The Emirates News Agency reported that Fiker Institute marked its fifth anniversary with an assessment of its growth as an independent research organisation focused on international affairs. Founded in September 2021 by Dubai Abulhoul the institute has established itself at Alserkal Avenue where it operates a public library and hosts regular programs. Its output includes reports commentaries and briefings that address shifting global dynamics the institute’s website states.
Fiker Institute maintains thematic programs on climate change gender equality and global governance alongside regional initiatives covering the Gulf Europe and other areas according to its published FAQ document. The organisation employs a multidisciplinary approach that draws on interviews data analysis and literature reviews to produce evidence-based work. This structure has allowed it to sustain operations entirely through private funding partnerships and commissioned projects without government support the institute confirms on its site.
A Foreign Policy Toolkit for 2026 that Fiker Institute developed in collaboration with the World Governments Summit forecast key geopolitical trends across multiple regions the Emirates News Agency indicated in a related February dispatch. The document examined security political and environmental factors with implications for governments and business while highlighting water security challenges in the Middle East and North Africa. Dubai Abulhoul was quoted in that release describing the toolkit as an analytical framework to navigate a changing multilateral environment.
During 2026 the institute convened a research conference titled Order(s) in the Middle East: Pivots and Realignments that brought together academics for discussions on regional realignments its press releases show. It also welcomed heads of state and diplomats including the President of Estonia and ambassadors from Italy and Belarus for talks on governance education and geopolitical developments. These engagements formed part of a broader calendar that included reading sessions on Arab literature and symposia on UN reform.
The institute has issued analyses of the G7 summit outcomes the future of UN leadership and climate security linkages throughout the year according to content listed on fikerinstitute.org. Its Al-Khaleej program has tracked how Gulf states adapt to multipolarity while the Europe program assesses strategic autonomy debates. Such work builds on the organisation’s role as a knowledge contributor to the World Governments Summit since 2022 the Emirates News Agency noted.
Fiker Institute announced its 2026-2027 fellowship cohort drawn from seven Arab countries in recent updates on LinkedIn. The group joins existing initiatives that produce cutting-edge research on pressing international issues the institute’s program descriptions explain. Its library remains open to the public six days a week serving as a hub for lectures and community events.
Materials on the institute’s platforms indicate that it seeks to test ideas and advance discourse on topics including neocolonialism and culture in addition to core policy fields. The anniversary review underscored the completion of five years of operation during which the think tank expanded its publications and partnerships. Further events and outputs are scheduled for the remainder of 2026 according to its current calendar.
