The Gulf Cooperation Council as an Emerging Global Digital Corridor: Geo-Economic and Geopolitical Recalibration through Tech Connectivity

The GCC countries have accelerated their shift from energy-centric to digital economies through significant investments in digital infrastructure, fintech and regulatory frameworks. This regional recalibration will have long-standing global implications, particularly as countries push towards increased digital connectivity, wherein, the location of the GCC states would serve as a vital lynchpin in linking Europe to South and East Asia. The article examines the GCC’s growing role in techological governance, data infrastructure and analysis, arguing that this digital turn should be viewed as a step towards economic diversification and geo-economic and geopolitical reconfiguration through data connectivity, data management, and technological innovation.Using the geo-economic framework, the article embeds the emerging GCC digital corridor within the IMEC , and highlights the digital connectivity aspect. From the techno-geopolitical perspective, the intermediary positioning of the GCC in East-West connectivity provides it a nuanced hedging strategy to select partners and reinforce its strategic autonomy .