The National Library and Archives reviews Percy Cox’s impact on British policy in the Arabian Gulf, which is an important page in the history of the Arabian Gulf region.

Within the framework of its aspirations to enrich knowledge societies, the National Library and Archives organized a lecture entitled Percy Cox and British Policy in the Arabian Gulf. Political Agent Percy Cox influenced British policy and left his mark on British plans and goals, prompting the British government to hold conferences and send British envoys to the Arabian Gulf sheikhs to win them over to the side of Britain. The lecture shed light on Cox’s activities, which took multiple manifestations to implement British policy and achieve its goals.
The lecture was delivered by Mr. Mustafa Al-Khatib, a researcher on the history of the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula. He shed light on Percy Cox’s early diplomatic work in the Arabian Gulf and indicated that he worked as a Political Agent in Muscat from 1899 to 1904.
The researcher pointed out that the impact left by Cox signifies how political personalities influenced the course of British politics. He took advantage of the NLA’s documents and publications to support the facts included in his lecture. In fact, this enhanced the reliability of the information and the importance of this historical and political stage.
The lecturer stressed that Cox’s success in his mission in the Gulf region resonated greatly in London qualifying him to become a political resident in Bushire. Throughout his tenure, he played an important role in ensuring Britain’s victory in the wars fought in the region during the WWI.
It is worth noting that the NLA’s lectures, seminars and specialized publications abound with accurate and documented information about the history of the UAE and the Gulf region, on which this lecture specifically shed light.