The Mirage of Neutral Energy
Neutrality is a technocratic myth. Engineers focus on grids and capacity; financiers on returns and risk. But in fragile territories, every contract is a political act. A solar farm in northern Syria, a transmission line to Lebanon, and a desalination plant in Gaza each signal which authority is respected. The recent repeal of Caesar Act sanctions opens up limited energy trade in Syria but also highlights the tension between humanitarian recovery and political approval. Sudan’s ASCENT initiative re-enters a fragmented landscape without resolving the question of legitimacy.
Conflict as Catalyst
From Destruction to Reallocation Conflict clears the slate. Ceasefires prompt reconstruction, not reconciliation, but reallocation. Recent U.S.–Saudi discussions depict Riyadh as more than just an oil stabilizer; it’s also a guarantor of peace-related investments. Washington’s effort to establish a Gulf-led corridor connecting Egypt, Jordan, and Israel aims to counter Chinese and Russian influence. For the Gulf, it’s both a responsibility and a form of leverage, turnin...
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