SUSTG.com / Research

Discover stories, topics, and more about Saudi Arebia faster.

Recent stories from sustg

MUST-READS

  • US confirms $240m in military sales to Iraq, Saudi Arabia

    The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has approved the sale of C-172 and AC/RC-208 aircraft contractor logistics support and training to Iraq, and multifunctional information distribution systems to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    The United States Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of their approval of the possible foreign military sale of aircraft contractor logistics to the government of Iraq and multifunctional information distribution systems to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
    Valued at US$140 million, the DSCA gave the greenlight for the provision of contractor logistics support of its C-172 and AC/RC-208 aircraft fleet, which is expected to help the country overcome its current and future threats by sustaining the aircraft. The principal contractor will be Northrop Grumman, with the DSCA identifying that the sale will support the foreign policy and national security interests of its strategic partner.

  • Iraq Moves to Tackle Climate Challenge

    Although Iraq is the second-largest oil producer in OPEC after Saudi Arabia, it is a net natural gas importer because lack of infrastructure investment has meant that until 2023 it was flaring roughly half of the estimated 3.12 billion cubic feet per day of gas produced in association with crude oil. According to the World Bank’s Global Gas Flaring Tracker, Iraq is the world’s second-largest emitter after Russia. Iraq’s West Qurna 2 oil field, operated by Russia’s Lukoil, is the biggest source of flaring in the world.

  • Iraq’s prime minister embarks on first visit to DC

    Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ Al-Sudani is set to meet US President Joe Biden for the first time on Apr. 15. The purpose of Sudani’s upcoming trip to Washington is to discuss “common priorities and reinforce the strong bilateral partnership,” according to the White House. The visit signals a mutual readiness to forge a new era of cooperation. Indeed, even though costly and increasingly problematic, the Iraqi prime minister’s openness to negotiate new terms for the US presence gives him an upper hand in drawing conditions agreeable to all sides.

  • Saudi Crown Prince discusses regional stability with Iraqi prime minister

    Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, received a phone call from the Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, discussing recent military escalations in the region and their implications on security and stability, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.

    The call came following Iran’s strike on Israel that caused tension worldwide.

  • Ramadhan TV dramas test cultural limits in Iraq, Kuwait

    The arrival of Ramadhan has been accompanied by controversy in Iraq and Kuwait. The Islamic lunar month is famous for bringing with it new TV shows. This time, contention in the two countries is revolving around dramas accused of misrepresenting society, stoking sectarian tensions, and insulting religious figures. The recurrence of such debates in recent years has prompted questions over just how open TV shows in the region can be given deeply entrenched cultural and religious norms.

  • Iraq Navigates the Mideast Crisis

    As Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani prepares for a pivotal visit to Washington in mid-April, his government is attempting to navigate through multiple currents roiling the region, calls to distance the country from U.S. mentorship, and internal crises that continue to divide Iraq’s Arab leaders from their Kurdish counterparts that run northern Iraq.

  • Iraq-Saudi engagement weathers tumultuous regional climate

    Amid growing regional tensions, Iraq has sought to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia and advance its nascent economic ties with the Kingdom. The bilateral relationship was fraught for decades, sparked by former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s (1979-2003) invasion of Kuwait in 1990. This situation continued for well over a decade after the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, when Riyadh declined to send an ambassador to Baghdad.

  • Biden to host Iraqi leader with talks underway on winding down coalition against the Islamic State

    The leaders will “consult on a range of issues,” including the fight against the Islamic State and “ongoing Iraqi financial reforms to promote economic development and progress toward Iraq’s financial independence and modernization,” the White House said.

    The two countries have a delicate relationship due in part to Iran’s considerable sway in Iraq, where a coalition of Iran-backed groups brought al-Sudani to power in October 2022.

  • Iraq girds to revive long-abandoned nuclear energy program

    The Iraqi government has declared its intention to revive the country’s long-abandoned nuclear energy program. The announcement by Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ Al-Sudani comes amid a broader regional push to develop nuclear capabilities, following in the footsteps of Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While Iraq is a long way from completing such an endeavor, Sudani’s announcement is a diplomatic win for the prime minister—underscoring his engagement with international organizations. 

  • In key concession to Turkey, Iraq bans PKK

    Iraq’s government has banned the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) ahead of an expected visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan next month. This comes as Turkey is expected to launch another major offensive against its longtime Kurdish foe inside Iraq this summer. Although the Iraqi ban seemingly stops short of labeling the PKK as a terrorist organization, it represents a major concession—possibly in hopes that Ankara will reciprocate on key issues like trade and water resource management.

Left Menu Icon
Logo Header Menu