Analysis: China's historical neutrality in conflicts between Riyadh and Tehran has put it in a strategic position as a mediator, as Beijing continues to assert a more active role in the region.
Analysis: Russia's inroads into Africa serve to counterbalance threats to its influence on the international stage, with Sudan Moscow's most significant foothold.
Analysis: The far-right politician's latest anti-Muslim stunt has heightened a geopolitical drama with Turkey over Sweden and Finland's NATO membership.
Analysis: Public tensions between Washington and Riyadh soared after OPEC+ oil production cuts last year but the White House has since refrained from any punitive measures.
Analysis: The recent deepening of diplomatic relations between Baku and Tel Aviv unfolded against the backdrop of worsening friction between Azerbaijan and Iran.
Analysis: Irrespective of how tensions over Iran's nuclear program and foreign policy play out in 2023, Muscat will continue balancing its relationships with regional actors while seeking to promote greater stability in the Middle East.
Analysis: In 2022, Gulf states increased their influence on the global stage. While regional bridge-building looks set to continue, critical issues such as Iran, the Abraham Accords, Yemen, and the Ukraine war will also dominate the year ahead.
Analysis: With Turkish and Iranian violations of Iraq's sovereignty, and suspicion from Gulf states towards the country's new prime minister, domestic instability looks set to continue in 2023.
Analysis: Israel's new political reality could slow, but is unlikely to reverse, normalisation agreements, despite their unpopularity with Arab publics.
Analysis: Algeria has focused on ways of increasing its geo-economic importance to the West without antagonising Russia, believing that continued non-alignment serves Algeria's national interests.