The Gulf Cooperation Council at Forty: Risk and Opportunity in a Changing World

The GCC countries are experiencing significant socio-economic transitions due to fluctuating oil prices, demographic pressures, high unemployment rates, and a lack of economic diversification. They are also likely to feel the rising impact of climate change and global policies to deal with it. Additionally, shifts in the long-standing international order, notably the rise of China and uncertainties about U.S. leadership, have potentially serious implications for the Middle East and beyond. This book examines the key trends shaping the GCC, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, economic disruptions, demographics, and other domestic concerns, and shifts in the global order. It addresses questions such as how global megatrends will impact the GCC, how GCC states can adjust and diversify their economies, how they can adjust their labor markets to absorb and support women and youth, and how inter-GCC disagreements will impact the region moving forward. It is of interest to policymakers, academics, and researchers at think tanks and nongovernmental organizations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 310 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are currently experiencing significant socio-economic transitions. These transitions are driven by a combination of factors, including fluctuating oil prices, demographic pressures, high unemployment rates, and a lack of economic diversification. Additionally, the countries are likely to be significantly impacted by climate change and global policies aimed at addressing it. Furthermore, the long-standing international order is undergoing significant shifts, with the rise of China and uncertainties about U.S. leadership having potential implications for the Middle East and beyond. This book examines the key trends shaping the GCC, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, economic disruptions, demographics, and other domestic concerns, as well as shifts in the global order. It addresses questions such as how global megatrends will impact the GCC, how GCC states can adjust and diversify their economies to meet the dual challenges of fluctuating oil prices and climate change, how they can adjust their labor markets to absorb and support women and youth, and how inter-GCC disagreements will impact the region moving forward. The book also explores how GCC relations with international actors will shift in the coming years. With its comprehensive analyses and policy recommendations, this book will be of interest to a wide range of readers interested in the GCC region, including policymakers, academics, and researchers at think tanks and nongovernmental organizations.

Weight: 616g
Dimension: 236 x 160 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780815740056