28 September 2019
Episode 299
30 minutes
Photo: Shutterstock
Arab Gulf states owe much of their geo-strategic importance to fossil fuels. But even the most oil-soaked petro-kingdom knows that the wells will cease gushing eventually. If the Gulf becomes a centre of renewable energy, what will that mean for the region’s politics? Andrew Mueller is joined by Mehran Kamrava, Jim Krane and Caline Malek.
28 September 2019
Share episode
DownloadWant more radio episodes like these in your inbox?
Sign up to Monocle’s email newsletters to stay on top of news and opinion, plus the latest from the magazine, radio, film and shop.
The Foreign Desk - latest episodes
France and Algeria: can you pardon the past?
France has, not for the first time, attempted to apologise to the Harki community for its treatment of them following the country’s historic war with Algeria. But are President Macron’s morals and motives closely aligned…
Why is populism all the rage?
Police have increased security around the US Capitol ahead of a planned pro-Trump rally on 18 September. The expected demonstrations have brought a new wave of concern about the rise of populist anger. What is fuelling this…
Nicaragua: How to write yourself into exile
Once a good friend and political ally of Nicaragua’s president Daniel Ortega, novelist Sergio Ramírez finds himself an enemy of the state. Andrew Mueller explains how this plot developed.
Did we win the war on terrorism?
As the US commemorates the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan. How has the threat of terrorism changed in the two decades since the beginning of the War on Terror?…
Guinea: back under military rule
Guinea is no stranger to military coups but it had been hoped that the appointment of the country’s first elected leader, President Condé, would mark a new era of democracy. A little more than a decade, and a constitutional…
A New Dawn for Zambia?
It was a case of sixth time lucky for Hakainde Hichilema, who has become Zambia’s new president after five unsuccessful attempts. He inherits a troubled economy but his victory has raised hopes for change. How has he tri…
Are Israel and Palestine really working things out?
Israel’s defence minister and deputy prime minister, Benny Gantz, paid a visit to the West Bank, marking Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas’s first official meeting with a senior Israeli politician in more than a decade…
Afghanistan’s growing diaspora
US president Joe Biden has vowed to plough ahead with the evacuation of those trying to flee Afghanistan, despite Thursday’s deadly bombing by Islamic State. As tens of thousands move to escape Taliban rule, Afghanistan’s…
Duterte to stay?
The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has accepted an endorsement from his PDP party to run for vice-president at next year’s elections. Andrew Mueller explains why many see it as a way to cling to power beyond…
Afghanistan: what went wrong?
Twenty years of American-led intervention in Afghanistan ended in chaos last weekend after the Taliban retook Kabul in the face of minimal resistance. Why did Afghanistan’s expensively trained army melt away so quickly?…
Explainer 279: Poland and Israel – refusing reparations
Diplomatic ties between Poland and Israel are severing swiftly. It after the passing of a law in Poland that prevents the descendants of Holocaust survivors from claiming homes stolen from their families by Nazis and com…
Tunisia: what went wrong?
Ten years ago, Tunisia was praised as the only democracy to blossom from the Arab Spring. It managed to cast out a long-time dictator and establish political pluralism. But now the future of the country’s democracy is in…
Explainer 278: Who are the Taliban?
Over the past few days the Taliban have laid claim to several key cities across the outer provinces of Afghanistan. As fighting continues, Andrew Mueller outlines the history of these insurgents.
Eswatini: A kingdom in crisis
The tiny southern African nation of Eswatini has been rocked by civil unrest in recent weeks. Violent clashes between security forces and anti-government demonstrators have led to the deaths of more than 50 people. What has…
Explainer 277: Ethiopia and Tigray revisited
Nine months have passed since ‘The Foreign Desk’ last reported on the conflict in Ethiopia in episode 395. Andrew Mueller explains the latest events and why a resolution seems a distant possibility.
