​Gulf weekly: Khashoggi trial concludes, Divided Zone oil restart is agreed

GULF COUNTRIES - Report 27 Dec 2019 by Rory Fyfe and Justin Alexander

The weekly is a skimmable summary of key developments by country, overlaid with our analysis and links to further information. As of today, we are shifting to a Friday publication schedule in an effort to provide swifter coverage than our previous Sunday schedule. Headlines include:

* The trial of Khashoggi’s killers was seen as inadequate, due to the lack of high-level accountability.

* As expected, a deal was signed to restart production in the 0.5m b/d Saudi/Kuwaiti Divided Zone ​(within OPEC quotas).

* Significantly, this also included an agreement to develop the shared ​Dorra​​ gasfield​.

* A UAE VoIP app attracted controversy due to its use as an apparent government surveillance tool.

* Qatar advanced a law on countering terrorism financing that could help ease the Gulf dispute.

* Oman sold $0.5bn in local 10-year bonds at 5.55%.

* Concerns about ​Qaboos's​ health intensified, but with new, more solid information.

* Turmoil persisted in Iraq (the president threatened to resign), Libya (Turkey to deploy troops), Algeria (the army chief died) and Lebanon (the BdL governor fretted about the pound).

Now read on...

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