

What’s Worse for the Price of Oil—a Belligerent Iran or a Resurgent COVID?

The latest price lurch was rooted in the pandemic’s impact on China’s economy, not the apparent Iranian strike on an Israeli tanker.

Aug 2, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Political Crisis in Tunisia: U.S. Response Options

As the fragile Arab democracy faces its most serious test in nearly a decade, Washington should oppose any unconstitutional centralization of power, urge President Saied to clarify his roadmap for ending the impasse, and consider additional economic and medical assistance.

Jul 27, 2021

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Sarah Feuer

An oil pipeline terminal jetty in Eilat, Israel

Brief Analysis

Israel-UAE Pipeline Deal Delayed by Environmental Concerns

A bureaucratic skirmish in Naftali Bennett’s coalition government could impede Jerusalem’s growing ties with Abu Dhabi.

Jul 26, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Supported by the

Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy

The Washington Institute's Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy embodies the Institute's long-term research focus on the conservative Arab Gulf states -- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman -- and the key role these countries play collectively as a primary source of the world's oil and natural gas.

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