ABSTRACT
This new chapter was included because of the increasing debate about the role of the Middle East in the global economy. Is the region being marginalised and can it regain centre stage? Given the changing balance of global economic power, westernisation can no longer be part of globalisation. The decline in the influence of the United States and the increasing links with China is having profound implications for the region. Also of significance is the influence of Russia, which has enjoyed more diplomatic success than the former Soviet Union. The largest economies of the region also have increasing global influence, with Saudi Arabia and Turkey being G20 members.
