Saudi Arabian Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Conservatism or Change?

12:30, 29 Jan 2008
RUSI, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET

Link to map: multimap

About the event:

The importance of Saudi Arabia’s role in the Middle East needs no explanation. In recent years, the Kingdom has pursued a number of ambitious foreign policy initiatives, thus attracting significant international attention for its increasing engagement in the affairs of the Middle East region.

Coming at the same time as the Kingdom is enjoying a buoyant economic position and improved domestic security, this is raising hopes that the Kingdom can fill the Arab leadership vacuum and help mould Middle East change.

Dr Neil Partrick will assess how realistic these expectations are, what the extent of Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy making capacity is, and what would enable the Kingdom to take bolder steps.

Dr Partrick is based in Dubai where he is the International Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst (Gulf states). He will be speaking in a personal capacity.

About the Speaker

Dr Neil Partrick is currently based in Dubai as the International Crisis Group’s Senior Gulf states analyst. From 2002-07, Neil was a senior analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in London where he worked on Iraq, Iran, the Gulf Arab states and the Palestinian Territories.

Dr Partrick headed the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London from 1998-2002 and has been a RUSI Associate Fellow ever since. He was a researcher at the British parliament from 1995-98, and prior to this spent two years working in Jerusalem as an editor and researcher with Panorama, a Palestinian research centre. Dr Partrick holds a PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics. His thesis topic was Kuwaiti foreign policy.

This event is open to RUSI Members only. Spaces are limited. To become a member, please click here.

Dr Partrick will speak from 13:00 – 14:00. A sandwich lunch will be served from 12:30 – 13:00. To register for this event, please contact Jennifer Walker at jenniferw@rusi.org

Event manager: Jennifer Walker, +44(0) 20 7747 2615

Event manager: Jennifer Walker, +44 (0)20 7747 2643