EU-Gulf energy and migration alliances deepen neocolonial dependencies, obscuring systemic instability drivers

Indigenous Gulf communities, such as the Huwala in the UAE and Oman, have long practiced sustainable water management and communal governance, yet these systems are erased in favor of state-centric security narratives. The *falaj* irrigation systems, UNESCO-recognized for their ecological harmony, contrast sharply with the EU-Gulf alliance’s reliance on energy-intensive desalination and fossil fuels. These traditional practices offer alternatives to the militarized securitization of resources, but are systematically marginalized in policy discussions.

The EU-Gulf security alliance echoes colonial-era resource extraction, where European powers historically extracted wealth from the region while imposing artificial borders and authoritarian regimes. The 19th-century British dominance in the Gulf set precedents for modern energy and arms deals, perpetuating a cycle of dependency and instability. The 1970s oil crises and subsequent EU-Gulf energy partnerships further entrenched these asymmetrical power dynamics, which remain unexamined in mainstream narratives.

Non-Western security frameworks, such as the African Union’s *African Peace and Security Architecture*, emphasize preventive diplomacy and ecological resilience over militarized interventions. In the Gulf, the *khaleeji* concept of hospitality and communal security contrasts with the EU’s securitization of migration, highlighting alternative paradigms. The EU’s reliance on Gulf states for energy mirrors historical patterns of resource colonialism, which postcolonial scholars like Mahmood Mamdani critique as perpetuating structural violence.

Scientific consensus links Gulf water scarcity to climate change and over-extraction, with desalination plants contributing to marine ecosystem degradation and carbon emissions. Studies show that EU-Gulf energy partnerships increase global emissions while failing to address the region’s structural vulnerabilities, such as aquifer depletion and food insecurity. The militarization of the Gulf, fueled by European arms sales, correlates with increased conflict and displacement, as documented by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Artistic and spiritual traditions in the Gulf, such as the poetry of Ibn Arabi or the *tanoura* dance of Sufi mysticism, reflect a worldview where security is tied to spiritual and ecological harmony. European artists like Joseph Beuys critiqued the militarization of resources through works like *7000 Oaks*, linking ecological and social justice. These perspectives challenge the dominant narrative by framing security as a holistic, rather than transactional, concept.

Future scenarios modeling by the IPCC and IEA warn that continued EU-Gulf energy dependence will exacerbate climate tipping points, while militarization increases the risk of regional conflicts disrupting global supply chains. Alternative models, such as the *Circular Carbon Economy* proposed by Saudi Arabia, remain underfunded despite their potential to align with EU climate goals. Scenario planning must include the perspectives of Gulf civil society and migrant workers to avoid reinforcing extractive paradigms.

Migrant laborers in the Gulf, predominantly from South and Southeast Asia, face systemic exploitation under the *kafala* system, yet their voices are absent from security narratives. Gulf civil society groups, such as the *Bahrain Center for Human Rights*, document state repression and environmental degradation but are excluded from EU-Gulf dialogues. Indigenous and Afro-Arab communities in the Gulf, such as the *Zaraniq* in Yemen, are also sidelined despite their historical role in shaping regional resilience.