5 Top Points
- Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE attended the G20 Summit.
- The UAE announced the launch of the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance at COP29.
- France’s President plans to visit Saudi Arabia in early December.
- Qatar and Türkiye signed agreements on trade, investment, and military cooperation.
- Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister held a phone call with Russia’s President.
‘Round and About the Gulf
Kingdom of Bahrain
Thursday, 14 November—Bahrain’s new Minister of Transportation and Telecommunication, Abdullah bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, signed several cooperation agreements with international companies on the sidelines of the 7th Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) 2024, notably with France’s Thales, Italy’s Leonardo, Germany’s DFS Aviation Services and UK’s Fanrborough International.
Sunday, 17 November—The Government Agency and Labour Fund, Tamkeen, launched the 2024 edition of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in partnership with local entities that aimed to discuss the most recent developments in Bahraini manufacturing and creative industries in targeting regional markets with an emphasis on Saudi Arabia.
State of Kuwait
Thursday, 14 November—Saoud Salem Al-Sabah will become the new Managing Director of the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, replacing Ghanem Al-Ghenaiman.
Sultanate of Oman
Monday, 17 November—Oman’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion launched a local content plan called ‘Tasnee’ aimed at strengthening the reliance on local products, increasing the percentage of local components in national industries, and promoting small and medium Omani businesses. The Ministry also launched ‘Made in Oman’, a campaign to promote Omani products, ‘Taamir’, a real estate development plan, and ‘Itqan’, a training plan to promote the skills of Omani youth. This is in alignment with the economic diversification goals set out in the Oman Vision 2040.
State of Qatar
Wednesday, 13 November—Qatar’s Emir appointed Mohammed Al-Sowaidi as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the country’s sovereign wealth fund.
Monday, 18 November—The Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB) announced a new green car financing product, offering benefits for customers looking to invest in eco-friendly vehicles of any brand. With an annual percentage rate of 3.7%, the product has QIIB’s lowest financing rate and a grace period of up to 12 months. The decision to make electronic and hybrid vehicles more affordable aligns with the sustainable development goals set out in Qatar’s National Vision 2030.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Monday, 18 November—The Digital Government Authority launched a national framework for designing and developing government platform interfaces. The so-called Platform Code promotes unified platform designs across private and public services. This step towards comprehensive and streamlined digitalisation aligns with the Kingdom’s strategic digital goals.
United Arab Emirates
Friday, 15 November—The UAE announced the launch of the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The initiative aims to double annual global energy efficiency rates by 2030 and reduce emissions, by providing best practices in the fields of energy efficiency, knowledge transfer, and partnership models with the private sector.
Monday, 18 November—A new report from the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) revealed that the UAE overtook the United Kingdom to become the world’s second largest gold trade hub in 2023. Its total trade reached $129 billion (€122 billion), marking an increase of 36% compared to 2022.
EU Corner
Wednesday, 13 November—The EU and the UAE held the seventh round of the Structural Dialogue on anti-money laundering and counter terrorism-financing (AML/CFT) in Abu Dhabi. The two parties discussed trends and challenges in combating money laundering and terrorism financing with the EU emphasising the role of law enforcement and judicial cooperation. The next round of Structural Dialogue on AML/CFT will be held in Brussels in the beginning of 2025.
Friday 15, November—The Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of Mission to the EU Commission and NATO, Nawaf Nafeea Al-Enezi, hosted the Vice President of the European Commission and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and other GCC Ambassadors to commend Borrell for his role in developing and strengthening Kuwait-EU relations and Gulf-EU relations culminating into the first GCC-EU Summit.
Friday 15, November—The UAE Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the EU, Mohammed Al-Sahlawi, met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of the Kingdom of Belgium, Paul Van Tigchelt, to discuss their countries’ commitments in combating organised crime, money laundering, terrorism financing, and drug trafficking. This comes as the UAE prepares to extradite a fifth criminal to Belgium before the end of the year. The Head of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Ann Fransen, and Judicial Attaché to the UAE, Jacqueline De Moo, also attended the meeting.
Friday 15, November—The EU Delegation to the UAE celebrated the 10th anniversary of the opening of its diplomatic mission in an event hosted by the EU Ambassador to the UAE, Lucie Berger, in Abu Dhabi. The event was attended by the UAE’s Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lana Nusseibeh, the Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, the EU Special Representative for the Gulf, Luigi Di Maio, and other UAE officials and Ambassadors of the EU Member States to the UAE.
Monday, 18 November—The European Council widened the scope of sanctions against Iran for its military support to Russia and armed groups in the Middle East and the Red Sea region. The new restrictions include the prohibition on the export, transfer, supply, or sale from the EU to Iran of parts used in the development of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a transaction ban on ports and locks used for the transfer of Iranian UAVs or missiles and technology and components to Russia, and targeted Russian and Iranian shipping companies.
Key Official Visits & Contacts
Wednesday, 13 November—Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud, held a phone call with Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations in various sectors, as well as the recent developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Thursday, 14 November—Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, met with Türkiye’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in Ankara. They reaffirmed their support for stabilisation efforts in Afghanistan and signed agreements in the trade, investment, and military sectors.
Thursday, 14 November—Qatar’s Ambassador to Iran, Saad Abdullah Saad Al-Mahmoud Al-Sharif, met with Iran’s Energy Minister, Abbas Aliabadi, to strengthen economic and business cooperation. They discussed connecting the two countries’ electricity grids, an underwater sea tunnel project between Iran’s southern coast and Qatar and plans to organise a conference in December.
Thursday, 14 November—Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud, held a phone call with France’s President, Emmanuel Macron, to enhance cooperation across various sectors and discuss security and stability in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. It was later announced that the French President will visit Saudi Arabia on 2-4 December.
Friday, 15 November—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defence, Khalid bin Salman Al-Saud, received his British counterpart, John Healey, in Riyadh to discuss the Saudi-UK strategic partnership and ways to enhance defence cooperation. They also discussed efforts to address regional and global security and stability.
Friday, 15 November—Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, met with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, in Paris to discuss efforts to strengthen defence cooperation and promote peace in the Middle East.
Sunday, 17 November—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defence, Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, met with his French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu, in Riyadh to discuss regional developments, defence cooperation, and other issues of mutual interest.
Sunday, 17 November—Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, met with the Minister of the French Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, in Doha to discuss bilateral relations and defence cooperation.
Sunday, 17 November—Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, met with Jordan’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Al-Safadi, to enhance bilateral relations and discuss the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon in delivering humanitarian and relief aid.
Monday, 18 November—Leaders from 19 countries, the EU, and the African Union gathered at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, held under the theme “Building a Just World and Sustainable Planet”. The Summit was attended by Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, and UAE officials, including Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, Khaled bin Mohammed Al-Nahyan, and the Minister of State and the UAE Sherpa to the G20, Ahmed bin Ali Al-Sayegh. On the sidenlines, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince held talks with France’s President, Emmanuel Macron.