Principled pragmatism: Europe’s place in a multipolar Middle East
Europeans need to deal with the Middle East as it is rather than as they want it to be, while staying focused on the principles needed to secure longer-term stability
Publications – Middle East and North Africa
North African standoff: How the Western Sahara conflict is fuelling new tensions between Morocco and Algeria
Europeans should pay closer attention to rising tensions between Morocco and Algeria. A more balanced European approach to both countries could help stave off instability in north-west Africa and the Mediterranean.
Building security: How Europeans can help reform Libya
Europeans can play a meaningful role in the reform of Libya’s security sector if they adopt a shared strategy and operational principles
Power play: Europe’s climate diplomacy in the Gulf
If the EU is to achieve its climate and geopolitical goals, it will need to substantially increase its engagement with Gulf states on the European Green Deal
Burning ambition: Egypt’s return to regional leadership and how Europe should respond
The Egyptian regime has become somewhat more open to discussing matters such as human rights than Western capitals sometimes assume
The fall of the Afghan government and what it means for Europe
ECFR’s policy experts examine what the Taliban takeover means for countries and regions around the world: Europe, the US, the Middle East, Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, and the Sahel
People before politicians: How Europeans can help rebuild Lebanon
Lebanon is home to key strategic interests for the EU, which does not want another failed state on the Mediterranean
Back from the brink: A better way for Europe to support Tunisia’s democratic transition
The EU and its member states can assist Tunisian leaders by providing new investment – and thereby reboot the democratic transition
Free to choose: A new plan for peace in Western Sahara
The UN should pursue a “free association” option for Western Sahara – a third way that offers a realistic means of fulfilling Sahrawi self-determination
The gulf between them: What Arab Gulf countries can learn from Iran’s approach to Iraq
An Iraq that has diverse regional relationships is more likely to be stable and secure, in line with European interests in the Middle East