5 Top Points
- Saudi Arabia voiced great concern over the military escalation in Yemen after Israel’s direct airstrike on Hodeidah.
- ISIS claimed responsibility for its first terror attack in Oman.
- The UAE and Mauritius signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
- Archaeologists excavated a Christian site in Bahrain dating back to the 4th century.
- The UAE helped mediate the 6th exchange of captives between Russia and Ukraine, securing the release of 190 people.
‘Round and About the Gulf’
Kingdom of Bahrain
Sunday, 21 July—A team of Bahraini and British archaeologists excavated a Christian site in Samahij in Muharraq that dates back to the 4th century, making it one of the oldest Christian buildings in the Arabian Gulf. It is said to be the first material evidence of the Nestorian Church’s ancient presence in Bahrain. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the building was occupied between the mid-4th and mid-8th centuries and was likely abandoned due to the spread of Islam.
State of Kuwait
Saturday, 20 July—Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior announced the conclusion of a naval exercise between Kuwait, Iraq and the US, which aimed to strengthen military cooperation in the fight against piracy and drug smuggling. It came a few days before an anti-drug trafficking regional conference hosted by Iraq, which has become a major hub for drug trafficking, particularly Captagon from Syria and methamphetamine stimulants from Afghanistan destined for the Gulf and Europe.
Sultanate of Oman
Wednesday, 17 July—The ISIS terror group claimed responsibility for its first attack in Oman, which killed six people people, including a police officer and Pakistani and Indian nationals, at a Shia Muslim mosque in Wadi Kabir in Muscat on 15 July. The three Omani attackers were brothers and were later killed by the security forces.
State of Qatar
Monday, 22 July—Doha hosted the Somali Diaspora Conference titled ‘Harnessing the Power of the Somali Diaspora for a Better and Prosperous Somalia,’ the first one to be held in an Arab country. On the occasion, Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barrethe, met with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties and the latest developments in the Horn of Africa. Qatar reaffirmed its unwavering support for Somalia.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Sunday, 21 July—Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry voiced great concern over the military escalation in Yemen after Israel’s first direct airstrike on Hodeidah port on the Red Sea, stating that it exacerbated tensions in the region and halted the ongoing efforts to end the Gaza war. The Kingdom also stressed that it had no involvement in the airstrike and that it will not allow any entity to violate its airspace. The Israeli airstrike targeted targeted oil storage facilities in the port a day after the Houthis’s drone strike on Tel Aviv.
United Arab Emirates
Wednesday, 17 July—In an opinion piece in Financial Times, UAE’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, outlined the UAE’s post-war vision for Gaza, highlighting that there cannot be a return to the pre-7 October status quo and arguing for a temporary international mission in Gaza. Such mission would have to be formally invited by the Palestinian Authority, led by ‘an empowered, credible and independent new prime minister.’ She stressed the critical role of regional countries and the US in Gaza’s recovery and in efforts to revive the peace process. The key factors for success are, according to the UAE, a reinforced and explicit US commitment to the two-state solution, encouragement of Palestinian reforms, Israeli partnership and support for the international mission.
Wednesday, 17 July—The UAE helped mediate the 6th exchange of war captives between Russia and Ukraine, securing the release of 190 people, bringing the total number of captives exchanged through UAE mediation efforts to 1,558.
Monday, 22 July—The UAE and Mauritius signed a landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the UAE’s first CEPA concluded with an African country.
EU Corner
Thursday, 18 July—Ursula von Der Leyen was re-elected as President of the European Commission and Roberta Metsola as President of the European Parliament for the new mandate.
Friday, 19 July—The European Commission and the Palestinian Authority signed a Letter of Intent which sets out a strategy for addressing the critical budgetary and fiscal situation of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian economy. The EU will provide short-term emergency financial support to the Palestinian Authority worth €400 million in grants and loans to be disbursed in three payments between July and September 2024, among others.
Key Official Visits& Contacts
Wednesday, 17 July—French President, Emmanuel Macron, held separate phone calls with Egypt’s President, Abdel-Fatah Al-Sissi, Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Bahrain’s King, Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud. During the phone call, Macron condemned recent Israeli strikes in Gaza, called on Hamas to release the hostages, stressed the need for a ceasefire and expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in the West Bank. Macron also expressed support for the peace efforts led by the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the US-proposed ceasefire plan and the mediation efforts led by Egypt and Qatar. The leaders also discussed the escalation on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Wednesday, 17 July—The UAE and Belgium held the 2nd round of political consultations, co-chaired by UAE’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, and President of the Board of Directors of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Theodora Gentzis. The talks focused mainly on economic and trade cooperation, regional developments and collaboration in multilateral fora.
Wednesday, 17 July—Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Waleed Elkhereiji, and Deputy Minister for Political Affairs, Saud Al-Sati, separately received the Special Representative of Russia’s Foreign Minister on the Middle East Peace Process, Vladimir Safronkov, in Riyadh.
Friday, 19 July—Bahrain and the US discussed defence and military collaboration during the Bahrain-US Joint Military Committee meeting and meetings of the Defence Working Group of the Comprehensive Security and Prosperity Integration Agreement in Washington, DC. Bahrain’s Minister of Defence, Lieutenant-General Abdulla bin Hassan Al-Noaimi, led the Kingdom’s delegation which included several senior officials. On the occasion, Bahrain’s National Security Advisor and Royal Guard Commander, Lieutenant General Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, also met with Celeste Wallander, the Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs.
Friday, 19 July—Kuwait’s Finance Minister and Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment, Anwar Al-Mudhaf, discussed ways to enhance cooperation in electricity and renewable energy with the Commissioner-General of China’s Representative Office in the Middle East and North Africa.
Thursday, 18 July—The UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić-Radman, discussed the prospects for boosting bilateral relations and cooperation during a phone call.
Thursday, 18 July—The Foreign Ministries of Kuwait and Spain held the 5th round of political consultations, co-chaired by Kuwait’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and Spain’s Minister of State for Foreign and Global Affairs, Diego Martínez Belio. The Spanish official later also met with Kuwait’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defence, Abdullah Mishal Al-Sabah, to discuss bilateral military and defence relations and ways to strengthen cooperation.
Saturday, 20 July—Senior officials from the UAE and Slovenia held the 2nd round of political consultations between their respective Foreign Ministries in Ljubljana. The UAE delegation was led by the Director of European Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdulrahman Ali Al-Neyadi, while the Slovenian side was headed by Political Director at the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Mateja Norčić Štamcar.
Tuesday, 23 July—Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), participated in IOC’s 142nd session in Paris ahead of the launch of the Olympic Summer Games.