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Oil Prices, regional conflicts, and the push for energy transition are redefining the Gulf states' economies as they enter 2026. Amid these shifts, how are these economies adapting to global uncertainty? In this episode of MEnbar, recorded on the sidelines of the Doha Forum 2025, Omar Rahman talks with Karen Young, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University's Center of Global Energy Policy, and Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute about how Gulf states are navigating geopolitical pressures, economic diversification, and the accelerating energy transition and what these changes may mean for the region’s political and economic future. The discussion explores how Gulf states respond to fluctuating oil prices and shifting trade patterns, digging into the strategies governments are using to diversify their economies. Young reflects on the challenge of balancing immediate economic needs with long-term reforms, highlighting the difficult choices Gulf states face in a rapidly changing regional landscape.

The mainstream media has lost control of the narrative. Middle East Eye’s David Hearst joins MEnbar to explain why Western media narratives are collapsing.In this special episode of MEnbar, recorded on the sidelines of the Doha Forum 2025, Marc Owen Jones welcomes David Hearst, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Middle East Eye, to discuss how media and conflict have fundamentally reshaped each other across the MENA region. The conversation examines the erosion of trust in mainstream Western media, the rise of digital and ground-level reporting, and the collapse of long-standing narratives about Palestine. Hearst reflects on how geopolitical interests and editorial pressures shape conflict reporting, the growing power of social media in challenging and shaping narratives, and the broader impact of media coverage on public opinion and policy-making both regionally and globally.

In this episode of MEnbar, recorded on the sidelines of the Doha Forum 2025, Marc Owen Jones is joined by Comfort Ero, President and CEO of the International Crisis Group, to examine the rapidly changing nature of conflict across Africa and its wider implications. Ero reflects on why crises in Sudan and the Sahel have worsened rather than stabilized, how international crisis response and management are struggling amid worsening humanitarian conditions and funding cuts and why Sudan’s war has deteriorated with such devastating speed. She also considers the impact of regional and external actors and how mediation and conflict prevention are being reshaped in an increasingly fragmented geopolitical landscape.

In this special episode of MEnbar, recorded on the sidelines of the Doha Forum 2025, Marc Owen Jones speaks with Hanan Balkhy, Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the World Health Organization (WHO), about the increasing pressure on global and regional health systems amid deepening crises and declining international support. The discussion examines how recent funding cuts and shifting geopolitical priorities are affecting the WHO’s work across the Eastern Mediterranean region as it faces more conflict and displacement. Dr. Balkhy reflects on the challenge of maintaining health responses in Gaza and Sudan, the pressures on international health governance, and how countries are increasingly being pushed to rethink resilience, cooperation, and national ownership of public health in an uncertain global environment.

In this special episode of MEnbar, recorded on the sidelines of the Doha Forum 2025, Omar Rahman welcomes the EU Special Representative Ambassador Luigi De Maio for the Gulf region to discuss the growing strategic partnership between the European Union and Gulf countries. The conversation explores how recent regional and global crises have reshaped the EU’s expectations and engagement in the Gulf, and how Europe aims to expand its political and security influence in the region. It also examines differences between the EU and GCC countries on Ukraine and Gaza, Europe’s role in regional conflicts involving Iran and its neighbors, and the opportunities for deeper diplomatic and economic cooperation.

In this episode of Menbar, Marc Owen Jones talks with Yasmine Farouk, the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Project Director at the International Crisis Group, to discuss the Gulf states’ growing role as mediators in regional conflicts. Farouk examines how Qatar’s involvement in Gaza ceasefires and hostage negotiations, Saudi and Emirati mediation efforts in Sudan, and broader Gulf engagement in the Horn of Africa reflect changing strategies of power projection, humanitarian diplomacy, and strategic hedging. She also discusses how these mediation efforts intersect with Gulf competition, ongoing de-escalation with Iran, and broader national ambitions, including their national visions.

In this episode of MEnbar, Marc Owen Jones speaks with Sanam Vakil, Director of the Middle East and Africa Programme in Chatham House, about the Twelve Day War between Israel and Iran and its impacts on Iran’s nuclear program. Vakil discusses the implications of these attacks on Iran’s domestic policies, its deterrence strategies, and the future of the Axis of Resistance amidst growing uncertainty about Iran’s regional influence. She also examines the relationship between Iran, Israel and the GCC countries in the context of growing regional instability and the uncertainty surrounding (evolving) US-GCC ties under the new U.S. administration.

In this episode of MEnbar, Marc Owen Jones speaks with Rory Miller, Professor of International Politics at Georgetown University in Qatar and Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the ME Council, about the evolving security landscape of the Gulf. Miller explores both traditional threats and emerging non-conventional dangers, as well as the ways external actors are reshaping the region’s strategic environment. He examines how recent Israeli and Iranian strikes on Qatar have raised critical questions about the resilience of Gulf defense strategies and what these developments may suggest about the level of political and security cooperation among GCC states.

In this episode of MEnbar, in partnership with the Arab Barometer, host Marc Owen Jones welcomes Michael Robbins, Director and Co-Principal Investigator of the Arab Barometer, to discuss how the war in Gaza has shaped public opinion and regional dynamics in the Middle East. Robbins unpacks the latest Arab Barometer Wave report and examines the different regional perceptions towards the US, China, Iran, and Russia. He also explores changing perceptions towards normalization with Israel and the EU’s position and power as the war on Gaza persists.

In this episode of MEnbar, Marc Owen Jones speaks with Haid Haid, non-resident senior fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, about efforts to unify Syria’s fragmented armed factions into a national defense force. Haid examines the realities of paramilitary groups such as HTS and the SDF, the deep-rooted mistrust and ideological divides that hinder unity, and the spoiling effects of external actors in preventing a unified defense force. Haid Haid ends by offering the detrimental effects of Syria’s future, if military fragmentation and a lack of legitimate governance remain or worsen.

In this episode of MEnbar, host Marc Owen Jones welcomes Frédéric Schneider, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, to discuss the economic aftershocks of the Iran-Israel war and their implications for the Gulf. Schneider examines pressure on diversification efforts, investor uncertainty, and capital outflows, while also assessing the fragility of the Gulf’s reliance on U.S. security guarantees. As regional instability persists, he reflects on what it will take to build genuine economic resilience and whether the Gulf’s current models are equipped to handle future shocks.

In this episode of MEnbar, host Marc Owen Jones welcomes Adel Abdel Ghafar, Fellow and Director of the Foreign Policy Program at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, to explore the shifting dynamics of Gulf–Asia relations. Ghafar discusses China's growing influence across the Middle East, including its role in energy and infrastructure, arms sales, and advancements in emerging technologies. He examines how Gulf states are positioning themselves as “middle powers” by adopting multi-alignment strategies that balance relationships with China, the United States, and key Asian partners such as India and South Korea. The episode also explores the region’s increasing engagement with non-Western institutions, such as BRICS, evolving trade and currency systems, and the broader implications for the global order as Gulf countries redefine their roles in an increasingly multipolar world.**This episode was recorded prior to Israel's attack on Iran.

In this episode of MEnbar, host Marc Owen Jones is joined by Justin Dargin, a senior visiting fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. They discuss his contribution to the dossier, “Carbon Emissions Reduction Strategies for Qatar,” focusing on his chapter titled “LNG Giant and Solar Dreams: Qatar’s Next Energy Chapter.” Dargin explores Qatar’s strategic approach to energy and climate diplomacy, highlighting its efforts to expand LNG exports to East Asia while reducing carbon intensity across its energy sector. He also delves into Qatar’s sector-specific decarbonization strategy, its efforts to build climate partnerships with the Global South, and its broader approach to maintaining economic growth in a changing global energy landscape by promoting cleaner LNG and investing in renewable energy development.

In this episode of MEnbar, host Marc Owen Jones speaks with ME Council fellows Robert P. Beschel Jr. and Paul Dyer about their recent policy note, “USAID in MENA: A Requiem.” They explore the sudden dismantling of USAID operations under the Trump administration and its wide-ranging effects on humanitarian aid, economic development, and civil society in the MENA. Focusing on countries like Jordan, Egypt, Gaza, and Yemen, the discussion delves into the implications for U.S. soft power, local governance, and geopolitical competition, while also considering possible reforms and alternative aid frameworks amid the growing influence of other global and regional actors.

In this episode of MEnbar, host Marc Owen Jones welcomes Nader Kabbani, Senior Fellow and Director of Research at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, to analyze the suddencollapse of the Assad regime and its aftermath. Kabbani explores the economic and institutional decay that led to Assad’s downfall, the military’s rapid dissolution, and the evolving role of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria’s future. He also examines Syria’s humanitarian crisis, the role of regional actors in reconstruction, and the shifting strategies of key foreign powers like Iran, Russia, Turkey, and the U.S. as they navigate this new reality.