5 Top Points
- Qatar’s Emir embarked on a tour of Sweden, Norway and Finland in a bid to enhance ties.
- European Council President met with leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
- Bahrain is planning to introduce a 15% tax on large multinational firms from January 2025.
- Kuwait and the UAE signed eight agreements to strengthen relations and cooperation.
- Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police and the Mayor of Utrecht inaugurated the first Smart Police Station in the Netherlands.
‘Round and About the Gulf’
Kingdom of Bahrain
Sunday, 1 September—Bahrain will introduce a 15% tax on large multinational firms for the first time starting from January 2025, in line with the global minimum tax rate. It will concern revenues over €750 million ($830 million) generated in the country.
State of Kuwait
Monday, 2 September—The UAE and Kuwait signed eight Memoranda of Understanding and Executive Programmes during the 5th UAE-Kuwait Joint Higher Committee meeting in Abu Dhabi, which was co-chaired by UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Yahya. The eight agreements covered bilateral cooperation in cybersecurity, defence procurement and industries, infrastructure, standardisation, telecommunications and information technology, sports, education, and culture.
Sultanate of Oman
Sunday, 1 September—Oman’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion expanded the number of activities prohibited for foreign investors and restricted to Omani investors by 28, bringing the total to 123 activities. It includes production of handicrafts by distilling flowers and herbs, production of frankincense water and oil, leather handicrafts, palm leaf handicrafts, wood handicrafts, traditional handmade cosmetics and perfumes, pottery and ceramics, stone and gypsum handicrafts, silver handicrafts, copper and metal handicrafts, aluminium handicrafts, traditional fishing tools, bone-derived handicrafts, and production and preparation of incense.
State of Qatar
Sunday, 1 September—QatarEnergy will build a new solar power mega project that will double Qatar’s solar energy production capacity to about 4,000 megawatts by 2030.
Tuesday, 3 September—Qatar’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education launched its 2024-2030 strategy to transform Qatar’s education system, which is titled ‘Igniting the Spark of Learning.’ It is structured around five core pillars focusing on pre-primary education, primary and secondary school education, post-secondary education, lifelong learning and professional development, and efficiency of the education system. The Ministry also launched the ‘Study in Qatar’ initiative, aiming to attract international higher education students.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Monday, 2 September—Saudi Arabia’s King, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, issued two royal decrees outlining the members and leadership of the Kingdom’s Council of Senior Religious Scholars and the Shura Council for the next term. He reappointed Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, to lead the Council of Senior Scholars and Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Sheikh to head the Shura Council.
Tuesday, 3 September—Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 1,047 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week, including four anti-personnel mines and 54 anti-tank mines. Since 2018, the initiative helped remove 457,711 mines to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
United Arab Emirates
Monday, 2 September—During a Cabinet meeting, the UAE’s Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, outlined three key priorities for the UAE government for 2025 — strengthening the family unit, promoting Emirati identity and driving advances in Artificial Intelligence. The Cabinet also adopted the National Strategy for Combating Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing and Arms Proliferation.
EU Corner
Friday, 30 August—After meeting with Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in Doha, the European Council President, Charles Michel, travelled to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi for talks with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Al-Budaiwi, and the UAE’s President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to discuss the preparations for the first EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit to be held in Brussels on 16 October 2024 and the situation in the Middle East.
Friday, 30 August—During their informal meeting in Brussels, the European Union’s Defence Ministers discussed, among others, also the situation in the Middle East, notably the ongoing ceasefire negotiations for Gaza and the Houthis’ attacks in the Red Sea, which require increasing the capacity of the EU’s naval mission Aspides.
Tuesday, 3 September—Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary signed an agreement to establish a joint venture, the Green Energy Corridor energy company, to supply green energy to Europe, which could later include also Bulgaria. It comes ahead of Baku’s hosting of COP29.
Key Official Visits& Contacts
Thursday, 29 August—Bahrain’s Minister of Youth Affairs, Rawan bint Najeeb Tawfiqi, led Bahrain’s delegation to the High-Level International Forum on Youth, Peace, and Security and the launch of the Arab Youth, Peace, and Security Strategy 2023-2028 hosted by Jordan.
Thursday, 29 August—Lieutenant General Abdulla Khalifa Al-Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, and Sharon Dijksma, the Mayor of Utrecht, inaugurated the first Smart Police Station in the Netherlands, ‘SPS Utrecht’ at the Utrecht Central Station. It comes as part of efforts to enhance cooperation and exchange knowledge, experience and expertise between the Dutch and Dubai Police. It was the second Smart Police Station opened globally within two years, after Serbia. The ceremony was also attended by Chief of Investigations and Special Operations of the Dutch National Police, Rob van Bree, and the Dutch Police’s Deputy Lead for Service Provision, Jolanda Aalbers.
Thursday, 29 August—Qatar’s Minister of Transport, Jassim bin Saif Al-Sulaiti, met with Portugal’s Minister of Economy, Pedro Reis, in Doha. During the meeting, they discussed strengthening of bilateral ties and cooperation, notably in transportation and communications, modern and smart technology related to the services and activities of the transportation, railway, civil aviation and ports sectors.
Friday, 30 August—Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, spoke over phone about bilateral relations and Qatar’s help regarding the negotiations between Germany and the Taliban that led to the deportation of 28 Afghan nationals charged with criminal acts from Germany to Afghanistan. It was the first deportation since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul.
Saturday, 31 August—An Omani delegation, led by Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment Promotion, Qais bin Mohammed Al-Yousef, visited India to work on the preparations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). They also held talks with India’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Beyush Goyal, among other officials.
Saturday, 31 August—UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, held a phone call with Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, which focused on ways to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation, including in trade and economic field, as well as developments in the Middle East.
Sunday, 1 September—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, and Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, co-chaired the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council in Riyadh.
Sunday, 1 September—Kuwait’s Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Economic and Investment Affairs, Nora Al-Fassam, and Minister of Public Works, Noura Al-Mashaan, separately received a Chinese government delegation to discuss the completion of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project on Boubyan Island, which is part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Sunday 1 September—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, led a delegation to China and Singapore (1-8 September) aiming to enhance bilateral relations, attract investments to Saudi Arabia, and explore joint-venture opportunities in the industrial sector.
Monday, 2 September—Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, embarked on a tour of Sweden, Norway and Finland to discuss ways to open new avenues of cooperation and enhance bilateral ties, notably in energy, technology, artificial intelligence, and tourism, as well as coordination on resolving various international issues and crises. He was accompanied by the Chief of the Amiri Diwan, Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani; Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi; Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Thani; and Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lolwah bint Rashid Al-Khater.
Monday, 2 September—UAE’s President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, received a phone call from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, during which they reiterated their commitment to deepening the UK-UAE ties and agreed to find a time to meet in person at the earliest opportunity.
Monday, 2 September—Qatar’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, attended the GLOBSEC Forum in Prague, Czech Republic, where he met with the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Lipavsky, to discuss the situation in the Middle East and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Monday, 2 September—Qatar’s Minister of Interior and Commander of Lekhwiya Forces, Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani, met with the Chief of the German Federal Police Force, Dieter Romann, in Doha.
Tuesday, 3 September—UAE’s Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, received Chen Miner, Member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party and Communist Party Secretary of Tianjin, to discuss ways to strengthen UAE-China strategic partnership, notably regarding investments, industry, technology and clean energy, and explore opportunities stemming from the Belt and Road Initiative.
Tuesday, 3 September—Oman’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Hamad Al-Busaidi, held a phone call with his Bulgarian counterpart, Ivan Kondov, to discuss advancing cooperation, notably in diplomatic, economic, cultural, energy, and transport fields.