Send Print Share

The new Middle East / Working Paper

The Gulf takes charge in the MENA region

20/04/2010 By Sara Bazoobandi , Edward Burke

The Gulf has emerged as the new leading player in the Arab world in the 21st century. However, the crisis has dealt a serious blow to the region’s economy and the prospects of integration. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) complained of not being consulted by the EU over the Union of the Mediterranean, but has failed to offer MENA countries an equivalent alternative.

The GCC is undoubtedly the only part of the Middle East with the resources to mitigate rising political and economic pressures that afflict the region through increased and more efficient allocation of development funds and investments to foster job creation. To succeed, Gulf donors need completely to rethink their engagement in the region, moving away from merely facilitating loans and grants towards in-country development assistance programmes.

 

 

 

Download the full version of this publication, available in English (711 kB)

To read or listen to the comments of our experts in the media about this and other topics, please visit our Press section.

Keywords

Algeria Bahrain Democratisation Development cooperation Egypt Gaza Strip and West Bank Iran Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Malta Middle East and North Africa Morocco Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Syria Tunisia United Arab Emirates Yemen

Bio author: Sara Bazoobandi

Sara Bazoobandi is a PhD candidate at Exeter University. In 2009 Sara completed a research fellowship at FRIDE.

Bio author: Edward Burke

Political trends in the Persian Gulf region. Iraq. Yemen. Afghanistan. Saudi Arabia. Politics of energy in the Middle East.