Following the panel, Young recalled how panelist Brad Feld talked about the seven kinds of capital that are essential for building a startup community and ecosystem for growth: "Finance is just one kind of capital—the investment in infrastructure (whether digital or actual physical co-working space), intellectual capital, network capital, cultural, and human capital are all just as important. And for that reason, there are multiple ways for governments and people with resources to intervene and make start-up communities thrive, wherever they may be globally.” US foreign policy in a post-COVID-19 world must attend to the varying capital needs of competitors to protect our interests and allies. This begs the question: What are the silver linings for US innovation and investment wrought by this pandemic? Moreover, how can we capitalize on these to secure America's socioeconomic future? Rewatch the webinar here.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced a major Cabinet reshuffle on Sunday as the Gulf country grapples with a slow economic growth amid the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices. UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the move aimed to create a “government that is faster in decision-making and is more up to date with changes.” A new Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology was created and Sultan al-Jaber, head of Abu Dhabi's National Oil Company, was appointed as its head. Meanwhile, the Ministries of Energy and Infrastructure were merged. The International Monetary Fund forecasts the economy in the oil-dependent country will contract by 3.5% in 2020. The Emirates ended its virus-related curfew late last month and allowed many businesses to reopen.
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By Gil Barndollar, RealClearDefense: "Saudi Arabia’s problem with America, unpopularity aside, is twofold. Saudi Arabia’s oil is less important than it used to be, while the Kingdom’s military weakness makes it a clear security liability."
By Dr. Edy Cohen, May 1, 2020
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The quality of healthcare systems in the Arab world varies from country to country. Egypt and Sudan are considered to have the worst, while the UAE and Saudi Arabia are seen as having the most advanced. Whether their domestic health services are high quality or not, many Arab leaders and members of the elites routinely address their personal health needs outside the region, usually going to Western countries for the purpose. The health status of Arab leaders is treated as a closely guarded secret.
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Trump told the Saudi Crown Prince that US troops would leave Saudi Arabia if OPEC did not cut production, according to a new report.
Ahead of the prospect of a high budget deficit in 2020, assets held by the State General Reserve Fund (SGRF) plunged by about a third to $14.3 billion.
Varsha Koduvayur | Senior Research Analyst