Qatar Should Lead the Gulf Region - Case Study Example

Name Course Instructor Date Qatar Should Lead the Gulf Region The gulf region comprises of six states namely Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The Arab Gulf States have improved in several of ways and this is evidenced in their enhanced political stability and maturity. Furthermore their socio economic status has improved as compared to their relationships with other countries. For decades the Arab gulf has been undermined in the past due to its political inadequacies and instability. The existent and constant regional tensions had made the Arab gulf exceptionally vulnerable. Political support and security from other stronger governments have been needed to provide stability (Cammett, Melani 2015). The current situation however portrays a strong and prosperous region with ideologies that are moderate and an ambition to achieve an economy that is fully incremented. Qatar, one of the states in the Arab gulf has successfully developed in terms of its committed national leadership, mutual relationships with international organizations and excellent management of its carbon resources. The state has strategically positioned itself politically to gain regional and international attention that may result to it being the leader of the Arab Gulf states. Qatar should thus be the leader of the gulf region based on the following: first, Qatar has enough and the highest political maturity in the region due to its continuous efforts of diplomacy and humanitarian aid among the countries, second, Qatar has the best management of energy resources and could apply this strategy in managing the rest of the resources in the gulf region. Thirdly, Qatar has a disciplined and well followed culture that would improve the coexistence of states in the region if aped. Qatar’s Political Strength Fromherz and Allen (2012) state that, “the current political issues in Qatar basically root from the past where there was the discovery of energy resources in the region”. Based on my opinion, the political struggle was as a result of the strife for political independence from the West who had taken into governing the lands mainly because of their energy resources. International security concerns have placed both Qatar and the Gulf region under global scrutiny. Qatar has been intricately involved in the conflicts of the Arab region and its chief role is usually mediator or the provider of humanitarian aid. As a result of this, the country has created for itself a profile consequent of years of providing perceptive public diplomacy which supports a foreign policy that is expansive. The foreign policy implemented by Qatar has assisted its regional and international image (Hajjar, David P 2014). This neutrality has given Qatar the credibility of being a mature country within the Arab Gulf States. In the process of acting as a mediator and providing humanitarian aid needed in conflicting countries. Qatar’s Social Strength According to Richer and Renee (2015), “.the government of Qatar aggressively promotes human development through meeting the needs of the current generation in ways that do not compromise the future generation”. My opinion is that Qatari nation has greatly supported active labor from both genders and has come a long way in finally accepting women to participate in the labor industry. The social development policy of Qatar is focused on family cohesion, empowerment of the female gender, protection of the society, public safety and security and promotion of the region’s culture and sports (Callen, David 2015). The strong identification of Qatar with the Arabic culture and Islamic religion has helped to promote a strong social culture where personal responsibility is insisted upon, traditional values are appreciated and bonds between families preserved. The state of Qatar ensures protection of its citizens and it currently has the lowest crime rate in the world. Cultural exchanges and protection of heritage sites assist the citizens to continuously practice their culture. Qatar’s Economic Performance Milenkovic and Nemanja (2014) stated that, “Qatar has had a remarkable economic ascent which is mainly attributed to its hydrocarbon industry”. The GDP growth of the country has been exceptional, averaging at 15.9 % annually from the year 2011. The GDP per capita of Qatar was ranked first in the year 2010 (Milenkovic, Nemanja 2014). The country is very competitive in terms of business and has an open economic policy that supports investment. The chief reason behind Qatar’s economic success is the hydrocarbon industry that is the leading investment in the country. Qatar has the ability to invest in large infrastructure projects and diversify its economic capabilities to more sectors in the manufacturing and service industries (Callen, Mr Tim 2014). Despite the inefficient use of resources in Qatar, there are strategies in place which when implemented will improve the delivery process and reduce the waste on resources. Conclusion Qatar has presented an undeniable image as an outpost that is stable and prosperous despite the conflicts going on around it (Reveron, Derek 2014). Qatar possesses the capability of implementing its plans as see from the confidence it portrays in mediating in conflicts in the Arab society. The country has promoted positive political change in the gulf region that has seen policies made to seek solutions to problems affecting the Arab community. Qatar’s growing reputation as mediator has made it the ideal diplomat in the region. Consequently, this further approves Qatar as a worthy leader for the gulf community. With its strong culture and adherent nature to their religion, the Qatari society is a disciplined community that focuses on ingraining responsibility from the individual to the state. This is a powerful attribute for a potential leader for the region where culture is bound to be preserved thus nationals get to live within their cultural freedom. The result of this will be lessened tension and conflict in the Arab Gulf States. The economic performance of Qatar is exemplary. Its energy infrastructure and exploitation of the states massive resources have resulted to an unparallel accumulation of wealth making Qatar among the richest countries in the globe. With such an outstanding profile, Qatar possesses the intelligence, resource and capability to rule the gulf region. Work cited Callen, David J. "The Diversification of (In) Security in 21st Century UAE and Qatar: Cultivating Capital, Interdependence and Uncertainty." (2015). Callen, Mr Tim, et al. Economic Diversification in the GCC: Past, Present, and Future. International Monetary Fund, 2014. Cammett, Melani, et al. A Political Economy of the Middle East. Westview Press, 2015. Fromherz, Allen J. Qatar: A modern history. Georgetown University Press, 2012. Hajjar, David P., et al. "Prospects for Policy Advances in Science and Technology in the Gulf Arab States: The Role for International Partnerships."International Journal of Higher Education 3.3 (2014): p45. Milenkovic, Nemanja, et al. "A multivariate approach in measuring socio-economic development of MENA countries." Economic Modelling 38 (2014): 604-608. Reveron, Derek S., Nikolas K. Gvosdev, and Mackubin Thomas Owens. US Foreign Policy and Defense Strategy: The Evolution of an Incidental Superpower. Georgetown University Press, 2014. Richer, Renee A. "Sustainable development in Qatar: Challenges and opportunities." QScience Connect (2015): 22. Read More