5 Top Points
- Saudi Arabia hosted the third round of negotiations between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.
- The UAE successfully mediated the 13th prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine.
- EU High Representative met in Cairo with the Arab-Islamic Summit Ministerial Committee on Gaza.
- Oman and Eritrea discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations.
- Qatar’s Emir hosted a trilateral meeting in Doha with leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
‘Round and About the Gulf
Kingdom of Bahrain
Wednesday, 19 March—King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa issued a decree creating the Bahrain Space Agency, replacing the National Space Science Agency. The new entity will fall under the Supreme Defence Council.
State of Kuwait
Wednesday, 19 March—Justice Minister, Nasser Al-Sumait, announced the repeal of Article 153 of Kuwait’s 1960 Penal Code, which had allowed reduced sentences for so-called ‘honour killings’. He stated the law had no basis in Islamic principles and violated human rights. These crimes will now be treated as premeditated murder. The government also amended Article 26 of the Family Law, setting the minimum marriage age at 18 for both men and women.
Sultanate of Oman
Wednesday, 19 March—Oman plans to create 45,000 job opportunities in 2025. These include 11,000 training positions, 10,000 government jobs, and 24,000 private sector roles, according to Labour Minister, Mahad bin Said Baowain. The strategy focuses on leadership localisation, work-based training, and wage subsidies for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
State of Qatar
Wednesday, 19 March—Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, hosted a trilateral meeting in Doha with President of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi Tshilombo, and Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame, to address tensions in eastern DRC. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to an immediate ceasefire and expressed support for ongoing peace efforts under the Luanda/Nairobi process, agreeing to maintain dialogue towards lasting regional stability.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Monday, 24 March—Saudi Arabia hosted the third round of negotiations between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine in Riyadh. The talks focused on a partial ceasefire, protection of vital energy and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, and the potential revival of the 2022 Black Sea agreement. Discussions also reportedly addressed territorial boundaries and possible US ownership of a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.
United Arab Emirates
Wednesday, 19 March—The UAE and Tunisia launched negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
Wednesday, 19 March—The UAE successfully mediated the 13th prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, leading to the release of 350 prisoners of war. This brings the overall number of individuals exchanged through UAE mediation to 3,233.
EU Corner
Sunday, 23 March—EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, met in Cairo with the Arab-Islamic Summit Ministerial Committee on Gaza to address the situation in Gaza, focusing on the collapse of the ceasefire and worsening humanitarian conditions. They also discussed the Arab reconstruction plan and an upcoming international conference in Cairo. Attendees included Foreign Ministers from Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Qatar, Palestine, Türkiye, Indonesia, Nigeria, and officials from the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. A joint statement condemned the renewed violence, called for a return to the 19 January ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and Israeli withdrawal. Kallas also met with Egypt’s Foreign Minister to discuss EU-Egypt ties, before travelling to Israel to meet Israel’s Foreign Minister.
Key Official Visits & Contacts
Wednesday, 19 March—French President, Emmanuel Macron, held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud, to discuss bilateral ties and key international issues. Macron welcomed Saudi Arabia’s “Jeddah initiative” for contributing to the start of peace talks in Ukraine. He condemned the renewed Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and called for a ceasefire to enable the release of hostages and protect civilians. Both leaders reaffirmed support for Syrian and Lebanese sovereignty, and discussed plans for a France-Saudi co-chaired conference on the two-state solution.
Monday, 24 March—UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, held a phone call with Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, to discuss enhancing bilateral ties in various fields, reflecting their strategic partnership.
Monday, 24 March—Oman’s Foreign Minister, Badr Albusaidi, met with his Eritrean counterpart, Osman Saleh, in Asmara. They explored ways to boost cooperation in various areas, including food security, marine resources, logistics, and exchanged views on regional and international developments. Albusaidi also delivered a message from Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to President Isaias Afwerki reaffirming Oman-Eritrea ties.
Monday, 24 March—Chairman of the Defence, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee in the UAE Federal National Council, Ali Rashid Al-Nuaimi, met with a visiting delegation from the French Senate to discuss strengthening parliamentary cooperation. The meeting underscored the importance of enhancing legislative collaboration and exchanging expertise. Both sides praised a new UAE-France cooperation framework on Artificial Intelligence and discussed joint initiatives in clean energy, education, and economic development.
Monday 24 March—Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, Tahnoon bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, concluded an official visit to Washington, DC, where he met with US President Donald Trump and senior officials to advance the US-UAE strategic partnership, with a focus on investment in AI, technology, infrastructure, energy, and healthcare. Notable agreements included Nvidia and xAI joining the AI Infrastructure Partnership; a US$25 billion energy joint venture between ADQ and Energy Capital Partners; and a sovereign cloud agreement between the Abu Dhabi Government, Microsoft, and Core42.