WHAT WE DO
Israel-Palestine - Syria - Regional (MENA) - Iraq - Horn of Africa - AI
WHAT WE DO
Israel-Palestine - Syria - Regional (MENA) - Iraq - Horn of Africa - AI
“Peace through dialogue” is at the heart of The Shaikh Group's mission. In every country and region where we operate, the hopes and aspirations of people for peace, stability, and prosperity guide our efforts.
We collaborate closely with those most affected by conflict, aligning with their vision for peace and amplifying their initiatives. By leveraging our extensive international and regional networks, we work together to forge sustainable pathways to peace.
Israel-Palestine
Launched in 2024, TSG’s Israel-Palestine programme aims to include both relevant governments and local actors in constructive discussions to support peace-building and humanitarian efforts, as well as long-term solutions. Participants at our initial meetings have suggested that there is potential for consensus on a post-war phase in Gaza and the West Bank to be reached. In the context of the ongoing, devastating war in Gaza, TSG continues to place a high priority on this programme and is actively organising new dialogues involving both Palestinians and the international community.
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Regional Programme
Established in 2018, this programme engages both global and MENA regional powers to produce concrete points of advocacy on developing building blocks towards mutual security in the region. The Track II Global Powers Group, composed of senior former officials from the US, China, Russia, India and Europe, has worked with regional experts to develop detailed proposals to address maritime security in the Gulf. The Gulf Dialogue on Regional Economic Cooperation and Connectivity, which brings together experts, former officials, government advisors, and businesspeople from GCC member states, Iraq, and Iran, has explored avenues for greater economic connectivity and interdependence, with a particular focus on food security. TSG has convened symposiums and roundtables around this programme at a series of high-level conferences, including in Doha and Dubai.
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Horn of Africa
The Shaikh Group’s Horn of Africa programme is dedicated to advancing peacebuilding and fostering inclusive political dialogue across the region. By leveraging our expertise in Track 1.5 diplomacy, we aim to create spaces for informal discussions that bridge national, regional, and community-level actors. In Somalia, we are working to support political processes that underpin sustainable security transitions and inclusive governance frameworks. In Sudan, we are facilitating discreet dialogue to explore opportunities for de-escalation and pathways toward political stabilisation. Across the Horn of Africa, we are committed to integrating regional and emerging voices into peacebuilding efforts, ensuring that local perspectives contribute to shaping broader regional and international frameworks for conflict resolution.
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Syria Programme
TSG’s longest-running programme, this initiative began in 2015 by bringing together hundreds of influential Syrians from a variety of backgrounds to build relationships and trust, and develop elements for a sustainable political process and settlement. Since then, several other dialogues have been initiated, including an “Arab-Kurdish Track”, forums and workshops in northwest and northeast Syria, and the Northern Syrian Stabilisation Project, launched in 2022. TSG’s work has influenced and paved the way for peace talks, and directly contributed to concrete steps on de-escalation, internal reforms, and mitigating local tensions, while ensuring that the proposals and recommendations generated reach, and are given proper consideration by, key internal and regional decision-makers.
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Iraq Dialogue and Reform Initiative
The Iraq Initiative, which began in 2021, facilitated intra-elite and elite-citizen discussions at the local level in Basra, Mosul, Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, focused on addressing the root causes of conflict and instability in the country, and advancing tangible reforms where possible. Local working groups were established to bridge the divide between the political elites and local communities, including women and youth. The groups developed proposals for reform with buy-in from government officials on issues such as health reform, environmental management and youth unemployment. Results included funds raised to tackle the impact of climate, and changes in legislation to provide reparations to the victims of ISIS.
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“There’s a special kind of magic in the room when people realise how they can overcome their divergences- and what they can achieve together”
AI
Starting in July 2023, this project brings together AI industry leaders, academics and experts from the US and China to explore questions of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) safety, control and governance, and has fed directly into formal efforts involving the US, China and the UK. This dialogue initiated the first Track II dialogue process of its kind between leading, state-linked Chinese AI technologists and US industry leaders and experts. The outcomes of this dialogue have been shared at a senior policy level in the US and the UK, and contributed to preparations for the Global AI Summit in November 2023.
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