Energy policy and diplomacy of the UAE and other resource-oriented countries in the transition to technological development

Global warming is currently one of the world's most pressing issues. It has been a reason behind the proliferation of renewable energy (RE) systems. The majority of renewable energy sources are sustainable and release less carbon, in contrast to fossil fuels, which is why they have recently gained favour. Solar, wind, and geothermal energy have the potential to be employed in these Gulf countries to meet the region's power production needs. This is due to the Gulf country's strategic location as well as its immense oil and natural resource richness. According to previous researchers, the primary source of economic benefits for Gulf countries is global energy consumption by using crude oil and fossil fuels. The GCC is a major player in the global energy market. It is home to some of the world's largest oil and gas reserves and plays a significant role in producing and exporting energy resources. In future, as the world's energy needs shift towards renewable sources, the demand for traditional energy sources like oil and gas may decline. This could reduce the GCC's importance as a global energy supplier. Hence Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have made efforts to diversify their economies away from dependence on oil and gas exports. Saudi Arabia has launched several initiatives aimed at diversifying its economy. The most notable of these is the Vision 2030 program, which seeks to reduce the country's dependence on oil and create new economic sectors, such as tourism, entertainment, and technology. The government has also invested heavily in infrastructure projects, such as the construction of the NEOM megacity and the Red Sea Project, which are aimed at attracting foreign investment and creating new jobs. Similarly, the United Arab Emirates has been at the forefront of economic diversification, with its government launching several initiatives aimed at promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and knowledge-based industries. One of the most notable initiatives is the Dubai Future Accelerators Programme, which brings together startups and government agencies to work on cutting-edge technologies and solutions. Additionally, the United Arab Emirates is investing heavily in renewable energy to generate 50% of its electricity from clean sources by 2050. Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are working towards building more diversified, knowledge-based economies that can compete in the global marketplace. At the same time, the road ahead may be challenging because of technical challenges, Economic challenges, lack of infrastructure, Regulatory challenges, Heavy Dependence on oil, Skilled labour shortage, and Regulatory environment. While taking the above as the context, the paper shall look at renewable energy development in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The following are major research questions which shall be explored and analysed: • How has the development of renewable energy technologies and infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates progressed over time, and what factors have influenced this development? • What are the future plans and potential for continued growth and expansion of renewable energy in these countries? • What will be the future and potential renewable energy sources and policies in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and what are the barriers and opportunities for their adoption and integration into the energy mix? • How successful have Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates' economic diversification efforts been in reducing reliance on oil revenues? • What are the similarities and differences between the development of renewable energy technologies and policies in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates compared to the rest of the world? • What are the factors that have contributed to the similarities and differences, and how do they impact the potential for further growth and expansion of renewable energy in these countries relative to the rest of the world? This paper presents a literature-based study. The study covers capacities, projects, policies, and frameworks in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In this study, we would make use of secondary data that has been gathered from previously published statistics and relevant literature.

Reinventing the Sheikhdom: Clan, Power and Patronage in Mohammed bin Zayed’s UAE

Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and accounts for one-third of hospitalizations for cardiac disturbances. The majority of data on management of AF patients are from western countries, with limited information available from the Middle East region. The objective of this study was to characterize treatment patterns and health resource utilization among AF patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and United Arab Emirates (UAE). METHODS: A retrospective chart review was undertaken at three hospitals in UAE and three in KSA, to identify AF patients diagnosed between January 2005 and June 2010. Patient charts were sampled consecutively backwards by diagnosis date, from June 2010 until the target sample was reached. AF was identified based on ICD-9 code (427.31), from a sample of patients defined by any history of anticoagulant use. Data on demographic and disease-related characteristics, treatment patterns, health resource utilization, and international normalized ratio (INR) control were abstracted from diagnosis until June 2012. AF was categorized as chronic (persistent, long-standing or permanent) or paroxysmal. RESULTS: Among eligible AF patients (UAE, n=157, KSA, n=152), the mean age at diagnosis was 69 years in UAE and 66 years in KSA. Male patients comprised 52.9% of the UAE sample and 48.7% of the KSA sample. The majority were diagnosed with chronic AF (80.9% in UAE, 63.7% in KSA) and had a CHADS 2 score ≥2 at diagnosis (77.1% in UAE, 71.1% in KSA). Treatments prescribed to AF patients differed between countries: warfarin monotherapy was widely used in UAE (59.9%); while a variety of warfarin- and aspirin-based combination therapies were used in KSA, with no single dominant regimen. Warfarin + bisoprolol (12.5%) and aspirin + bisoprolol (10.5%) combination therapies were the most common regimens in KSA. Patterns of health care utilization also varied. In KSA, 29.6% of patients were hospitalized, and 30.9% visited the emergency room, compared to 8.9% and 11.5%, respectively, in UAE. Outpatient visits were more frequent in UAE, with a mean of 1.0 visits per patient per year, compared to 0.3 visits per patient per year in KSA. In both regions, the most common clinical outcome was ischemic/unspecified stroke, with an incidence of 7.0% in UAE and 5.3% in KSA. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AF in UAE and KSA were relatively young compared to age distributions reported in other regions. Treatments and health resources used by AF patients varied between KSA and UAE. Warfarin monotherapy was widely used in UAE, while a variety of monotherapy and combination therapy regimens were used in KSA. Health care resource utilization was high in this population, particularly hospitalization rates in KSA. While some differences may result from differences in patient and disease characteristics, they likely also reflect variation in management strategies across the regions.

The survey of the Gulf Cooperation Council states reviews some key legislative and executive measures of particularly the governments of Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the year 2023 (largely between December 2022–2023). It focuses mainly on the rights of the migrant workers. Further, and in less detail, it also notes some of the developments pertinent to the rights of women. More generally, these rights are less relevant to women who are not national citizens. The GCC comprises six member countries in the Arab-Gulf region: Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, the UAE (it is a federal state comprising seven emirates namely, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Dubai, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah), Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. These oil-producing countries have a significant proportion of foreign workforce in the population. At 88.1 per cent, the UAE has the highest proportion of migrants in its population among the GCC members (UN DESA, 2020). Foreign workers work mostly in the private sector and are also residents in the host countries. Therefore, a broader spectrum of governments’ measures relating to the issues like labour, entry and residence, and ownership of property or business touch the lives of the foreign/migrant workers or expatriates in the Gulf country. Governments’ initiatives targeting domestic workers are relevant also for women because they comprise the majority in this group. Apparently, the most prolific among the GCC countries in governmental initiatives during the surveyed period is the UAE, both concerning migrant workers and women. The Gulf states appear to have showed more responsiveness to their public image as a few important global events have happened in the region in the past year or discussion was in progress. For instance, the FIFA World Cup 2022 was hosted in Doha, Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022. The 28th United Nations Climate Change conference or COP28 was hosted in Dubai, the UAE from 30 November to 12 December 2023. Announced at the conclusion of the competitive bidding process in November 2023, Saudi Arabia has won the bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Riyadh from October 2030 to March 2031.

First Confirmed Cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) Infection in the United States, Updated Information on the Epidemiology of MERS-CoV Infection, and Guidance for the Public, Clinicians, and Public Health Authorities—May 2014

Early switch/early discharge opportunities for hospitalized patients with methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus complicated skin and soft tissue infections: Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates

Recent developments like the rising trend in crude oil price, the international economic crisis, the civil revolts in Northern Africa and the Middle East, the nuclear threat in Japan after the tsunami, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the economic growth of emerging countries like China and India have a direct relation to the security of energy supply anywhere in the world. This book provides a comprehensive analysis of energy risks, energy scenarios and energy policies with special reference to the European Union and its member states, emphasizing the economic and geopolitical dimensions of energy security. The book assesses both quantitatively and qualitatively the socioeconomic and political risks related to the European energy supply, together with the EU's energy relations with other countries. Two innovative indicators have been developed to estimate geopolitical energy risks and energy-related relations with other countries. The book also examines the process of convergence of member states' energy security policies, the path towards a common European energy policy, and the process of Europeanization projected towards the energy corridors through which the EU receive energy imports. In addition, alternative strategic scenarios related to energy risk are assessed. Finally, guidelines for the EU's energy policy and new strategies using energy corridors are suggested in order to maximize EU's energy security. The book should be of interest to students and researchers across a wide range of subjects, including energy economics and policy, energy and foreign policy in the EU, energy policies in EU member states and several aspects related to international political economy.

The green building rating system within the sustainability framework of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Pearl Rating System (PRS), similar to most international rating systems such as LEED, considers several strategies, regulations, and policies to improve the energy and water performance in buildings. However, the applicability of considering water as part of energy or the fact that the utilization of energy mandates the usage of water seems unexplored and is not yet included in any of the existing building rating systems. A unified approach of water and energy resources is thus vital for future considerations in energy policy, planning, and the inclusion of the same in the sustainability rating systems. This paper investigated, as a case study, the prospects of water–energy nexus in the prevailing UAE green building rating system—PRS—to uncover whether any water conservation strategy has an adverse effect on energy and vice versa. The review revealed that the major shortcomings of the PRS in terms of water–energy nexus strategy are the usage of reference codes that are not suitable for the UAE’s climate and geographical conditions, inexistent synergy between some credit categories, the oversight of rebound effects, and a need for credit reassessment. The paper also recommends that any proposed strategy to realign credit categories in terms of the water–energy nexus with the potential risk to also have a hidden negative rebound effect that researchers and practitioners should identify lest the water–energy tradeoff brings unprecedented repercussions. The theoretical analysis establishes that the bifurcating management of water and energy in the sustainability rating system and energy policy needs to be revisited in order to reap more sustainable and optimum results that are environmentally, ecologically, and financially consistent.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States and Sub-Saharan Africa:In Search of Influence, Security, and New Markets Michael B. Bishku (bio) Introduction The GCC was established in 1981 and includes the countries of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain. Saudi Arabia and the UAE currently have the most interactions with Sub-Saharan Africa (defined as those areas on the continent south of the Arab North African states located on the Mediterranean),1 while Bahrain has the least. Oman has historical connections with Africa's east coast, while Qatar has become more active on the continent especially since its rivalry with Saudi Arabia and the UAE heated up in 2017, due to Qatar's military ties with Turkey and the perception that it was too favorable in its dealings with Iran and Islamist organizations. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait (which received its independence from Britain in 1961), and the UAE became active on the African continent during the 1970s, especially following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War when many African countries broke off diplomatic relations with Israel over its continued occupation of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula captured as a result of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain received their independence from Britain in 1971, while the late-Sultan Qaboos of Oman was able to assume full control over his country's domestic and foreign policy [End Page 48] a year earlier, also from Britain. During the 1970s and 1980s, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE were involved with providing developmental aid in Africa and even working for the same purpose as Libya's leader Muammar Qaddafi on the continent when activities were directed in garnering support for the Arab world in its conflict against Israel. Investment and increased trade as well as counteracting the activities of Iran's Islamic Republic in Africa have become more important for Saudi Arabia since then and, in more recent years for the UAE, which has surpassed the Saudis in those endeavors as well as in regarding Turkey as a rival for influence on the African continent. This article will review the connections and interactions of the GCC states in Sub-Saharan Africa, something that is need of more study. This is especially important given the increased activity on the continent during post-Cold War period in both security arrangements for protecting shipping lanes and in dealing with the threat of terrorist organizations and/or in economic arrangements on the part of both bigger powers such as the U.S., Russia, China, and France, middle powers such as Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Israel, India, and other countries with interests in the region such as the remainder of the Arab Gulf states. As scholars sometimes debate which countries to include in the category of middle powers, it is best to elaborate what might constitute such. A most succinct definition of a middle power is offered by Dong-min Shin: "…a state actor which has limited influence on deciding the distribution of power in a given regional system but is capable of deploying a variety of sources of power to change the position of great powers and to defend its own position on matters related to national or regional security that directly affect it."2 While greater attention is usually given by scholars of diplomatic history and international relations to the bigger powers, not enough is devoted to recognized middle powers and other countries seeking or on the verge of such status. Though there have been an increasing number of studies in recent years, especially [End Page 49] of Turkey's,3 Iran's,4 and Israel's5 activities in Africa, attention towards Saudi Arabia and the GCC states has been lagging behind; this article seeks to address that matter. The GCC States' Involvement in Africa during the Cold War Saudi Arabia's King Abdelaziz (also known as Ibn Saud) established diplomatic relations with Ethiopia's Haile Selassie in 1934 as his country was at the time one of only two independent states on the Arabian Peninsula, the other being Yemen. This was in part in response to fascist Italy's diplomatic moves in those two countries and...

London and beyond: Taking a closer look at urban energy policy

PDG10 COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF CELECOXIB VERSUS IBUPROFEN AND NAPROXEN IN PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND SAUDI ARABIA BASED ON RESULTS FROM THE PRECISION TRIAL

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to extend previous literature and examine risk management efficiency among Takaful (TI) and conventional insurance (CI) firms in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study also aims to determine whether Takaful firms are more efficient in managing risks, compared to CI firms.Design/methodology/approachThis study examines risk management efficiency among Takaful and CI firms in the KSA and the UAE for a sample of 20 insurance firms comprising 10 TI firms and 10 CI firms for the period 2018–2020. The authors use Data Envelopment Analysis to estimate efficiency scores among insurance companies to compare risk management efficiency between CI and TI companies and apply two-way analysis of variance to statistically analyze the data.FindingsThe results of this study show that TI firms have a higher efficiency score than CI firms, but not significantly and that insurance firms in KSA have higher efficiency scores than insurance firms in UAE. The results also reveal that TI firms did not significantly outperform CI firms in managing risks; however, there is a significant difference in efficiency scores among insurance firms in KSA and UAE.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors also contribute to the literature by providing important insights into how the operational business environment of the country can influence the risk management efficiency of CI and TI companies.Practical implicationsThis study promotes understanding the insurance industry, its efficiency and risk management, thus offering key implications for decision-makers, regulators and managers associated with the insurance industry in UAE, KSA and other emerging insurance markets. Regulators could provide enabling policies that foster and promote the business environment, as there is a need to improve risk management efficiency in the insurance industry. Also, the results of this study show that the operating status of the UAE insurance industry in terms of efficiency and risk management is lower than that of KSA. Hence, it would be useful for UAE managers and regulators in taking steps to improve the overall insurance industry market.Originality/valueThe results of this study make significant contributions by providing new insights to the existing literature on the risk management efficiency in the insurance industry, as it adopts a different methodological approach that examines risk management efficiency among TI and CI companies.

As Bereday (1964) once said, comparative education research, in its most rudimentary form, begins with juxtaposition. When juxtaposing contemporary trends concerning higher education in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates---both of which currently provide substantial support to improve their higher education systems---differences abound in terms of approach, strategic 'cultural' foresight, openness, and outreach. What do Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates aim to achieve via overseas scholarship programs? How do overseas Saudi and Emirati students evaluate the scholarship programs in terms of its negative and positive impacts on Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates? Among other things, this research highlights some of the similarities and differences between Saudi and Emirati students regarding their evaluation of Saudi Arabia’s and United Arab Emirates’ scholarship programs. This research has been conducted by a Saudi-PhD-sponsored by King Abdullah Scholarship Program; therefore, more emphasis will be placed on Saudi Arabia. While, in some parts, the study compares Saudi and Emiratis students, Emiratis and/or United Arab Emirates has been chosen in order to set KSA higher education in the context of another major Arab state.

This paper presents comparative yet extensive analysis of existing non-conventional renewable resources, energy policies and gaps in BRICS countries. An intelligent transformation to green economy to maintain natural resources is noted. Brazil has stable energy policies and is the leading producer of biofuels following hydropower until 2014 but supported wind and solar power development by tendering specific tariffs for energy generation from solar and wind. Russia needs improvement in its legal and regulatory framework with more incentives in energy policies. China is improving upon wind and hydropower but it needs strong policy measures to put cap on increased CO2 emissions. India needs revision in energy policy and requires extra incentives and consumer specific energy policies for research-infrastructure and energy generation technologies. South Africa requires lessons to increase renewable energy and reduce coal mining. Moreover, BRICS countries need to redefine their energy policies based upon their existing geographical, economical, societal and environmental conditions which will help in shaping global energy policies and more financial stability. This paper recognizes the potential of BRICS to reshape the global system paralleled with minimizing CO2 emissions. The concerted role of BRICS needs to be recognized as the leading contributor of global renewable capacity where the developed world is geared and busy to address the environmental issues.

Despite marked advancements, life expectancy (LE) growth in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has remained stagnant compared to other developed nations. This study aims to investigate the significant correlation between macroeconomic (ME), sociodemographic (SD), and health status and resources (HSR) factors and LE to formulate an explanatory model for Saudi Arabia and the UAE-a previously unexplored area. Utilizing an ecological, retrospective, time-series study design, we delved into secondary data on SD, ME, and HSR factors and LE of the populations of the UAE and Saudi Arabia spanning three decades (1980-2020). We employed partial least squares-structural equation modeling for statistical analysis. Our analysis revealed significant direct impacts of HSR factors on LE for Saudi Arabia (β = 0.958, p < 0.001) and the UAE (β = 0.716, p < 0.001). Furthermore, we discerned a notable indirect influence of ME factors on LE, mediated through SD and HSR factors for Saudi Arabia (β = 0.507, p < 0.001) and the UAE (β = 0.509, p < 0.001), along with a considerable indirect effect of SD factors on LE through HSR (Saudi: β = 0.529, p < 0.001; UAE: β = 0.711, p < 0.001). This study underscores the mediating role of a nexus of ME-SD-HSR factors on LE in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Consequently, these findings signal an imperative need for holistic policy interventions addressing ME, SD, and HSR factors, aiming to alter health behaviors and improve LE projections for Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the long run.