Gulf Monitor
Gulf Monitor
Castlereagh’s Gulf Monitor provides an insight into key developments in economic diversification, monetary and fiscal policy, social policy and foreign relations in line with the collective ambitions of GCC states to change their economies, yet preserve their systems of governance.
Also housed on this page is the Market Watch collection by Karen E. Young, who has followed and mapped closely the GCC states’ policy response since 2015. It is an authoritative guide to understanding policy formation, reaction and hydrocarbon reliance in the GCC in the last five years.
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The Cost of Private Education
Education is costly, and in the Gulf, it is becoming a very important component of private sector economic activity.

The Coming Economic Disorder: The Political Perils of Economic Liberalisation in the Gulf
Economic liberalization tends to bring with it social, if not always political, openings. By definition, liberalization challenges existing orders.

As their Economies Contract, Gulf Countries Have Less Need For Migrant Labourers
Migrant labor has been an inherent part of economic development.

How Egypt Wound Up in the Centre of a GCC Dispute on Qatar
Egypt is at the ideological center of the ongoing dispute between Qatar and its fellow Gulf Cooperation Council members Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Self-Imposed Barriers to Economic Integration in the GCC
Qatar has lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization against the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain for blocking its air traffic and increasing the costs of basic food and medicine imports.

Enter Erdogan: Turkey’s Economic Stake in the GCC Dispute
On the heels of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced plans to visit Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

Qatar Crisis Heightens Obstacles to the Economic Reform Agenda
The isolation of Qatar is but one example of how the politics of the Gulf Arab states are getting in the way of economic diversification and transformation.

Isolating Qatar Reveals Economic Vulnerabilities of the GCC
The past week has witnessed an unprecedented escalation of tensions among the Gulf Cooperation Council states, culminating with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain severing ties with Qatar.

After the EU Global Strategy – Building Resilience
The six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Oman – are in a period of profound change, both economic and social.

Limited Benefits to US Infrastructure in Saudi PIF Investment
One of the many deals that emerged from U.S

As Reform Agenda Waffles, Citizens Take Life to the Streets
This post is part of an AGSIW series on Saudi Vision 2030, a sweeping set of programs and reforms adopted by the Saudi government to be implemented by 2030.

The Lure of Technology in the Gulf
Gulf states are turning to technology as a placement for outward investment and as a source of generating jobs and economic growth in domestic markets.