Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Founder and Chairman of the Gulf Research Center (GRC), met with Ms. Heidi Elburgi Johansen, Special Representative of the Section for Peace and Reconciliation at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the GRC office in Riyadh on 15 January 2026. During the meeting, both sides discussed areas of mutual interest and exchanged views on key regional developments.
Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Founder and Chairman of the Gulf Research Center (GRC), met with Ms. Heidi Elburgi Johansen, Special Representative of the Section for Peace and Reconciliation at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the GRC office in Riyadh on 15 January 2026. During the meeting, both sides discussed areas of mutual interest and exchanged views on key regional developments.
The webinar offered an in-depth analytical reading of the future of the Gulf region in light of evolving regional and international developments.
The discussion examined key strategic issues shaping the year ahead, including shifts in the balance of power, security and economic challenges, energy security, and the opportunities and risks facing Gulf states as they enter 2026.
“The Gulf in 2026: A Strategic Assessment” to present it’s 2026 Strategic Dossier, published on 5 January 2026, and to offer an analytical reading of the future of the Gulf region in light of regional and international developments.
Over 25 years, the Gulf Research Center has evolved from a small idea into a platform that advances research on the Gulf region, supports critical dialogue, and deepens understanding of key regional issues.
Over 25 years, the Gulf Research Center has evolved from a small idea into a platform that advances research on the Gulf region, supports critical dialogue, and deepens understanding of key regional issues.
Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Founder and Chairman of the Gulf Research Center, recounts this journey, where knowledge has been built and made accessible to all.
As the Gulf region moves into 2026, it does so against a backdrop of persistent geopolitical tension, strategic uncertainty, and accelerating global change. Long-standing conflicts in Gaza, Yemen, Syria, Libya, and Sudan remain unresolved, while the evolving confrontation between Israel and Iran and the growing sophistication of nonstate actors continue to test regional stability and existing frameworks of deterrence and crisis management. At the same time, intensified great-power competition, shifting alliance structures, and ongoing ambiguity surrounding U.S. policy toward the Middle East, particularly on the Palestinian issue, Iran’s nuclear program, and Gulf security commitments, have reinforced perceptions of a more fluid and less predictable external environment.
