Dr. Christian Koch, Director for International Studies, and Nicole Stracke, Researcher in the Security and Defense Program at the Gulf Research Center met with Holger Haibach, MdB, Member of the German Parliament and Chairman of the Working Group on Economic Cooperation and Development; Frank Spengler, Deputy Head of the Department for International Cooperation at the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation in Berlin, Germany; and Thomas Birringer, Regional Representative of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation in Abu Dhabi to discuss regional political and economic developments.
A 20-member delegation from the Indian National Defense College visited the Gulf Research Center to discuss developments in the Gulf region, including the security situation in Iraq after the US withdrawal, the Arab-Israeli peace process, and the Iranian nuclear program. The delegates engaged in extensive discussions with GRC Chairman Abdulaziz Sager, Dr. Mustafa Alani, Director of the Security & Defense Program, and Dr. Christian Koch, Director of International Relations.
A parliamentary delegation from the House of Representatives from New Zealand visited the GRC on Monday, September 20, 2010 to discuss developments in the Gulf and the changing international relations posture of the GCC states. The delegation was led by the Hon. Maryan Street, Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Trade for the Labour Party, Metiria Turei, Co-Leader of the Green Party and Craig Foss a Member of Parliament for the Tukituki National Party. Among others, the delegation was accompanied by Wayne Mikkelsen, Consul General and Trade Commissioner for New Zealand in Dubai. At the GRC, Dr. Christian Koch briefed the delegation and Dr. Mohammad Raouf provided an overview of the key environmental issues impacting development in the Gulf.
Alan Makovsky and Robert N. Marcus, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs and Aaron Nuutinen from the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi have visited the Gulf Research Center to meet Dr Mustafa Alani, Dr. Christian Koch and Nicole Stracke.
A delegation led by Lt. Gen. John R. Allen, Deputy Commander of the United States Central Command paid a courtesy visit to the Gulf Research Center on the 12th of May 2010. At the GRC, he was met by Dr. Mustafa Alani, Dr. Christian Koch and Nicole Stracke and engaged in wideranging discussions.
A delegation led by Dr. Jon Altermann, Director and Senior Fellow in the Middle East Program of the Center for International and Strategic Studies (CSIS) in Washington DC visited the GRC to discuss the current strategic enviornment in the Gulf region. In a lively discussion, most of the focus was on the implications of an Iranian nuclear program both for the external and internal security of the GCC states. Other topics included the outlook for the medium-term US presence in the region and the consequences of the global financial crisis on Dubai’s economic outlook. Briefing the delegation were Dr. Mustafa Alani, Senior Advisor and Director of the Security and Defense Program, Dr. Christian Koch, Director for International Studies and Nicole Stracke, Researcher in the Defense and Security Program.
