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Problems of Succession in the GCC States

Khalaf, Abdulhadi LU (2005)
Abstract
The noted remarkable capacity of the Gulf ruling families to mobilise external and internal

sources of power seems to have reached its limits. Gulf rulers also seem aware that they have

lost the advantages associated with their special regional role throughout the Cold War era.

The geo-political context within which they have operated has altered throughout the 1990s.

Furthermore, decades of economic mismanagement, endemic corruption and wasteful

expenditure have greatly reduced the basis of their infrastructural powers. The effects of

fluctuating oil revenues have exasperated the financial woes of the Gulf monarchies and their

domestic and foreign debts.

This paper is... (More)
The noted remarkable capacity of the Gulf ruling families to mobilise external and internal

sources of power seems to have reached its limits. Gulf rulers also seem aware that they have

lost the advantages associated with their special regional role throughout the Cold War era.

The geo-political context within which they have operated has altered throughout the 1990s.

Furthermore, decades of economic mismanagement, endemic corruption and wasteful

expenditure have greatly reduced the basis of their infrastructural powers. The effects of

fluctuating oil revenues have exasperated the financial woes of the Gulf monarchies and their

domestic and foreign debts.

This paper is an attempt to put succession issues in the text of the emerging new order in the

Gulf region. It also considers how this evolving situation may become more precarious in

light of the unresolved succession issues in all the Gulf monarchies. Politically ambitious

members of domestic elite groups as well as disgruntled factions of each ruling family may

find in these developments new political opportunities to improve their political positions.

The ruling families of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are already experiencing pains of searching

for successors to their ageing monarchs. While Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE, and most of its

constituent Emirates, do not face immediate pressures of replacing their reigning monarchs,

they must grapple with other fallouts of succession problems and family feuds. And, finally,

there is Oman whose childless monarch, though relatively young, has yet to publicly name a

successor.

2005 – WS 13 – Khalaf 22 pages (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
keywords
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, GCC, Succession
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
57f88f08-86b9-4c32-95a7-3105c4cd4310 (old id 528635)
alternative location
http://www.iue.it/RSCAS/RestrictedPapers/conmed2005/13-200503-Khalaf.pdf
http://www2.soc.lu.se/~socakh/Succession.pdf
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 13:50:45
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:16:42
@misc{57f88f08-86b9-4c32-95a7-3105c4cd4310,
  abstract     = {{The noted remarkable capacity of the Gulf ruling families to mobilise external and internal<br/><br>
sources of power seems to have reached its limits. Gulf rulers also seem aware that they have<br/><br>
lost the advantages associated with their special regional role throughout the Cold War era.<br/><br>
The geo-political context within which they have operated has altered throughout the 1990s.<br/><br>
Furthermore, decades of economic mismanagement, endemic corruption and wasteful<br/><br>
expenditure have greatly reduced the basis of their infrastructural powers. The effects of<br/><br>
fluctuating oil revenues have exasperated the financial woes of the Gulf monarchies and their<br/><br>
domestic and foreign debts.<br/><br>
This paper is an attempt to put succession issues in the text of the emerging new order in the<br/><br>
Gulf region. It also considers how this evolving situation may become more precarious in<br/><br>
light of the unresolved succession issues in all the Gulf monarchies. Politically ambitious<br/><br>
members of domestic elite groups as well as disgruntled factions of each ruling family may<br/><br>
find in these developments new political opportunities to improve their political positions.<br/><br>
The ruling families of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are already experiencing pains of searching<br/><br>
for successors to their ageing monarchs. While Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE, and most of its<br/><br>
constituent Emirates, do not face immediate pressures of replacing their reigning monarchs,<br/><br>
they must grapple with other fallouts of succession problems and family feuds. And, finally,<br/><br>
there is Oman whose childless monarch, though relatively young, has yet to publicly name a<br/><br>
successor.<br/><br>
2005 – WS 13 – Khalaf 22 pages}},
  author       = {{Khalaf, Abdulhadi}},
  keywords     = {{UAE; Saudi Arabia; Qatar; Oman; Kuwait; Bahrain; GCC; Succession}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Problems of Succession in the GCC States}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/6218862/624428.pdf}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}