SUSTG.com / Research

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

Recent stories from sustg

MUST-READS

  • Turkey’s inroads in Syria fuel accusations of ‘neo-Ottomanism’

    The downfall of Iran’s longtime ally Bashar Al-Assad in Syria has put the spotlight on Iranian-Turkish rivalry in the region. Some commentators in Iran accuse Turkey’s president of wanting to expand influence as far as the Ottoman Empire’s borders. Others argue that Recep Tayyip Erdogan is overambitious. Turkey was among the first countries to welcome the Dec. 7 fall of the Syrian government, sending senior officials to meet Syrian rebels who toppled the Assad dynasty.

  • Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power, Turkey Discussing Energy Investment

    Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power Co. is in talks with Turkey about investing in the country’s green-energy industry, according to Turkish officials familiar with the negotiations. Turkey’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz told a local news channel over the weekend that a “Saudi-owned company” had expressed interest in investing $5 billion in energy and other sectors. The talks are between ACWA Power and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the officials said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. It’s not clear how far those talks have advanced.

  • Will a Turkey-Iraq Security Agreement Diminish Iran’s Hold Over Iraq?

    The MoU, which followed a historic visit to Iraq in April by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is a significant maneuver intended to solidify Turkey’s influence in Iraq. By labeling the Kurdish Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK a “banned organization,” Turkey seeks to legitimize its cross-border operations and strengthen its foothold in Iraqi politics and security.

  • Turkey returns $5bn Saudi deposit in show of economic confidence

    Turkey’s central bank has handed back to Saudi Arabia a $5bn deposit, underscoring Ankara’s progress in replenishing its foreign currency stores as part of its economic turnaround effort. The deposit agreement Turkey forged with the Saudi Fund for Development in March 2023 was terminated by mutual agreement, the Turkish central bank said on Wednesday. Turkey’s move to unwind the agreement is the latest sign of how President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s pivot to more conventional policies following his re-election in May 2023 is steadying the country’s $1tn economy.

  • Turkey-Kuwait Ties Grow Amid Regional Balancing

    On his first visit outside the Arab world since taking office in December 2023, Kuwaiti Emir Meshal al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah was accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking officials to Ankara, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan awarded him the Order of State medal. The May 7 visit, which coincided with the 60th anniversary of Turkish-Kuwaiti diplomatic relations and was the first by a Kuwaiti emir in seven years, underscored the two countries’ low-profile yet growing relations.

  • How Saudi Arabia Outbound Travel Surging Tourism In 59 Country With Visa Free Access Including Turkey, Egypt, Kazakhstan And Georgia?

    The Saudi Arabian passport continues to enhance its global presence by granting its holders visa-free access to an impressive list of 59 countries and territories. Currently ranked as the 46th most powerful passport globally, it allows Saudi citizens to travel widely and effortlessly. Additionally, Saudis can visit GCC countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE using just their national ID, streamlining travel within the region.

  • Syria holds the key to improved US-Turkey ties

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was set to visit Washington in May after a long period of coldness between him and US President Joe Biden. While the cancellation officially occurred due to scheduling issues, disagreements over the Gaza conflict appear to have played a role in this decision. Despite recent momentum in US-Turkish relations, this situation underscores the fact that improving areas of cooperation is not enough to maintain the bilateral relationship.

  • Turkey halts all trade with Israel, cites worsening Palestinian situation

    Turkey stopped all exports and imports to and from Israel as of Thursday, the Turkish trade ministry said, citing "worsening humanitarian tragedy" in the Palestinian territories.
    "Export and import transactions related to Israel have been stopped, covering all products," Turkey's trade ministry said in a statement.
    "Turkey will strictly and decisively implement these new measures until the Israeli Government allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza."

  • 9% spike in Mideast military spending driven by Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey

    The institute noted that three largest spenders in the region — Saudi Arabia, Israel and Turkey — all increased military spending last year. Saudi Arabia was the fifth largest spender in the world, with spending increasing 4.3% from the year prior to $75.8 billion in 2023. However, Saudi military spending from the 2014 through 2023 decreased by 18% compared to the previous decade.  

  • Erdogan Politically Wounded But Still Turkey’s Dominant Power

    Results of the March 31 nationwide local elections in Turkey represent the first true defeat for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) since its 2001 founding. Although the previous local elections, in 2019, were widely interpreted as a defeat for Erdogan, as the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP) opposition won five of Turkey’s six largest cities – including the two major prizes, Istanbul and national capital Ankara – AKP actually won the elections by most measures: provincial capital mayoralties, provincial assemblies, and village councils as well as overall mayoral vote totals. AKP even won majorities in the Istanbul and Ankara municipal councils in 2019, complicating life for the CHP mayors of those cities.