Saudi Arabia, unfairly or not, long has been considered by many in the investment community as an unattractive destination for their funds and by expatriates as a difficult place to live. In this article, Sultan discusses how perceptions of Saudi will change as the Kingdom goes through a series of reforms. Read more »
Reform
Manal Al Dowayan: Suspended Together
In this AJ+ Arabic story, Sultan discusses Manal Al Dowayan’s art installation “Suspended Together,” which discusses the plight of women in Saudi Arabia. Read more »
Poor Telecom Services hold back UAE Vision 2021
Welcome to the United Arab Emirates. A country that excels in almost every possible field be it sports, logistics, transport, finance, tourism, culture, art and education. In almost every field that is, except telecommunications. When it comes to ICT and telecom services this great country is being shortchanged. Read more »
Give expats an opportunity to earn UAE citizenship
Some Emiratis are apprehensive about it, and some residents aspire for it. The possibility of naturalising certain long-term UAE residents is not without its sceptics and advocates. Part of the fear of naturalisation is that Emiratis would lose their national identity; we are after all a shrinking minority in our own country. However, UAE national identity has proven to be more resilient and adaptive to the changing environment and times than some may believe. Read more »
A Moroccan political template for the Arab Gulf states?
It is unfathomable to continue governing the Gulf states without some form of citizen participation in the legislature. Also, there is mounting international criticism of these Gulf states, who value their reputations greatly. It’s a question I have returned to over and over again: Why are the Arab Gulf states so averse to actual political reform? Read more »
The new generation and the future of the broader Middle East
In the wake of the Arab uprisings some governments may have changed but the challenges remain the same. The recent rise to power of untested Islamist political parties means that they will have to tackle issues for which previous governments have failed to find solutions. Read more »