Thesis advisor: Peter Krause / Why do smaller partners differ in the support that they provide to the foreign policy plans of a larger partner? Why have the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) governments differed in supporting the same United States (U.S.) policy plans? I argue that their actions stem from their status-seeking. My theory, deferential status competition, explains outcomes of support—and a lack thereof. I argue that a smaller partner varies in the degree of deference that it shows to a larger partner, owing to the strong-or-strained quality of their bilateral relations and its positive-or-negative assessment of a given policy plan. My theory assumes that deference yields status in the form of recognition from the larger partner; thus, smaller partners have a competitive incentive in their status community to provide support. Those smaller partners that are earlier and fuller supporters often gain reputational rewards that other, initially non-deferential peers may seek to gain by enhancing their levels of support. I evaluate my theory against two alternatives: levels of expectation from the larger partner and forms of societal preferences within the smaller partners. I use the qualitative methods of within-case process-tracing and interviews with numerous analysts, diplomats, and scholars to compare three core cases: Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait. I show that Qatar and the UAE are more status-oriented, and more competitive in their support to the U.S., than is Kuwait. My dissertation aims to contribute a timely evaluation of U.S.-Gulf relations amid systemic polarity shifts and to design a theory that explains the supportive dynamics of the U.S.’s asymmetric alignments in and beyond the Middle East. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Political Science.

Yes / The production of blue ammonia is considered an alternative fuel to reduce CO2 emissions in the ecosystem. Qatar aims to construct the world's largest blue ammonia plant, with an annual capacity of 1.2 million tons (MT), in the first quarter of 2026. Blue ammonia is produced by combining nitrogen with "blue" hydrogen from natural gas feedstocks, with carbon dioxide captured and stored safely. Blue Ammonia can be transported by conventional ships and utilized in power stations to produce low-carbon electricity and potential future applications in decarbonized industries. The new plant will be located in Mesaieed Industrial City (MIC) and operated by QAFCO as part of its integrated facilities. QAFCO is already a significant ammonia and urea producer worldwide, with an annual production capacity of 3.8 million MT of ammonia and 5.6 million MT of urea per annum. Furthermore, QAFCO is the largest producer of urea and ammonia at a single facility worldwide. Qatar Energy Renewable Solutions (QERS) will develop and manage integrated carbon capture and storage facilities to capture and sequester 1.5 MT of CO2 per year for the blue ammonia plant. QERS will also provide more than 35 MW of renewable electricity to the Ammonia-7 facility from its upcoming PV Solar Power Plant in MIC. This project is a step towards reducing the carbon intensity of energy products and is a crucial pillar of Qatar’s sustainability and energy transition strategy to align with Qatar’s 2030 National Vision.

No / This paper examines the issues and challenges faced by Qatar, a developing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country, when localising established professional skills development strategies used in developed countries. The paper is based on the synthesis of viewpoint formed through the collective practical experiences of the authors. The paper posits that Qatar, a nation that is striving to move from an economy heavily reliant on oil and gas and the skills and competencies of foreign professionals to one that is knowledge driven and managed by its own citizens, needs to consider several micro, macro and policy level implications for implementing a meaningful professional skills development agenda. The unique demographic context as well as value and belief systems that are influenced by the social-cultural environment play a significant role in influencing the implementation of any performance assessment and management and the development of professional skills in the country.

Thesis advisor: Philip G. Altbach / Thesis advisor: Karen D. Arnold / Over 200 international branch campuses (IBCs) currently exist globally and the number continues to rise (Lawton & Katsomitros, 2012). This study examines the strategy, structure, and motivation behind a single American IBC--Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ). Drawing from organizational theory and international higher education literature, this research reveals important considerations for institutions developing or currently operating IBCs. Findings stemmed from 27 in-depth qualitative interviews with faculty and administrators from the branch campus in Qatar, the main campus in Texas, and the host country sponsor. Multiple factors contributed to Texas A&M being poised and ready to accept the opportunity to open an international branch campus: an invitation from a host country sponsor willing to cover all expenses, existing international ambitions, and strong support from the central administration. The inception period leading up to the opening of the branch campus proved crucial for success. University administrators wisely developed buy-in among campus constituencies, negotiated important contract stipulations with the host country, ensured that the institution's existing structure could reasonably support such an endeavor, and assessed whether Qatar was a good fit. The early years of TAMUQ resembled a startup organization. The pioneering team of faculty and staff brought an entrepreneurial spirit necessary to build the institution, but they operated largely independent from the home campus in Texas. A later push for greater ties with the main campus was difficult but important for progress. Since TAMUQ is a derivative of the main campus, administrators had to consider the degree to which they would replicate and adapt various institutional elements. Academically, the curriculum is only modified slightly, but course content and pedagogy are adapted more heavily in response to the unique needs of the student population. Hiring faculty with experience teaching on the main campus is considered an important way to maintain quality, yet administrators consistently struggle to recruit faculty. Unlike other IBCs, TAMUQ has developed a robust research program through the financial support of the host country sponsor. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

Across six Chapters, this thesis examines the legal effects of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) on the employees, Board of Directors and shareholders of companies with the objective of gaining in-depth understanding of this area. The thesis then develops legal and practical solutions for the problems and negative effects associated with M&As, specifically regarding employees, Boards of Directors and shareholder companies involved in such operations. This research determines to answer the following question: How do mergers and acquisitions (M&As) affect employees, management and shareholders rights and obligations? And what the legal basis for transferring their rights and liabilities between companies involved in M&As? Despite the importance of M&As as a means of economic concentration and emergence in terms of major commercial or industrial projects, the laws of both the UAE and Qatar do not sufficiently address the issue of mergers or their goals and conditions. They also fail to regulate acquisitions or to otherwise specify when acquisitions become necessary for companies. Furthermore, the laws do not specify the rights of workers regarding their knowledge of or participation in M&As or developed adequate solutions for the negative impacts on companies workers in such processes. These laws do not provide the right for the Board of Directors of the transferor company to merge with the Board of Directors of the transferee company. Additionally, they also unsuccessfully address the minority shareholders right (those not interested in the merger) to exit the merged company and recover the value of their shares. Moreover, the UAE and Qatar have not developed appropriate solutions for the exchange of shares between companies involved in mergers in the case of dissimilarity between the actual values of the shares of both companies. This has notably led to jurisprudence and judiciary confusion between the concept of M&As, their legal nature and the legal basis or theory for the transfer of the rights and liabilities of employees, management and shareholders between companies involved in M&A operations. In accordance with legal texts, the above discussion, M&A legal theory and the theory of the agency contract between a company and its Board of Directors, the thesis argues that M&As should not lead to cutting labour contracts or negatively affect employee rights as long as corporate ventures remain in place and M&A operations do not lead to the liquidation of merged or acquired companies. Also, the thesis shows that a company is linked with its Board of Directors through a special form of agency contract, which justifies the transfer of the rights of the Board of Directors of the merged company with regards to the merging or new company management. The thesis also develops solutions and processes for the exchange of shares between merged companies when there are differences between the actual values of their shares, through the shareholders of the merged company buying shares from the merging company or by selling their shares to the merging company and recovering the value of their shares in cash. The study also recommends taking a set of procedural measures during M&As, modifying some of the relevant legal texts of the UAE and Qatar, which would mitigate the negative effects of mergers and acquisitions. Furthermore, this research suggests ways to improve such laws to reach the level of those of developed countries, in order to encourage mergers and acquisitions in the region.

L'évolution des activités économiques internationales depuis la fin de la deuxième guerre mondiale a eu pour conséquence l'évolution du droit du commerce international. L’objectif du Qatar est d’entrer pleinement dans la modernité du droit des investissements directs étrangers en offrant un cadre sûr aux détenteurs de capitaux. tout en conservant son identité culturelle et juridique. La volonté du Qatar de sortir de la dépendance aux hydrocarbures et de permettre à sa population de bénéficier des effets positifs des investissements est un défi majeur pour l’avenir du pays, particulièrement dans un contexte de fluctuations du prix du pétrole depuis 2014, passant de 100$ à 50$. La comparaison avec d’autres pays arabes nous permet de positionner plus précisément le Qatar sur l’échiquier mondial. Les politiques dédiées aux IDE au Qatar, en Égypte, en Tunisie et aux Émirats arabes unis montrent que l’accueil et le contrôle des flux de capitaux étrangers servent des objectifs différents. La mise en place d’un régime d’investissement très libéral et très favorable aux investisseurs étrangers en Égypte répond davantage à des conditions posées par les institutions internationales (le FMI) contre l’obtention de prêts ou de réduction de la dette. En Tunisie, malgré un engagement dans une importante politique de libéralisation et d’intégration à l'espace européen, l'économie ne s’est pas modernisée suffisamment et n’a pas réussi à opérer une transformation vers des activités à plus haute valeur ajoutée. Enfin, la comparaison avec les Émirats arabes unis est beaucoup plus pertinente car les deux pays ont des économies plus semblables et œuvrent au sein du Conseil de Coopération du Golfe. / The evolution of international economic activities since the end or the Second World War resulted in the development of international trade law. Qatar's objective is to fully integrate the modernity of foreign direct investment law by providing a secure framework for capital holders while maintaining its cultural and legal identity. Qatar's willingness to escape oil dependence and allow its people to benefit from the positive effects of investment is a major challenge for the country's future, especially in the lace of fluctuating oil prices since 2014, $ 100 to $ 50. Comparison with other Arab countries allows us to position Qatar more precisely on the world stage. FDI policies in Qatar. Egypt, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates show that the reception and control of foreign capital flows serve different purposes. The establishment of a very liberal investment regime that is very favorable to foreign investors in Egypt responds more to conditions imposed by international institutions (the IMF) against obtaining loans or reducing debt. In Tunisia, despite a commitment to an important policy of liberalization and integration into the European area, the economy has not modernized sufficiently and has foiled to transform into higher value-added activities. Finally, the comparison with the United Arab Emirates is much more relevant because the two countries have more similar economies and work within the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Une convention datée du 4 décembre 1990 régit les relations commerciales entre la France et la Qatar. Dans le cadre des relations bilatérales entre les États, les différents échanges commerciaux et les investissements entre les personnes privées et publiques sont encadrés par de nombreux textes et conventions. Ce cadre juridique doit instaurer un facteur essentiel : La confiance. Bien sûr, des mesures incitatives figurent également dans ces textes favorisant les investissements. La loyauté est le moteur de toute relation commerciale. Si elle devait être entachée cela conduirait immanquablement à une rupture du contrat. De surcroit, le droit permet-il des investissements sur la durée : la confrontation à des enjeux économiques et géostratégiques, qui peuvent surgir à tout moment, peuvent venir mettre à mal toute politique d'investissements engagée. Les investissements étrangers sont devenus un des facteurs-clé pour l'économie nationale tant pour la France que pour le Qatar. Pour ce dernier, le droit des investissements est en train de se développer, notamment pour ce qui est de la protection des investissements étrangers par la création d'un régime juridique adapté. L’État du Qatar a l'obligation de diversifier son économie et ses sources de financement limitées pour l'instant aux hydrocarbures. Cette obligation de diversification pousse les autorités qatariennes à développer rapidement un cadre juridique pour les investissements internationaux Dans ce domaine la France dispose, d'un arsenal juridique solide, et plus ancien que celui du Qatar. Il était donc intéressant de mener une étude comparée entre les deux systèmes juridiques : objet de cette thèse. / An agreement dated December 4, 1990 governs commercial relations between France and Qatar. In the context of bilateral relations between States, the various commercial exchanges and investments between private and public persons are framed by numerous texts and conventions. This legal framework must establish an essential factor : Trust. Of course, incentives are also included in these investment promotion texts. Loyalty is the driving force of any business relationship if it were to be tainted that would inevitably lead to a breach of contract. ln addition, the law allows investments over time : the confrontation with economic and geostrategic stakes, which can arise at any time, can come to undermine any committed investment policy. Foreign investment has become a key factor for the national economy for both France and Qatar. For the latter, investment law is developing, particularly with regard to the protection of foreign investment through the creation of an appropriate legal regime. The State of Qatar has an obligation to diversify its economy and its limited sources of financing for the moment to hydrocarbons. This obligation of diversification pushes the Qatari authorities to rapidly develop a legal framework for international investment ln this area France has a solid legal arsenal, and older than that of Qatar. It was therefore interesting to carry out a comparative study between the two legal systems : the subject of this thesis.

Depuis l’accession au pouvoir de l’Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani en 1995, le Qatar a considérablement évolué pour devenir un acteur incontournable dans la médiation internationale. Ce travail a pour objet d’étudier et d’analyser les évolutions de la politique étrangère qatarie depuis 1995, la nouvelle place de l’Émirat dans les relations internationales, ainsi qu’au sein des pays du Golfe. Il permet d’observer que le Qatar joue un rôle désormais prépondérant tant dans la médiation que dans les relations internationales / Since the arrival of the Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani to the power in 1995, Qatar has become a major player in international mediation. This thesis aims to study and analyze the evolution of Qatari foreign policy since 1995, the new position of the Emirate in international relations and within the Gulf region. It can be observed that Qatar plays now a new role in the mediation as well in the international relations

La politique étrangère de l’émirat du Qatar a suscité beaucoup d’interrogations depuis la prise de pouvoir du cheikh Hamad ben Khalifa Al Thani le 27 juin 1995. Omniprésentes depuis quelques années dans le débat public français notamment, les approches peinent cependant à formuler un cadre théorique général sous lequel appréhender la diplomatie de cet émirat. De ce constat naît une question simple : de quoi la politique étrangère du Qatar est-elle le nom ? Loin des clichés réducteurs où elle demeure le rêve d’un émir orgueilleux du Golfe, la diplomatie qatarie s’inscrit dans le contexte d’une politique étrangère d’un micro-État, d’inspiration réaliste, qui tente de conjurer un rapport de force défavorable en usant des caractéristiques du micro-étatisme et des transformations de l’environnement global afin d’optimiser ses ressources et surtout, d’instaurer un autre rapport de force. / Ever since the sheik Hamad ben Khalifa Al Thani seized power on June 27th, 1995, Qatar's foreign policy has sparked a lot of questionning. Although Qatar's policies have been commented extensively, especially in the french public debate, the various approaches on this matter have failed to formulate a general theoretical framework through which Qatar's diplomacy could be apprehended. A simple question arises from this observation : what truly lies behind Qatar's foreign policy ? Far from the carricatures depicting it as the grand dream of a vainglorious emir from the Gulf, we intend to show that Qatar's diplomacy can only be understood in the larger context of a realistic micro-state foreign policy that aims at warding off an unfavorable balance of power by using both the characteristics of micro-statism and changes in the global environment, in order to optimize its resources and ultimately, establish a different balance of power.

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