Nayef Al-Nabet

Nonresident Fellow

Bio

Nayef Al-Nabet is a nonresident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He specializes in artificial intelligence governance, small-state agency, and emerging international norms, with a particular focus on the Gulf region and the political implications of technological transformation. His work examines how smaller states navigate complex geopolitical environments and contribute to evolving regulatory debates and global governance frameworks related to emerging technologies and international policy. His research also covers Gulf geopolitics, regional diplomacy, strategic restraint, and the political dimensions of technological change in the Middle East.

Previously, Al-Nabet served at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) in New York, where he contributed to multilateral policy processes, intergovernmental coordination, and sustainable development negotiations, supporting international platforms involving member states and United Nations institutions.
He holds a master’s degree in Diplomacy and International Affairs from Georgetown University in Qatar, a master’s degree in Project Management with Risk Management from the University of Portsmouth, and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Security from Cardiff University. He is also a member of the International Law Association Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Technology Law.

Research Areas

  • Artificial Intelligence Governance
  • Gulf Politics and Regional Affairs
  • Small-State Agency in International Affairs
  • Global Norms and Emerging Technologies

Countries of Focus

  • Qatar
  • GCC States
  • Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

Other Areas of Interest

  • Digital Sovereignty
  • International Law
  • Strategic Affairs

Education

  • Executive Master’s in Diplomacy and International Affairs, Georgetown University in Qatar, 2022
  • MSc in Project Management with Risk Management, University of Portsmouth, 2020
  • BSc in Computer Security, Cardiff University, 2017

Articles

Missiles may dominate headlines, but the deeper challenge for Gulf states lies in the economic and strategic disruption the conflict is imposing on their model of regional stability. 
Nayef Al-Nabet