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Donald Trump’s victory in the United States presidential race is an indication of the changing political trends in the world, particularly in the West. Many analysts had been of the view that following the outcome of the Brexit vote, the possibility of Trump becoming the president of the US could not be ruled out. The entire world was watching the presidential race and was awaiting its result. The US presidential election always receives this kind of response around the globe because of its superpower status and the impact of its policies on the world.
Trump’s electoral victory comes at a time when the Arab world is passing through a very rough patch. The entire region appears to be up in flames. The US policies have a direct and indirect impact on the region. It is time for the Arab world to brace for this change. If one goes by Trump’s election rhetoric, the US is all set to change its foreign policy. The Arab world should reduce its dependence on the United States. The US policies toward the region had already undergone drastic changes under the Obama administration. Now it seems that the US will try to further distance itself from the region. In such a scenario, the Arab leaders should expedite efforts to forge strategic alliances with other global powers.
Russia could play a huge role in ending some regional conflicts. The GCC countries could play a huge role in tipping the regional balance in their favor by offering Russia incentives to make investments in the region.
Today economic interests play a crucial role in global politics. We know that Iran has already played its cards tactfully and it is getting along with the major world powers very well.
The Arab world, particularly the GCC countries, should chalk out a comprehensive strategy to change the situation in their favor and trust me it is not impossible. Business is the key word and the Arab world and the GCC region has the potential to become an investment hub by introducing investor-friendly policies. — Amber Latif, Jeddah