Energy & Economics

Policy Analysis on Energy & Economics

OPEC Will Boost Oil Output—But Don't Expect Lower Prices at the Pump

Although more supplies will be coming to market, the economic impact of this decision will depend on issues of timing, royal rapprochement, and new COVID surges.

Jul 19, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Biden Welcomes His First Arab Head of State

The visit will set the stage for future U.S. assistance negotiations and allow King Abdullah to express his views on Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy and other regional issues, while the White House can bolster the relationship and (quietly) push for achievable reforms.

Jul 15, 2021

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Ghaith al-Omari
Ben Fishman

Articles & Testimony

Expect Political Consequences from Higher Oil Prices During the Summer Driving Season

Gulf squabbles over production quotas highlight the industry’s uncertain future, but in the meantime Washington may have to deal with heightened pressure at home.

Jul 8, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Supporting Sudan’s Essential but Risky Progress

Since experiencing major upheaval and demands for change in 2019, the country has achieved real gains in its political transition, but it needs serious American assistance to safely advance the fragile process.

Jul 8, 2021

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Alberto Fernandez

Saudi Arabia's Prince Khalid bin Salman meets with U.S. military officials in 2018.

Brief Analysis

Saudi Visit to Washington Will Have a Thorny Agenda

Hosting Prince Khalid is a good look for the bilateral relationship, but discussions may prove difficult given complications over defense sales, Israeli normalization, OPEC infighting, and continued fallout over the Khashoggi affair.

Jul 6, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

The Worst of COVID-19 May Be Over, But It’s Still a Factor in the Price of Oil

The issue will likely dominate discussions at the next OPEC+ meeting, but the longer-term economic and geopolitical repercussions are trickier to gauge.

Jun 30, 2021

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Simon Henderson

President Donald Trump speaks about Syria

Articles & Testimony

The Inside Story of How Trump ‘Kept the Oil’ in Syria and Lost

The ambitious plan would have seen Delta Crescent, a tiny Delaware company, try to bring peace and stability to the war-ravaged northeast, but local corruption, a lack of U.S. commitment, and other complications doomed the idea.

May 31, 2021

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Kenneth R. Rosen

Articles & Testimony

Wondering Why Gas Costs So Much? Blame Consumer Demands and the Oil Market

A post-oil future isn’t without risks, whether for Middle Eastern producers or Western economies still tied to hydrocarbons in myriad ways.

May 28, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Algeria’s Economic Challenges: Opportunities for U.S. Engagement

The pandemic has exacerbated persistent structural problems in the government’s approach to foreign investment, banking reform, monetary policy, and other sectors, but Algiers may be more open to U.S. advice on such matters.

May 28, 2021

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Geoff Porter

Syrian rebel fighters play a board game in a cafe

Brief Analysis

Stalemate in Northeast Syria: Options for Advancing U.S. Interests

In addition to clarifying its intentions and fortifying its presence in the area, the U.S. government needs to increase its focus on stability, security, and economic development.

May 21, 2021

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Kenneth R. Rosen

Video

Brief Analysis

An Expanded Agenda for U.S.-Israel Partnership: New Technologies, New Opportunities

Experts discuss how the two allies can work more closely on everything from artificial intelligence to missile defense, ideally with help from emerging Arab partners.

May 7, 2021

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Michael Eisenstadt
Henry "Trey" Obering III
Samantha Ravich
David Pollock

Brief Analysis

Lines in the Sea: The Israel-Lebanon Maritime Border Dispute

Benefitting from offshore natural gas reserves should be a win-win situation, but in this case the players may turn it into a zero-sum game.

May 3, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

UAE Wealth Fund to Buy Share of Israeli Gas Field

If the $1.1 billion deal goes ahead, it will strengthen Abu Dhabi’s claim to be a player in the East Mediterranean.

Apr 27, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Video

Brief Analysis

The Economic Future of Northeast Syria

Experts discuss the humanitarian, trade, and security measures that are necessary to stabilizing the northeast and preventing the Islamic State and Assad from extending their harmful influence there.

Apr 23, 2021

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Jennifer Cafarella
Sasha Ghosh-Siminoff
Kenneth R. Rosen

Video

Brief Analysis

Can Erdogan Charm Biden?

An expert conversation on the pitfalls and potential areas of cooperation between Washington and Ankara in the coming years.

Apr 21, 2021

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Soner Cagaptay
Asli Aydintasbas
Max Hoffman
Jenny White

Articles & Testimony

Can New Tech Save Iraq’s Old Economy?

In recalibrating its relationship with Baghdad, the Biden administration should consider how it can encourage the evolution of the country’s nascent cyber economy.

Apr 20, 2021

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Bilal Wahab
Michael Rubin

Satellite image of the Red Sea region and the Arabian Peninsula

Video

Brief Analysis

Don't Part the Red Sea: Formulating Holistic Policy Toward a Key Region

A former NAVCENT commander joins a panel of distinguished diplomats and experts to discuss why Washington should approach the region’s disparate economic, political, and security issues in a more integrated fashion.

Apr 19, 2021

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John Miller
Susan L. Ziadeh
Tibor Nagy
Elana DeLozier

Brief Analysis

Iran’s Underground Las Vegas

From pop stars to porn stars to bitcoins, the rise of online gambling sites in Iran is raising eyebrows—as well as questions about whether the IRGC and other regime organs are benefitting from the scandalous new industry.

Apr 16, 2021

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Arash Aalaei

Iranian sailors on board a naval vessel in the Strait of Hormuz

Brief Analysis

Iran and Israel’s Undeclared War at Sea (Part 2): The Potential for Military Escalation

Although both sides have sought to keep their tit-for-tat maritime attacks under control, they pose a substantial risk of miscalculation and escalation that could jeopardize international shipping.

Apr 13, 2021

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Farzin Nadimi

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Riyadh

Brief Analysis

China’s Foreign Minister Tours the Middle East: Outcomes and Implications

The trip echoed Beijing’s strategy of stringing together initiatives that seem insubstantial on their own but cumulatively threaten to undermine U.S. and regional interests.

Apr 9, 2021

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Ilari Papa

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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