It was a cold January day in London in 1968 when the British prime minister, Harold Wilson, announced that his Labour government would end what he saw as his country’s security responsibilities east of the Suez canal, including the Arab Gulf states. The reaction of one Arab leader in particular to this remarkable news is instructive. Read more »
GCC
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
Sultan on why the younger generations of family businesses should stick to the tried and tested strategies of their elders. Read more »
Dear Iran: Our Islands for a Gulf that carries your name
As tensions continue to rise in the Gulf because of religious, foreign and nationalistic forces, a breakthrough in the north-south divide would be a giant step forward. So I propose a solution: the Arab Gulf States recognise once and for all the name “Persian Gulf” for the 7,000-year-old, 600-mile body of water that separates us from our Iranian neighbour; and in return, Iran ends its occupation of the Arab islands and returns their sovereignty to the United Arab Emirates. Read more »
Charity, the best Gulf lobby of them all
Today, Gulf states and nationals are starting to understand the importance of non-anonymous charity in combating xenophobic sentiments towards Arabs and Muslims as a result of the actions of some misguided terrorists. For the Gulf States, charity is the best form of lobbying. Read more »
Finding Value Stocks in the GCC
In this piece, Sultan argues in favor of a list of GCC stocks he prefers more than others. Read more »
The Return of the Nanny State
It was the stuff that dreams, or nightmares, are made of, depending which side of the fence you sit on. Kuwait finally caved in to the demands of hundreds of citizens to write off hundreds of millions of dollars worth of loans that they have accumulated in mortgages, personal loans and car loans. To any GCC pundit, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Here’s why, Sultan explains in this article. Read more »