Academics gather in Cambridge to discuss Arab Gulf issues

The Gulf research Centre at Cambridge University opened its 3rd annual Gulf research meeting with a record of more than 500 academics and researchers attending the 3-day event.

It provides an environment to foster Gulf studies and to encourage academic exchange among those working on or interested in the developments taking place that are defining the Gulf region and their societies.

Dr Abdellatif al-Ziani, secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Councils updated the gathering on Yemen's initiative process and how the member states are adapting strategies to new challenges.

Dr Al-Ziani said “what has been achieved in education, health, housing and in the economy as well as the desire to develop and be open, all have given strength to GCC countries and its leaders to tackle the challenges.”

Given the dynamic and fluid nature of events throughout the Arab world in the preceding year and half, the Gulf research organized 19 workshops where more than 300 research papers are being discussed on this critical region in the fields of politics, economics, energy, security and the wider social sciences, including education policy and research.

The Arab Spring featured on one of the papers and how its reverberations affected the Gulf States.

Dr. Abdul-Aziz Sager chairman of "Gulf Research Centre" said "the real recipe to tackle the impact of the Arab uprising is through reform and members states are working to tackle similar issues they face together to fulfill peoples demand on more reforms.”

The research papers of the gulf meeting will contribute immensely to better understanding various issues of GCC countries and its relations with the world.

At a time when the Gulf region continues to gain in strategic relevance and importance, it is more urgent than ever to expand knowledge about this part of the world and to become more familiar with the issues that are defining its overall development.