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.