GCC countries are continuing to adjust to lower oil prices. Although the governments have reduced the spending, fiscal and external accounts have deteriorated, hence generating financing needs. Economies are still growing, but at a much lower pace. This is not surprisingly since the global growth environment is fairly negative as well. Furthermore, sectors that in the past were the main drivers of growth such as retail, real estate, shipping and banking are now struggling because of changes in consumer habits, new technologies and stricter regulations. In particular new technologies such as AI have the potential to disrupt old models without creating too many jobs. In addition, GCC are not only facing economic and financial challenges. In terms of security, the region is experiencing high levels of violence and uncertainty that likely are not going to decrease anytime soon. Taking into consideration the above context, we propose a workshop with the aim of examining the optimal role of sovereign investment vehicles – SIVs - (e.g. sovereign wealth funds, central banks, development banks) in catalyzing capital flows and domestic resources for the purpose to improve the welfare of the states and pursue geopolitical strategic interests. This workshop compares and analyses critical dimensions, such as SIV’s national policy frameworks and broader asset allocation, to assess the processes of fiscal re-adjustments and the potential for reducing or exaggerating existing inefficiencies (e.g. avoiding duplications and crowding out). Thereby it will link directly with the research on political economy of public enterprise in the MENA region through a comparative perspective, especially given GCC SIVs large exposure to domestic state- owned enterprises. Finally, the workshop will look at how foreign investments can support national strategic interests.