Assessments

Chile

United States

Saudi Arabia

Japan

South Korea

Russia

Russian soldiers march in Moscow on May 4, 2023, during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade on May 9.

Military & Security

Politics

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Russia Marks Victory Day, Japan's Leader Visits South Korea

Media

Iran

Israel

Podcasts

An update on current developments in The Middle East

RANE Insights: An In-Depth Overview of Middle Eastern Relations

Women mechanics pose for a photo at a car repair and service shop in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Dec. 27, 2021.

Economics

Social Issues

The repressive political environment created by the monarchy’s iron-fisted rule will ultimately limit the impact of its ambitious Vision 2030 reforms by deterring foreign business and investment.

In Boosting Saudi Arabia’s Business Appeal, Social Reforms Can Only Do So Much

What's happening between Iran and Saudi Arabia and what role does China play in the agreement?

Essential Geopolitics: The Future of Iran and Saudi Arabia's Relationship

China

The end of their seven-year rift will ease the risk of direct conflict between the Persian Gulf neighbors, while Beijing's involvement reflects its growing influence in the region.

Iran and Saudi Arabia Ink a China-Brokered Deal to Restore Diplomatic Ties

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Columns

On Geopolitics

Turkey

(From left) Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, then-Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pose for a photo during the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019. 

With the end of the U.S.-led unipolar world, nationalist ideologies have the freedom to evolve into more complex belief systems, presenting new challenges and opportunities for geopolitical forecasters.

The Effects of Modern Ideology on Forecasting and Analysis

Qatar

United Arab Emirates

Europe

Journalists surround one of the lawyers (front) representing former European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili, who has been charged in a corruption investigation involving Qatar, at a courthouse in Brussels, Belgium on Dec. 22, 2022.

The recent ''Qatargate'' scandal involving EU lawmakers reflects a pattern of statecraft that increasingly risks backfiring on Arab Gulf states, as their strategic value to the U.S. and Europe wanes.

Understanding Arab Gulf States' Influence Campaigns in the West

The Chinese and Saudi flags wave on a street in Riyadh on Dec. 7, 2022, ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-day visit to the Saudi capital. 

Energy

Deeper ties could grant Saudi Arabia and China greater freedom in foreign policy as both countries each look for ways to withstand U.S. pressure.

The Significance of Xi's Visit to Saudi Arabia

A photo illustration shows a car being filled up at a Chevron gas station in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 5, 2022. 

The cap will cement the growing divide between the West and many of the world’s largest oil producers, which will ultimately weaken the effectiveness of such U.S.- and EU-led measures.

The Russian Oil Price Cap's Likely Modest Impact Belies the Bigger Market Shifts It Reflects

(From left to right) U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meet on the sidelines of the COP27 climate summit in Egypt on Nov. 7, 2022. 

Environment, Science & Technology

While they established a fund for poor countries hit hard by climate change, negotiators at this year’s U.N. summit failed to advance efforts to actually curb global warming.

COP27 Yields Deal to Compensate for Climate Damages, But No Progress on Phasing Down Fossil Fuels

A construction site of a stadium being built for the 2022 World Cup is seen on March 30, 2019, in Doha, Qatar. 

The high sunk cost of this year's games in Doha is fueling questions about the long-term economic sustainability of such massive infrastructure projects in the Arab Gulf.

Will the World Cup Be the Grand Finale of Qatar's Megaprojects Era?

Saudi and U.S. flags line the King Abdulaziz Road in the Saudi Red Sea port city of Jeddah on July 14, 2022. 

U.S.-Saudi relations will continue to deteriorate as the world grows increasingly multipolar.

A Multipolar World Makes More Room for a U.S.-Saudi Split

Canada

The Saudi and Canadian foreign ministers announced on May 24 that they would restore their pre-2018 diplomatic relations, appointing mutual ambassadors and ending any lingering trade or business freezes, CNBC reported the next day.

Saudi Arabia, Canada: Countries to Resume Pre-2018 Diplomatic Relations

Syria

Syrian President Bashar al Assad arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for his first Arab League summit since Syria's civil war began in 2011, the Financial Times reported on May 19.

Syria: Al Assad Attends Arab League Summit Riyadh

Yemen

Cyber

OilAlpha -- a hacking group that supports Yemen's rebel Houthi movement -- sent political representatives, media personalities and journalists malicious Android files via WhatsApp by mimicking international nongovernmental organizations and Saudi entities in a campaign between April and May 2022, Recorded Future's Insikt Group said in a May 16 report.

Yemen: Pro-Houthi Hackers Spoof Saudi, International NGOs in Cyberespionage Campaign

Saudi Arabia's Tourism Authority updated a FAQ (frequently asked question) on its website asking whether LGBTQ+ visitors are welcome to visit the country by replying, "Everyone is welcome to visit our country," Al-Monitor reported on May 1.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Tourism to 'Welcome' LGBTQ+ Tourists 

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is negotiating the purchase of a stake in the country's low-cost Flynas airline, Bloomberg reported on April 27.

Saudi Arabia: Government Looks to Boost Tourism by Purchasing Flynas Stake

South Africa

Brazil

India

South Africa’s ambassador to BRICS (the informal bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) said 19 countries had expressed an interest in joining the bloc, which will meet in Cape Town on June 2-3 to discuss enlargement, Bloomberg reported on April 24.

Global: 19 Countries Express Interest in Joining BRICS Ahead of Enlargement Discussions

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud met with Syrian President Bashar al Assad in Damascus, Syria, Al Jazeera reported on April 18.

Syria, Saudi Arabia: Countries Continue to Normalize Ahead of Arab League Summit

Palestinian Territories

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Saudi Arabia to see Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while a delegation from Gaza-based militant group Hamas, led by politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh, was also reportedly in the kingdom, The Times of Israel reported on April 18.

Saudi Arabia, Palestinian Territories: Visits Dim Prospects of Saudi-Israeli Normalization

Afghanistan

Algeria

Antigua and Barbuda

Luxembourg

South Sudan

A view of the Register in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Angola

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Bahrain

Lithuania

Covering an area that spans the entire width of the continent beginning at the Sahara Desert and ending at the southernmost tip of South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa is home to countless cultures, languages, religions, plants, animals and natural resources.

Barbados

Benin

Egypt

Maldives

Malta

Ukraine

Belize

Botswana

Brunei Darussalam

North Macedonia

Tajikistan

Bhutan

Bolivia

Burkina Faso

Cambodia

Germany

Iraq

The President palace in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The administrative center of the Gakh region of Azerbaijan, located at the foot of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, on the river Kurhumchai.

Burundi

Finland

Nepal

Cameroon

Georgia

Jordan

Pakistan

Mir Castle in the Minsk region of Belarus.

Cabo Verde

Federated States of Micronesia

Kuwait

Liechtenstein

Sri Lanka

Central African Republic

Colombia

Fiji

Latvia

Lebanon

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Chad

Costa Rica

Indonesia

Libya

Comoros

Cuba

Czech Republic

A horse grazes in front of Kara-Kul lake in the Chon-Ak-Suu valley, 300 kilometers southeast of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Morocco

Cote d'Ivoire

Denmark

Dominica

Kiribati

Moldova

Oman

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Dominican Republic

Laos

Djibouti

Ecuador

Holy See (Vatican City)

Malaysia

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Greece

Marshall Islands

Eritrea

France

Grenada

Mongolia

Comprising a majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is surrounded by Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen.  The kingdom's main geographic challenges are controlling its sparsely populated territory and maintaining shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz.    Surrounded by vast deserts, the central Najd plateau is the core of Saudi Arabia and is home to the country's capital, Riyadh. Mecca and Medina, Islam's two holiest cities, are protected by mountains in the west and flanked by the Red Sea. The security of these cities is a key to the monarchy's legitimacy.    The collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I set the stage for the House of Saud to unify the territory that became Saudi Arabia in 1932. Oil and natural gas have been the country's main exports and source of wealth since their discovery in 1938.     A restive Eastern Province holds a majority of the kingdom's reserves and makes the country vulnerable to invasion from the north or the Persian Gulf. Cross border tribal ties also expose the kingdom to unrest in the south on the border with Yemen.    A scarcity of fresh water and a small population density limit Saudi Arabia's defensive capabilities. Since the vast majority of Saudi oil exports pass via the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint, the kingdom has historically relied on a foreign power to balance regional rival, Iran and keep the Strait open.    As global oil consumption continues to rise, Saudi Arabia will continue to play a dominant role in the Middle East despite its geographic challenges.

SITUATION REPORTS

Saudi Arabia, Canada: Countries to Resume Pre-2018 Diplomatic Relations

Syria: Al Assad Attends Arab League Summit Riyadh

Yemen: Pro-Houthi Hackers Spoof Saudi, International NGOs in Cyberespionage Campaign

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Tourism to 'Welcome' LGBTQ+ Tourists

Saudi Arabia: Government Looks to Boost Tourism by Purchasing Flynas Stake

Global: 19 Countries Express Interest in Joining BRICS Ahead of Enlargement Discussions

Syria, Saudi Arabia: Countries Continue to Normalize Ahead of Arab League Summit

Saudi Arabia, Palestinian Territories: Visits Dim Prospects of Saudi-Israeli Normalization

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