GCC Reading

Question 1

When was the GCC founded?

Answer 1

May 1981

Question 2

Who are the members of the GCC?

Answer 2

Bahrain
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates

Question 3

Who are the anti terror quartet?

Answer 3

Bahrain
Egypt
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates

Question 4

Why did the anti terror quartet move from formal to in formal measures against Qatar?

Answer 4

The lack of support from the US in isolating Qatar

Question 5

Where is GCC progress usually made?

Answer 5

On technocratic cooperation on apolitical issues

Question 6

What does khaleeji mean?

Answer 6

Gulf

Question 7

Is the GCC a military or political alliance?

Answer 7

No, it wields no authority in foreign policy nor in enforcing treaties

Question 8

What did the GCC countries sign shortly after the creation of the alliance?

Answer 8

A Unified Economic Agreement

Question 9

What did the 2014 imposition of a common external tariff of 5% lead to?

Answer 9

The creation of a Commission of Economic and Development affairs

Question 10

What are the structural challenges that the GCC faces?

Answer 10

Public sector dominance of labor markets=low cross-border mobility, low levels of internal trades within the GCC, persistence of different legal and regulatory frameworks

Question 11

Which flagship initiative did Saudi Arabia abandon in 2009?

Answer 11

The creation of a single currency and monetary union

Question 12

The GCC experiences an imbalance of power between the five member countries and….

Answer 12

Saudi Arabia

Question 13

Which measure did Kuwait and Oman lead in 2017 to reach a balance in regional affairs?

Answer 13

De-escalation of Iran-GCC tensions

Question 14

What is one of the main issues in the GCC relation with Qatar?

Answer 14

GCC had not been present in attempts to mediate and no channels have been opened for the resolution of the dispute

Question 15

Who formulated the 13 conditions for Qatar?

Answer 15

Kuwait

Question 16

What is one of the informal measures that the anti-terror quartet has made against Qatar?

Answer 16

Trying to name Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Thani the legitimate ruler of Qatar. By this they are meddling in domestic affairs of the country

Question 17

What is Qatar’s overriding lesson from the crisis?

Answer 17

To diversify its political, economic, and security relationships with regional and international partners

Question 18

What has the generational shift of GCC rulers generated?

Answer 18

They have less affinity with the GCC and will therefore create individual policies

Question 19

Which GCC members still represent the old generation of leaders?

Answer 19

Kuwait and Oman

Question 20

How would an informal divide of the GCC look like?

Answer 20

Inner core:Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and UAE

Outer grouping: Kuwait, Oman and Qatar

Question 21

Which countries closed their borders to Qatari peoples an goods?

Answer 21

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and UAE

Question 22

What is the Dolphin arrangement?

Answer 22

Natural gas from Qatar is transported to the UAE, and further to Oman

Question 23

Where will the Qatar standoff have the greatest impact?

Answer 23

On further economic integration

Question 24

Which effect does the standoff have on Qatar?

Answer 24

It is pushing Qatar away from the GCC and to further diversify its relations outside the organization

Question 25

Where should the attention lie for the future of the organization according to the author?

Answer 25

To focus on ways to rebuild mutual trust and confidence between governments and nationals of GCC states

Question 26

What should the US focus on, according to the author?

Answer 26

To unify its policy approach to use its influence in the region more strategically