The Centre organised a Joint Symposium on 9–10 December 2013 on Security in the Arabian Gulf, in cooperation with the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research. Senior academics and policymakers from the UK, Europe, the United States, the Gulf region and also China and Russia exchanged views and analyses at the event hosted at ECSSR’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Dr Jamal Sanad Al-Suwaidi, ECSSR Director General, and the Centre’s Director gave keynote speeches during the opening session.
The Symposium addressed security in all its aspects – military, economic, environmental, social– and in the light of its national, regional and global dimensions. Participants identified future challenges for the region, including as a result of the continuing change and instability in a number of Arab countries, and also the opportunities to maximise its positive impact both regionally and internationally.