srmg Think

Providing research & strategic insights on MENA affairs. Informing decisions, shaping perspectives, empowering leaders. Advisory arm of @SRMG_HQ

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

في #اليوم_الوطني_السعودي95 نحتفي بتراثٍ عريق يصنع قوّتنا، وبه نضيء درب الغد. #عزنا_بطبعنا
كل عام والمملكة بخير وازدهار.

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

في #اليوم_الوطني_السعودي95 نحتفي بتراثٍ عريق يصنع قوّتنا، وبه نضيء درب الغد.

كل عام والمملكة بخير وازدهار.

#عزنا_بطبعنا

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

Despite being a major oil producer, Iraq's power grid is plagued by blackouts. Jessica Obeid of SRMG Think, highlights the major gap between available power generation capacity and demand, and that losses in electricity transmission and distribution exceed 50%.

Discover why OPEC's second-largest producer struggles to meet demand amidst extreme heat and significant underinvestment.

Watch the clip here.

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

كيف تنعش الطاقة المتجددة التنمية الريفية العربية؟

"الكهرباء المستدامة للأرياف تتحقق عندما تطوّر الحكومات نماذج مبتكرة من التمويل المختلط بالشراكة مع المجتمعات المحلية، وإعتماد الطاقة المتجددة كعامل محفز للتنمية."

تناقش جيسيكا عبيد التحديات التي تواجه هذا المسار والفرص المتاحة لتحقيقه. كما تسلّط الضوء على دراسات حالة تُظهر كيف يمكن لمشاريع الطاقة الشمسية والرياح أن تُحدث فرقًا ملموسًا في تحسين حياة الريف العربي.

تابع القراءة على موقع @AlMajallaAR

https://t.co/KQz24lJQH0

[Al Majalla @AlMajallaEN]

#Bahrain and the #UK both face security challenges in the #Middle_East and #Europe respectively. Now outside the European Union, #Britain is able to play a leading diplomatic role in the war between #Russia and #Ukraine, while Bahrain is navigating its way through conflicts involving #Israel and #Iran.

Neil Quilliam reports in #AlMajalla 👇

https://t.co/zkzfPA3xpF
@NeilQuilliam1

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

The UAE’s role signals confidence in Syria’s economic renewal and advances a broader agenda of pragmatic cooperation. Motivations are aligned, and the outcome reinforces the region’s turn toward investment-led diplomacy rooted in infrastructure, connectivity, and stability.

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

Syria’s economic reengagement took a significant step forward with an $800M agreement between the Syrian government and Dubai-based DP World to modernise and operate Tartus port. The deal marks a turning point in regional diplomacy, as Gulf states play a growing role in post-conflict reconstruction.

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

Strategically, this exemplifies how Gulf-led development diplomacy has become a central pillar of regional engagement. For Damascus, the deal accelerates reintegration into regional systems. For Dubai, it secures a vital node in regional supply chains.

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

“MENA's role in the global energy transition is evolving. The Gulf is setting the pace on clean energy localisation. Now is the time to build on that momentum.”

From hydrogen hubs to solar manufacturing, regional players are investing not just in renewables, but in reimagining the supply chain.

Jessica Obeid, Head of Energy Transition at SRMG Think, explores how localisation is becoming the next frontier in energy sovereignty.

Read the full piece in @AlMajallaEN

https://t.co/ejO5JhquZV

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

"Saudi Arabia’s refining strategy signals a deliberate shift. By expanding downstream capacity, the Kingdom is reinforcing its energy leadership while anchoring industrial growth and economic resilience."

@NeilQuilliam1, Director of Energy Research at SRMG Think, explores how Riyadh’s refining investments align with long-term strategic priorities.

Read the full piece in @AlMajallaEN

https://t.co/DHRUIvZLcb

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

Next week, the Kingdom welcomes the world’s top players for the 2025 Esports World Cup. The inaugural edition last summer drew thousands to the capital and culminated in a closing ceremony attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, underscoring its national importance.

This year’s event brings together more than 2,000 players and over 200 clubs across 25 games, competing for a record-breaking $70M prize pool. While impressive in scale, its significance goes further.

The Esports World Cup reflects a growing convergence between entertainment, innovation and economic strategy. Gaming has matured into a dynamic industry at the crossroads of media, technology and policy, and Saudi Arabia is positioning itself at the center of that transformation.

Its impact is evident across three dimensions:
-Economy: Driving tourism, retail activity and job creation in emerging sectors.
-Media: Expanding Riyadh’s global content reach and digital influence.
-Technology: Demonstrating national investment in infrastructure and immersive experiences.

More broadly across the MENA region, Saudi Arabia’s momentum aligns with a larger trajectory. Dubai has introduced a ten-year ‘Gaming Visa’ to attract professional gamers, developers and content creators, aiming to generate 30,000 jobs by 2033. Abu Dhabi is progressing with plans to develop the world’s first dedicated ‘Esports Island’; a $280M complex with training centres, tournaments and hospitality offerings. Jordan has hosted regional championships under royal patronage, including a high-level summit in Aqaba in April 2024, attended by HM King Abdullah II. Egypt, too, has seen rising participation in competitive gaming through large-scale festivals and state-backed tournaments.

With one of the world’s youngest populations globally connected, yet locally grounded, and among the highest gamer engagement rates worldwide, Saudi Arabia is not simply hosting the future of esports; it is helping to shape it. What unfolds in Riyadh next week is the continuation of a regional story defined by ambition, innovation and cultural evolution.

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

“Oman’s strategic patience is yielding dividends. By prioritising dialogue and neutrality, Muscat is positioning itself as a vital link between regional actors and global powers.”

@NeilQuilliam1, Director of Energy Research at SRMG Think, examines how Oman is recalibrating its development model to align economic diversification with geopolitical balance.

Read the full piece in @AlMajallaEN

https://t.co/IFcbx51ve4

#GCC #Oman

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

SRMG Think and the @WorldBank recently co-hosted an event marking the launch of the latest Gulf Economic Update Report. The session featured a timely exchange of perspectives, with thoughtful contributions from speakers and participants. We look forward to future high-impact collaborations with the World Bank.

Watch the highlights of the event here, and download the report from this link: https://t.co/D8TtKNDCqQ

#GCC #Economics

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

“Deepening integration and advancing coordination within the GCC would reinforce the bloc’s growing strategic role in global trade and investment.”

Hazar Caracalla, Senior Policy Adviser at SRMG Think, writes on how the Gulf’s economic policy maturity, ample capital and global leadership are reshaping its global standing.

Read the full piece in @arabnews : https://t.co/AqGw4iyWM2

#GCC

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

US Strikes Iranian Nuclear Sites: Economic and Strategic Risks Rise

The US on 22 June conducted airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities (Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan), marking a major escalation and drawing Washington directly into Israel’s conflict with Iran.

President Trump called the operation “very successful” and warned of further attacks if Tehran retaliates. The strikes targeted Iran’s heavily fortified underground infrastructure, using advanced US bunker-busting munitions. While damage to Iran’s nuclear programme is likely, its full extent remains uncertain.

Iran is now expected to respond militarily. A calibrated retaliation is the more probable scenario, designed to avoid a wider war while asserting political strength. However, risks of broader escalation, including potential threats to Gulf energy infrastructure, cannot be ruled out.

Why it matters:

Oil prices have already risen from $70 to $77 per barrel amid heightened geopolitical risk. A more severe escalation could push prices above $130, particularly if the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil supply transits, is disrupted. This would drive up inflation, with Bloomberg Economics estimating US CPI could approach 4% this summer.

The conflict is also an additional challenge for central banks already grappling with persistent price pressures, likely delaying interest rate cuts and heightening the risk of unanchored inflation expectations — where public confidence in stable future inflation weakens, making price increases more self-reinforcing and harder to control.

[srmg Think @srmgthink]

Earlier today, SRMG Think co-hosted an engaging and timely session with the @WorldBankMENA in Riyadh to mark the release of the latest Gulf Economic Update (GEU), titled: Smart Spending, Stronger Outcomes: Fiscal Policy for a Thriving GCC.

The event brought together economists, policymakers, and development experts for an in-depth discussion on the evolving role of fiscal policy in the Gulf region. Moderated by @NedaAlmubarak, Managing Director, SRMG Think, the session featured opening remarks from Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali, Division Director for GCC Countries, World Bank.

Key presentations were delivered by Dr. Muhammad Khudadad Chattha, Senior Economist, World Bank, and Dr. Hoda Youssef, Lead Economist and Program Leader for GCC Countries, World Bank, with insights from Dr. Omar Alenezy, General Manager of Research and Studies – Macro Fiscal Policies Deputyship, Ministry of Finance (KSA), as the session’s discussant.

Against the backdrop of shifting energy markets, rapid technological transformation, and increasing demands for fiscal efficiency, the conversation focused on how smart, data-driven fiscal strategies can drive stronger development outcomes and long-term resilience.

This edition of the GEU places a special focus on the effectiveness of fiscal policy across GCC countries, an area of growing importance as governments balance economic diversification goals with the need for sustainable public spending.