Democratic Republic of the Congo

United States

United Arab Emirates

Economics

Military & Security

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's General Inspectorate of Mines announced plans to create a paramilitary "mining guard" to protect mining sites and mineral shipments across the country with funding from the United States and the United Arab Emirates, Bloomberg reported on April 27.

Congo: Authorities To Establish Paramilitary Unit To Protect Mining Sites With U.S., UAE Funding

Bahrain

Iran

Iraq

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Tasnim News Agency, an Iranian news outlet linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, published a report April 22 suggesting that Gulf states are vulnerable to sustaining damage to their undersea cables in the Strait of Hormuz.

Middle East: Iranian Outlet Highlights Sabotage Threat to Persian Gulf Undersea Cables

Politics

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued an edict on April 19 to begin reviewing the citizenship of those who might have links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the first step in what might be a wider purge of the citizenship rolls.

Bahrain, UAE: Bahrain Reviews Citizenship Rolls, UAE Requests U.S. Currency Swap

Pakistan

Saudi Arabia will extend an additional $3 billion in support to Pakistan to assist with its upcoming debt repayment to the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reported on April 14.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia To Extend $3B in Financial Support to Pakistan

Israel

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Iran-linked hacking group Handala Hack claimed on April 12 to have destroyed 6 petabytes of data and stolen 149 terabytes of sensitive information in a cyberattack against three Dubai government organizations, SecurityWeek reported on April 13.

Iran, UAE: Handala Hack Claims Theft and Destruction of Data in Dubai Cyberattack

Ukraine

Russia

Energy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was discussing security cooperation with Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, Reuters reported on April 10.

Ukraine, MENA: Kyiv in Talks for More Security Cooperation With Gulf Countries

U.S.-Iran Relations

Iran struck targets in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was announced on April 7, Reuters reported on April 8.

MENA: Iran Strikes GCC Targets, Despite Ceasefire Announcement 

Somalia

Yemen

Satellite imagery shows that major construction work has been underway at Somaliland's Berbera airport since October 2025, including the digging of underground hangars for ammunition and fuel storage, Le Monde reported on April 6.

Somaliland: UAE Reportedly Leading Military Upgrade of Berbera Airport 

Snapshots

The skyline of Dubai is seen on March 11, 2026.

The UAE's exit will enable it to boost production more quickly once shipping through the Strait of Hormuz normalizes, while hindering OPEC's ability to manage the subsequent price drops.

The UAE's Exit From OPEC Further Diminishes the Oil Cartel's Relevance

Assessments

The city skyline in Dubai is seen at sunset.

Although Gulf capitals are increasingly investing in mid-tier autonomy and offensive capabilities, achieving total strategic independence remains constrained by their enduring need for high-end American systems.

The Future of GCC Defense and Security Strategies in a Changing Middle East

Social Issues

The Geopolitics of Demographics

Flatlining population growth will leave the Gulf Arab states reliant on specialized, high-tech militaries that are supplanted by foreign forces, exposing them to various long-term security vulnerabilities.

The Demographic Drag on Gulf States' Military Strength

Media

Cuba

Mexico

Venezuela

China

Taiwan

Forecast Webcast

Join our analysts for this webcast recording exploring key topics identified in RANE's 2026 Second-Quarter Geopolitical Forecast.

2026 Second-Quarter Forecast Webcast

The Burj Khalifa skyscraper (L) and the Burj al-Arab hotel (R) on March 11 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With further Iranian provocation, several Gulf Cooperation Council states would be willing to join the war against Iran, but doing so would likely deepen Iran's targeting of their critical infrastructure, exacerbate the globally disruptive impacts of the war and potentially pull the GCC into a permanently hostile relationship with Iran.

Joining in could deepen Iran's targeting of GCC critical infrastructure, exacerbate the globally disruptive impacts of the war and pull the bloc into a permanently hostile relationship with Iran.

Will the Gulf States Join the Iran War, and What Would Happen if They Did?

Europe

India

A medicine distributor stores Mounjaro (tirzepatide) self-injecting GLP-1 prefilled pens and vials in a fridge at his office in Thane, India, on March 20, 2026. 

India's pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors are set to grow significantly over the next several years amid manufacturing incentives, regulatory reforms and trade deals.

The Growth Outlook for India's Pharmaceutical Sector Remains Strong, Despite Global Uncertainties

People walk along the corniche area on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in Abu Dhabi on March 20, 2026.

Global Trade

Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will compel Gulf Cooperation Council states to invest in alternative trade routes and more resilient physical infrastructure.

Gulf Arab States, Shaken by Iran War, Plan Economic Pivot

Cargo ships and tankers are seen in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates, on Feb. 25, 2026. 

Although most of the Middle East's crucial oil and gas assets have so far been spared, a prolonged conflict would raise the risk of material supply disruptions and price shocks, particularly for LNG markets.

How Will the Iran War Impact the World's Oil and Gas Supplies?

The Crown Plaza on March 1 showing damage from an Iranian military strike in Manama, Bahrain. Iran's attacks will push the Gulf Arab states more toward security alignment with the United States, and threaten their status as a secure investment destination.

Iran's attacks will push the Gulf Arab states more toward security alignment with the United States, and threaten their status as a secure investment destination.

The Implications of Iran's Attacks on the Gulf

Columns

On Geopolitics

Sudan

Egypt

Lebanon

Libya

Syria

Turkey

A dark earth map of the Middle East with glowing details of cities and human population density areas.

Two blocs are emerging in the Middle East: one focused on preserving existing states and institutions, and the other on creating new ones.

Preservation vs. Fragmentation: Two Paths Toward a New Order in the Middle East

Palestinian Territories

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) inspect the honor guard during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on June 22, 2022.

After years of discord, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are finding common ground as they increasingly position themselves against Emirati- and Israeli-backed regional initiatives. 

Saudi Arabia and Turkey's New Regional Alignment

Algeria

The national flag of Algeria flies near the Bay of Algiers against the backdrop of the old town known as the Casbah and cargo containers in Algiers, Algeria, on Aug. 25, 2022.

Divergences between Algeria and the United Arab Emirates are poised to grow and may lead to a diplomatic break.

Algeria's Grievances With the UAE Deepen Amid Strategic Divergences

The United Arab Emirates is located on the southwestern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. To its west is Saudi Arabia and to its east is Oman. Iran is only a few miles north, across the Persian Gulf. With desert in its west and south, dry mountains in its east and the warm waters of the Persian Gulf to the north, the United Arab Emirates' climate is unable to support agriculture beyond small-scale oases and camel herds. The country is divided into three broad regions: the coastal harbors of the Gulf, bounded by the sandy desert of the Rub al-Khali, or Empty Quarter; the interior, where settlements cluster around oases; and the northeast, which is broken up by the Al Hajar Mountains.      There are no natural rivers and few timber supplies in the United Arab Emirates, and nearly all the country's drinkable water is trapped beneath oases. In the premodern era, citizens mainly survived off piracy, trade and pearling, and the most powerful settlement was the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah near the Al Hajar Mountains. After the discovery of oil in the 1962, power shifted permanently to the more southern Abu Dhabi, which holds 94 percent of the country's proven oil reserves. These coastal cities are the core of the country. Founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan established the United Arab Emirates &mdash; the Arab world's only successful federation &mdash; in 1971 and ruled until his death in 2004. At that time, his son and current president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan took over power.      The United Arab Emirates seeks to maximize its independence while warding off the influence and control of more powerful regional players Saudi Arabia and Iran. To do this, it has leveraged its energy supply and strategic location to secure alliances with extra-regional powers like the United States. Utilizing its oil receipts, the United Arab Emirates has imported foreign labor from South and East Asia, as well as the Arab world. Combining that labor with global technology, the country has rapidly transformed itself from a desert backwater to a key transport hub, tourist destination and regional military power.  

SITUATION REPORTS

Congo: Authorities To Establish Paramilitary Unit To Protect Mining Sites With U.S., UAE Funding

Middle East: Iranian Outlet Highlights Sabotage Threat to Persian Gulf Undersea Cables

Bahrain, UAE: Bahrain Reviews Citizenship Rolls, UAE Requests U.S. Currency Swap

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia To Extend $3B in Financial Support to Pakistan

Iran, UAE: Handala Hack Claims Theft and Destruction of Data in Dubai Cyberattack

Ukraine, MENA: Kyiv in Talks for More Security Cooperation With Gulf Countries

MENA: Iran Strikes GCC Targets, Despite Ceasefire Announcement

Somaliland: UAE Reportedly Leading Military Upgrade of Berbera Airport

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