Share this page!

Enter URL or ID to Unroll

You can paste full URL like: https://x.com/threadreaderapp/status/1644127596119195649
or just the ID like: 1644127596119195649

How to get URL link on X (Twitter) App

  1. On the Twitter thread, click on or icon on the bottom
  2. Click again on or Share Via icon
  3. Click on Copy Link to Tweet
  4. Paste it above and click "Unroll Thread"!
  5. More info at Twitter Help
Dr. Cinzia Bianco Profile picture
Dr. Cinzia Bianco
@Cinzia_Bianco
Gulf + relations with Europe at @ecfr. PhD @UniofExeter, MA @KingsCollegeLon. Libro: "Le monarchie arabe del Golfo": https://t.co/tB7JTb7o0O. Usual caveats on RTs!
Magdi Shalash Profile picture 1 subscribed
Sep 15 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
The #India-Middle East-Europe corridor can strengthen #Europe’s geo-economic influence in the #Gulf & wider #MENA

But it is important that Europeans keep few things in mind as they work towards #IMEC’s action plan

NEW @ecfr short piece by me & @jbdacey: tinyurl.com/yeypa6rr
Image First, West believes it can cement its regional influence at the expense of #China, offering #IMEC as alternative to #BRI. But #Gulf actors see this agreement within the context of a multipolarity in which they can benefit from BOTH West & China. 2/

ecfr.eu/article/inters…
Mar 10 • 5 tweets • 6 min read
##Iranian state media BREAKING NEWS:

#Iran and #SaudiArabia agreed to re-establish ties and re-open embassies. 🇮🇷 🇸🇦

IF confirmed, this was months in the making but held back by the Saudis, asking for big #Yemen move from #Tehran. IF confirmed, #Yemen news coming soon, too. Again, IF true, this is a confirmation that the WSJ article on #Riyadh normalizing ties with #Israel was wishful thinking (in both #Biden administration & #Netanyahu)
Feb 22 • 7 tweets • 10 min read
@ECFRMena & @ECFRAsia cross-over! Me & @a_bachulska wrote a short piece on #China - #GCC relations *seen from both sides.* We thought there was an abundance of partial viewpoints but really scarcity of strategic comprehensive overview. 1/

ecfr.eu/article/an-ope… The first thing we do is put to rest the once ubiquitous argument that #China-#Gulf relations are only economic. In fact, they are grounded in compatible visions of #multipolarity. A year after #RussiaInvadedUkraine, multipolarity is the real winner! 2/

tinyurl.com/9dkx6xv3
Feb 19 • 4 tweets • 7 min read
Ce soir à 21h connectez-vous sur France5 et france.tv pour un super film sur #MbZ et les #Emirats on @lemondeenface⁩. Honoré de figurer parmi les commentateurs avec ⁦@Abdulkhaleq_UAE⁩, ⁦@benjbarthe⁩, ⁦@berlinest⁩ & autore. CC: ⁦@ECFRParis⁩ pourrait être intéressant pour @Malbrunot, @esoubrier, @CamilleLons, @tara_varma, @HFayet, @ThermeClement, @AdleneMo…
May 13, 2022 • 15 tweets • 20 min read
BREAKING: #UAE President #KhalifabinZayed just died. Crown Prince of #AbuDhabi since 1969, and Abu Dhabi Ruler & President since his father Sheikh Zayed died in 2004. The #BurjKhalifa was initially named to honor him.

A few words on him + what happens now in a thread. 1/ After #KhalifabinZayed suffered a stroke in 2014, his younger brother Mohammad bin Zayed (#MbZ) became de facto leader of the #UAE. Now the Federal Supreme Council (including the rulers of the 7 Emirates) will ratify #MbZ as official President of the #UAE. Basically guaranteed 2/
Oct 30, 2021 • 8 tweets • 7 min read
A thread on imagining impacts of the #Metaverse on “my” world. How will the job of a #geopolitics analyst be different? How will this new platform change international relations in general and the #Gulf in particular? Feel free to add your take, it’s simply thinking out loud.
1/ First, meetings & events. #Zoom events are here to stay, alongside in-person ones. But a digital event on #Metaverse could be so much better and closer to a real-life experience, enhanced by instant access to resources 2/
Oct 26, 2021 • 14 tweets • 28 min read
It’s out! 🎊
My new @ecfr paper on how #Europe can ride the #climate momentum in the #Gulf deploying its #GreenDeal to meet #NetZero & #geopolitical objectives in the region ➡️ bit.ly/2XOK8bG
Read b4 #COP26 #COP26Glasgow
Few take-aways 1/ Image Good that #SaudiArabia & #UAE have pledged #NetZero but #GCC total domestic emissions are only 2.4% of world’s. The #EU needs to focus on the emissions they export, mostly to #China, I argue how: bit.ly/2XOK8bG 2/
Sep 3, 2021 • 5 tweets • 8 min read
#EU Foreign Ministers meet today for #Gymnich. They will discuss #Afghanistan. But then they will discuss the #Gulf. This is a rare occurrence - EU Ministers have discussed #JCPOA often but very rarely regional geopolitics between the #GCC, #Iraq & #Iran. They do now because… ⬇️ …because of the #Baghdad_summit last week and #France’s involvement in it. Most in #EU that #Iraq can be the hub for regional diplomacy in the #Gulf, building on talks btwn #SaudiArabia & #Iran. Reality is that with no progress on #Yemen these talks are shallow but ⬇️
Oct 7, 2020 • 17 tweets • 11 min read
The moment we were waiting for has come. New #Kuwait Emir, #SheikhNawaf, nominates his brother Mishal Al-Ahmad as Crown Prince. He is a security person, w/past experience in the Interior Ministry and Deputy Chief of the Kuwaiti National Guard since 2004. Some thoughts. 1/ The National Assembly (NA) has to confirm Mishal al-Ahmad as #Kuwait CP with 2/3 majority. As @bmalsaif said, Emir prolonged term of the outgoing NA to Oct 20 coz it was the safer option - new Parliament likely to have more opposition members & elections vulnerable to meddling 2/
Sep 11, 2020 • 5 tweets • 6 min read
On the #Trump-mediated normalization between #Bahrain & #Israel keep in mind that this is not unexpected or historic per se, but because there might be a #SaudiArabia angle. Me & @h_lovatt wrote it for @ECFRMena last month ecfr.eu/amp-article/co… In fact, there was much to say about #Bahrain and #Israel in my June article for @ispionline, when #annexation was possibly imminent. Find the article here: ispionline.it/it/pubblicazio…
Aug 7, 2020 • 7 tweets • 8 min read
#SaudiArabia FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan has been quite busy these days! Today in #Italy, right after #Cyprus and, before, a North Africa tour. On geopolitics, Riyadh and Rome have two major things to talk about: #Libya and #EastMed. Both have to do with #Turkey. #Italy and #SaudiArabia do not traditionally have an in-depth, serious geopolitical engagement. This is for many reasons, many of which are common to other continental #Europe-an countries, excluding #France. I have analysed those in my @ECFRMena paper: ecfr.eu/publications/s…
Jul 24, 2020 • 5 tweets • 8 min read
🎙️New @arabdigest podcast: I discuss w/@BillLaw49 about how a #US retrenchment from the #MENA triggered a competition between #Russia #China #Turkey #Iran #UAE & #SaudiArabia to occupy vacuum and implications for #UK and #Europe. Highlights:
@ECFRMena
tinyurl.com/y2awxgd7 Yes I did really say "sometimes the #MENA region today seems like the Far West w/the Sheriff (#US) taking a nap". The multipolar competition deepened & entrenched conflicts in #Yemn, #Libya, #Syria and is extending towards the #HornofAfrica and #EastMed m.soundcloud.com/arabdigest/the…
Jun 27, 2020 • 5 tweets • 7 min read
Truly fascinating story linking #tech & #geopolitics, and involving #Gulf. #Google sponsors new undersea fiber optic cable connecting #Europe & #Asia, specifically #Italy & #India, via the #ArabianPeninsula. Should cut costs by 50% & really increase efficiency. Few details 👇 1/ The cable will be split in 2. Blue goes from #Italy to #Jordan (Aqaba) via #Israel and is done w/Telecom Italia. Raman goes from #India to Aqaba via #Oman & #SaudiArabia and done w/Omantel. The split is due to Saudi opposition of direct link to Israel (normalization, much?). 2/
Jan 11, 2020 • 13 tweets • 9 min read
#SultanQaboos of #Oman died. The royal family chose Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq al-Said to succeed. Who is he? What does it mean? A thread 1/ First, the royal family was quick in agreeing to a successor. This portrays externally a show of unity that is very important in a volatile region and vis-à-vis concerns that neighbors like #SaudiArabia and #UAE would have likes to interfere in the process. #Oman closed ranks. 2/