Navigating the Landscape of Esports and Gaming in Saudi Arabia

There is little doubt that Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 national development plan is a landmark initiative that will propel the Kingdom to a new era of socioeconomic development. Not only does this ambitious strategy seek to reduce the state’s dependence on oil revenues and create more jobs. Policy and decision makers in Riyadh are focusing on the potential of a creative economy that stimulates innovation and entrepreneurship that will drive economic growth in non-oil sectors. To this end, Vision 2030 emphasizes the importance of cultivating a vibrant and diverse cultural landscape that involves breaking down traditional barriers and fostering a more inclusive environment that will attract global talent, investments, and tourists, and enhance the quality of the life of its citizens. Therefore, by investing in the entertainment sector, such as encouraging concerts, film festivals, and other events, Saudi Arabia aims to grow a thriving cultural scene that resonates with both domestic and international audiences.

Saudi Arabia as a Regional and Global Esports Hub

Vision 2030’s emphasis on entertainment and cultural development also intersects with the growth of esports. Esports is not only viewed as a recreational activity, but as a viable avenue for cultural expression and economic growth. Saudi Arabia’s forays into the gaming world reflect an understanding of the global impact of esports, and the potential for the Kingdom to become a regional hub for gaming and esports innovation. HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud said of the gaming industry: “We are harnessing the untapped potential across the esports and games sector to diversify our economy, drive innovation in the sector, and further scale the entertainment and esports competition offerings across the Kingdom.”

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Keynote Remarks at the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations 40th Anniversary Commemoration

Keynote speech by HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud delivered at the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ 40th Anniversary Commemoration on November 16, 2023, in Washington, D.C.


بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honor to be here with you this evening and join you in the celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the National Council on US Arab Relations. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Doctor John Duke Anthony who had the vision to establish this great institution and the wisdom to guide the Council through these many decades.

John, you have made an indelible mark on the world through your visionary leadership and unwavering commitment. It is with great admiration and respect that we celebrate your achievements this evening.

When we think of pioneers, we think of individuals who possess the ability to see beyond the present, to imagine a brighter future, and to take bold steps towards making that vision a reality.

John, you embody all these qualities and more. Through your perseverance and determination, you created an organization that has become a bridge of understanding, a center of knowledge, and a symbol of the power of constructive dialogue.

But beyond your accomplishments, you have always remained humble, recognizing the contributions of others and acknowledging that true success is a collective achievement.

You have shown us that one person can make a difference, that a small spark of inspiration can create a stronger, more enduring relationship between the United States and its Arab partners.

And your legacy will continue under the leadership of Delano Roosevelt.

Delano, the mission and values of this organization are literally written into your DNA. I am confident that with you at the helm, the Council will continue to thrive and grow. Its influence will expand. And you will lead the Council to new heights. I wish God’s blessings upon you, Delano, and great success in building the future of the Council.

My remarks this evening may be remarkable for just one thing. Most everything I say to you tonight will be something that you have probably heard before.

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Remarks on Oman to the 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

Remarks on Oman by Ambassador (Ret.) Dr. Richard Schmierer delivered at the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference on November 3, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

I am pleased to have been invited by the National Council to contribute to this session on the Sultanate of Oman and am honored to follow two such impressive and accomplished Omani speakers. I had the privilege of serving as the U.S. ambassador to the Sultanate from 2009 through 2012, a period during which Oman played a pivotal role in support of key U.S. policy pursuits.

Oman is, in many respects, a unique country, and has been particularly fortunate in the leadership it has enjoyed over the past several decades. The almost 50-year rule of the late Sultan Qaboos must be seen as one of the most remarkable periods of governance in the modern era. During his reign Sultan Qaboos transformed a closed, almost entirely undeveloped society – little education, little medical care, little infrastructure – into a modern, stable, and prosperous nation. During my time as ambassador in Oman, in 2010, the UN Development Programme published a list of the countries of the world that had made the most development progress in the preceding 40 years. Oman was listed first; China was second.

Oman’s unique aspects are, in many cases, its strengths. It is the most ethnically diverse Arab country, deriving from its history as an Indian Ocean maritime empire, with outposts and trading partners from present day Iran, to Pakistan, to the East African coast. This gives Oman and its leaders an appreciation of the value of openness and diversity.

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Keynote Remarks to the 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

Keynote speech by HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud delivered at the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference on November 3, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

The esteemed Foreign Affairs Magazine has accurately described our time in its special centennial issue of September/October 2022 by: ” The age of Uncertainty”. Indeed, our world is in a state of uncertainty and therefore in a state of strategic vacuum and strategic confusion. Such international strategic confusion is caused by the conduct, policies, and hypocrisy of great powers at the helm of the supposedly Rule-Based International Order. The relative world peace and security that the world “enjoyed” since the end of the second World War, multilateralism, interdependent world economy, globalism, and human achievements during peace time are all seriously threatened by this state of uncertainty. Our world is by its nature a multipolar world as reflected in structuring the UN Security Council veto power. However, bipolar and unipolar worlds were reflections of the balance of power in all aspects of power at the time. Our world today is not the world of 1945, therefore, thinking of a new approach, free of the mentality of the Cold War, is needed to manage our transforming multipolar world in an orderly and peaceful fashion to escape what Graham Allison calls: “Thucydides’s Trap” in his book: “Destined for War” discussing the future of America and China relations.

I, as many in this world, have been, for many years, calling for the need to reform the UN System, particularly, restructuring the UN Security council to reflect the aspirations of the world community and to express the structural changes transforming our world. Many reform initiatives were presented and all calls for reforming the UN Security council to be fair, inclusive, and equitable fell on deaf ears of the five permanent members. For the first time, many world leaders, including President Biden in his latest speech at the UN General Assembly called for such reform. This call does reflect a change in mind by the United States to save what is regarded as a liberal rule-based international order. This “Liberal Order” cannot be sustained as liberal if it is not fair, inclusive, equitable and reflective of our international reality. Continued uncertainty is leading to uncertain behavior by irresponsible powers and leaders that may lead to catastrophic consequences.

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Kuwait’s Multilateral Approach to Syria

Introduction By Dr. John Duke Anthony

In pursuit of its educational mission, the National Council works to serve as an information clearinghouse. It is in this spirit that it provides the following essay. It does so as a public service. The author, Giorgio Cafiero, is the Founder and CEO of Gulf State Analytics. Mr. Cafiero is a keen observer and analyst of matters pertaining to the Arab region, the Middle East, and the Islamic world.

This particular essay has to do with two countries with which the National Council has long been associated, namely Kuwait and Syria. From the onset of the 1990-1991 Kuwait Crisis, when its vastly larger and more heavily armed northern neighbor smashed to smithereens Kuwait’s national sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity, no U.S. non-governmental organization was more closely associated with America’s nationwide Free Kuwait Campaign than the Council.

The National Council’s leadership was on the first civilian aircraft to land in Kuwait upon its liberation. In addition, each month following the restoration of its security, the Council organized and led delegations of American leaders to Kuwait to see for themselves the immense damage inflicted upon the country’s infrastructure, economy, and people.

Syria, an eastern Mediterranean country, is vastly different. It is the home of cultures and civilizations that birthed the internationally more renowned Greco-Roman civilizations. Its Christian, Jewish, and Muslim roots are, arguably, deeper, vaster, and more diverse than any other country. Its links to Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, and Jordan, and the water and agriculturally rich Golan Province that Israel has illegally occupied since 1967, have long rendered it inextricably intertwined with the region’s geopolitics.

To no other Arab country has the National Council organized and escorted more delegations of American Congressional, academic, and student leaders – approximately 400 all totaled – than Syria. Each has returned enamored with the extraordinary richness of the country’s culture, its contributions to world civilizations, and the enormous importance which more than a million Americans of Syrian ancestry attach to their ancestral homeland.

As should be clear from anyone who reads the mainstream media, few countries are at once as important to the United States, the region in which they are situated, and the world beyond, or as little understood, as Kuwait and Syria. As is clear from what Mr. Cafiero has to say about Kuwait’s policies and positions regarding Syria, he does not shy away from addressing some of the more complex and controversial issues of the day as they pertain to both countries.

John Duke Anthony, PhD
Founding President & CEO
National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations

KUWAIT’S MULTILATERAL APPROACH TO SYRIA

By Giorgio Cafiero

Almost 12 years after the Arab Spring erupted in Syria, sensitive questions surrounding the (il)legitimacy of President Bashar al-Assad and his regime divide Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Oman favor bringing Syria back into the Arab League, and shoring up regional and international support for Damascus. However, as the GCC states most supportive of regime change at earlier stages of the Syrian crisis, Qatar and Saudi Arabia remain opposed to any moves aimed at rehabilitating Assad.

It is worth asking where Kuwait stands on this issue. Like most GCC states, Kuwait’s relationship with Syria quickly deteriorated after Syria’s Arab Spring protests picked up and the Assad regime resorted to lethal violence to crush the uprising. In December 2012, Kuwait closed its embassy in Damascus. During the previous year, Kuwait was the sole GCC state which refused to criminalize terrorist finance, resulting in the Gulf country becoming a hub for Kuwaitis and non-Kuwaitis to send donations to armed groups fighting Assad’s government.

Nonetheless, by 2014 there was a restoration of diplomatic ties at the chargés d’affaires level and Kuwait opened consular services for the 140,000 Syrians living in the Gulf country. In 2019, bilateral relations partially thawed. Still, there has yet to be a full rapprochement between the two Arab governments.

It is important to take stock of the history of Kuwaiti-Syrian relations, which were particularly warm in the 1990-2011 period. Of all GCC states, Kuwait was perhaps closest to Syria throughout the two decades preceding the Arab Spring.

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