Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore\u2019s Middle East Institute<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n July 10, 17:30-19:00<\/p>\n Waseda University Building 3, Room 405<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When Singapore\u2019s former Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong attended the Jeddah Economic Forum in 2005, he outlined the \u201copportunities for economic cooperation\u201d with Middle Eastern countries, given the region\u2019s \u201cvast potential\u201d. Singapore\u2019s ties \u2014 at that time \u2014 with Saudi Arabia, were limited, although the kingdom was the city-state\u2019s largest trading partner in the Middle East. Twenty years on, it is Riyadh\u2019s neighbour, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), that is Singapore\u2019s largest trading partner in the Middle East. On the bilateral level, Singapore\u2019s relations with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have grown steadily since the signing of a free trade agreement in 2013.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Although the Gulf Arab states have increasingly shifted into focus in terms of Singapore\u2019s interests in the Middle East, the foreign policy purview of small Southeast Asian state goes beyond mere economics. The ongoing war-ridden situation in Gaza and conflicts in other parts of the region are regarded as having social implications for Singapore\u2019s public order. Likewise, the blockade of Qatar (2017-21) by the quartet of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt, was hotly debated in Singapore. These examples signify a form of defensive approach to the region and equally mirror Singapore\u2019s staunch support of a rules-based international order. This presentation will address the above themes and more.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Speaker bio:<\/p>\n Dr Clemens Chay is a research fellow at the National University of Singapore\u2019s Middle East Institute (MEI). His research focuses on the domestic and geopolitical affairs of the Gulf states. At MEI he spearheads a public education series entitled \u201cBridging the Gulf\u201d. His commentaries also feature across different outlets, including ISPI, KFCRIS, and AGSIW. He is currently working on a book project related to Kuwait\u2019s diwaniyas (more widely known as majalis outside Kuwait), the reception rooms for informal meetings that have implications for society, politics, and diplomacy. Prior to joining MEI, Dr Chay was the Al-Sabah fellow at Durham University, where he taught and completed his PhD in Middle Eastern and Islamic studies, and where he also received an MSc in defence, development and diplomacy. He is also a Sciences Po Paris alumnus, having read his BA at the Menton campus.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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