What This Section Is
This is the analytical core of Economic Vision 2030. Every piece published here is original long-form editorial — the kind of work that belongs in the Financial Times or The Economist, applied to two Gulf economies that rarely receive this calibre of independent scrutiny.
The coverage spans sovereign wealth strategy, fiscal sustainability, institutional competition, energy transition, financial centre rivalry, and the hard question of whether national vision documents translate into measurable economic outcomes. Each piece is written to be useful to fund managers, policy analysts, management consultants, and serious investors who need to understand how Abu Dhabi and Bahrain actually work — not how their governments say they work.
What This Section Is Not
This is not a collection of country profiles or investment brochures. There is no promotional language. No uncritical repetition of government talking points. When the data supports a positive conclusion, the analysis says so. When it does not, the analysis says that instead.
Abu Dhabi is not treated as the UAE. Bahrain is not treated as a Saudi dependency. Both economies are analysed on their own terms, with their own data, against their own stated objectives.
The Coverage
Abu Dhabi analysis covers the three sovereign wealth funds (ADIA, Mubadala, ADQ), ADNOC’s transformation under Sultan Al Jaber, the ADGM financial centre, the original 2030 Vision at its halfway point, and the institutional ecosystem that has emerged around the vision — much of which was never in the original document.
Bahrain analysis covers the kingdom’s fiscal crisis, its struggle to maintain relevance as a financial centre against better-capitalised competitors, the industrial base anchored by Alba, fintech regulation as competitive strategy, and the structural dependence on Saudi Arabia that defines the economy’s outer boundaries.
Cross-cutting themes include the ADGM-DIFC rivalry for Gulf financial supremacy, comparative sovereign wealth management, technology ecosystem development, nuclear energy, sustainability, and the cultural soft power strategies that signal long-term strategic ambition.
The Standard
Every piece in this section meets a consistent editorial standard: genuine analytical depth, proper sourcing, clear distinction between data and interpretation, and the intellectual honesty to say what the numbers actually show. Premium pieces are marked accordingly and represent the most intensive research and analysis on the platform.