On April 11, 2026, Libya’s two rival governments approved the country’s first unified national budget since 2013, valued at nearly 190 billion Libyan dinars (approximately $30 billion). The agreement, sponsored by the United States through its envoy and Presidential Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos, was primarily a pact between Ibrahim Dbeibah, nephew of Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, and Saddam Haftar, son and presumed successor of the head of the eastern-based Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF), Khalifa Haftar. Ten countries, including… Continue reading Libya: Trapped Between Internal Impasse and International Interference

Key Takeaways Ten years after the Paris Agreement, climate diplomacy shifts from ambition-setting to delivery pressures: While successive COPs have expanded participation, transparency, and financing, the persistent gap between commitments and implementation has placed pressure on presenting measurable outcomes. COP30 marks a shift from norm-setting to implementation credibility: COP30 in Belém prioritized delivery of climate… Continue reading Ten Years After the Paris Agreement: Outcomes, Implications, and Strategic Pathways for the Gulf

On April 28, 2026, the United Arab Emirates announced it would end its 59-year membership in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) effective May 1, 2026. The UAE’s abrupt decision marks one of the most consequential shifts in global energy governance since Russia joined the OPEC+ coalition in 2016. While Emirati officials publicly framed the move as an economic decision designed to… Continue reading The UAE’s Exit from OPEC: When Politics and Oil Mix