The Gulf Cooperation Council: Forty-Two Years of Achieving Regional Balance
On May 25, 2025, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) marked the 42nd anniversary of its founding on May 20, 1981. This regional organization was born amid intense regional circumstances that posed serious security challenges to the Gulf states—starting with the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the eruption of the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988), and the intensifying Cold War, […]
Chairman of Derasat: Continuing to strengthen pioneering research programs
Derasat Chairman: Advancing research and initiatives that foster knowledge and institutional integration Ask ChatGPT His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (Derasat), affirmed the Center’s continued implementation of its pioneering programs, […]
Derasat Seminar Marks First Anniversary of the Bahrain-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
The Bahrain Center for Strategic, International, and Energy Studies (Derasat) organized a seminar to mark the first anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the People’s Republic of China. The event was attended by H.E. Mr. Ni Ruchi, China’s Ambassador to Bahrain, held at Derasat’s headquarters in celebration of this […]
Drones are rewriting the Gulf’s defense doctrine
Gulf countries have long been reliant on complex, and expensive, air defense systems. But drone warfare — cheap, precise, expendable — is forcing a fundamental rethink and the region may benefit from a change in calculus. In short, they can deter through offense, not defense. All militaries have finite resources that they must allocate between […]
What comes after the lifting of sanctions on Syria?
There is no doubt that the successive decisions by major powers and international organizations to lift sanctions on Syria represent a significant step within the broader transformations the country is undergoing in this new era. These began with the UK’s decision in April 2025 to unfreeze assets linked to the Syrian Ministries of Defense and […]
The Strategic Importance of the Gulf–US Summit
On May 14, 2025, as part of his Gulf tour that included Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, US President Donald Trump met with the leaders and representatives of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, along with the Secretary-General of the GCC, at the Gulf–US Summit held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. […]
Why are the Gulf, Arab, and Central Asian countries seeking to strengthen relations between the two regions?
In preparation for the GCC–Central Asia Summit scheduled to be held in Uzbekistan in May 2025, the question naturally arises: What are these countries aiming to achieve by strengthening relations between the two regions? And what opportunities are available? The upcoming summit represents the second meeting between the two sides, following the first one held […]
An analysis of the dimensions of President Trump’s visit to the Gulf region
U.S. President Donald Trump intends to visit the Arabian Gulf region from May 13–16, 2025. The visit will include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. As is customary before any high-level visit, the global media has circulated several statements, the most notable being President Trump’s assertion that the visit “will include broader economic understandings with […]
Researcher Tasneem Abdulla’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Forum for Political Parties and Think Tanks
Ask ChatGPT Researcher Tasneem Abdullah’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Forum for Political Parties and Think Tanks. Ask ChatGPT Tasneem Abdullah Issa, a researcher at the Derasat Center representing the Studies and Research Department, participated in the Forum of Political Parties and Think Tanks organized by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The forum took […]
Executive Director of “Derasat” Center Participates in the 1st Think Tanks Forum
The Executive Director of the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International, and Energy Studies “Derasat” Mr. Abdulla Mohammed Alahmed ,participated in the first Think Tanks Forum, organized under the title “Enhancing Strategic Partnership between Central Asia and the GCC: From Historical Connectivity to Comprehensive Cooperation,” held in the Uzbek capital Tashkent, jointly organized by the Institute […]
