ECFR’s Middle East and North Africa programme seeks to support a coherent European agenda in pursuit of regional interests, working to advance openings for conflict de-escalation, regional stabilisation and democratic transition.
The conversation around achieving peace and prosperity in the Middle East and North Africa needs to become more inclusive and diverse, through an injection of fresh ideas and perspectives from regional voices
Ankara is trying to normalise its relationships with Middle Eastern governments. The EU needs to adjust to the new Turkey that is emerging from this process.
Tunisia’s new constitution would create an unaccountable presidency. European policymakers should state that it is not genuinely democratic, while continuing to support the country economically.
Young people in Iran have led mass protests after the death of a woman in police custody. The West should stand in solidarity with the protesters while keeping the diplomatic route open to constrain Iran’s nuclear programme.
The SCO is often seen as the anti-NATO, but Putin will struggle to convince the other members – especially the Central Asian states – that his war is more important than Chinese investment
The conversation around achieving peace and prosperity in the Middle East and North Africa needs to become more inclusive and diverse, through an injection of fresh ideas and perspectives from regional voices
Libya is trapped in a degenerative cycle of war. Yet Europeans could use the current stalemate in the country to restart an electoral process that would end the cycle.
Decision-makers in Tehran are developing the Iran-Russia relationship in significant ways, but they seem careful not to fully turn away from the West and towards Moscow
Europeans should avoid supporting a snap election simply because a political leader is unsatisfied with the result of a government formation process and threatens violence in response
Ankara is trying to normalise its relationships with Middle Eastern governments. The EU needs to adjust to the new Turkey that is emerging from this process.
Iraqi leaders’ inability to form a government or deal with national challenges is destroying the legitimacy of the state. They need to appoint a new type of prime minister.
Russia’s rumoured purchase of Iranian drones is unlikely to have a major impact in its war on Ukraine. It is unclear how quickly Russian forces could become proficient with these systems.
Tunisia’s new constitution would create an unaccountable presidency. European policymakers should state that it is not genuinely democratic, while continuing to support the country economically.
Ankara is trying to normalise its relationships with Middle Eastern governments. The EU needs to adjust to the new Turkey that is emerging from this process.
Tunisia’s new constitution would create an unaccountable presidency. European policymakers should state that it is not genuinely democratic, while continuing to support the country economically.
Climate change is increasing the strain on Iraqi society and public services. Despite this, the country’s political figures are overlooking the huge benefits that climate investment would bring.
Governments across the world have powerful digital tools to control and repress their populations. The EU should treat this as an urgent security and political concern.
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
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.
Europeans can play a meaningful role in the reform of Libya’s security sector if they adopt a shared strategy and operational principles
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
The Egyptian regime has become somewhat more open to discussing matters such as human rights than Western capitals sometimes assume
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
Young people in Iran have led mass protests after the death of a woman in police custody. The West should stand in solidarity with the protesters while keeping the diplomatic route open to constrain Iran’s nuclear programme.
The SCO is often seen as the anti-NATO, but Putin will struggle to convince the other members – especially the Central Asian states – that his war is more important than Chinese investment
Libya is trapped in a degenerative cycle of war. Yet Europeans could use the current stalemate in the country to restart an electoral process that would end the cycle.
Decision-makers in Tehran are developing the Iran-Russia relationship in significant ways, but they seem careful not to fully turn away from the West and towards Moscow
Europeans should avoid supporting a snap election simply because a political leader is unsatisfied with the result of a government formation process and threatens violence in response
Iraqi leaders’ inability to form a government or deal with national challenges is destroying the legitimacy of the state. They need to appoint a new type of prime minister.
Russia’s rumoured purchase of Iranian drones is unlikely to have a major impact in its war on Ukraine. It is unclear how quickly Russian forces could become proficient with these systems.
Military alignment between Israel and Gulf Arab states risks heightened conflict in the Middle East – without weakening Iran’s geopolitical position or nuclear programme
European policymakers should look on current protests in Libya as a rare opportunity to push for change in what has long been a stagnant political environment
The EU should provide targeted support to local communities and organisations in Yemen. This would help sustain the ceasefire and restore Europeans’ credibility in the country.
The conversation around achieving peace and prosperity in the Middle East and North Africa needs to become more inclusive and diverse, through an injection of fresh ideas and perspectives from regional voices
European states face accusations of neglecting the matter of human rights in their southern neighbourhood, and even of being complicit. Yet they are failing to maximise the influence they could bring to bear.
European governments need a deeper engagement strategy to draw these powerful actors into inclusive political processes and power-sharing structures that can help stabilise the region
The eastern Mediterranean is becoming ever more perilous as geopolitical fault lines steadily enmesh the region. These rifts emerge from the Cyprus ‘frozen conflict’, competition for valuable gas fields, and the increasingly entangled wars in Libya and Syria.
Turmoil in the Middle East and north Africa directly affects Europeans. Yet their influence in the region has never been weaker. This project maps Europe’s role across the Middle East and north Africa, making the case that Europeans can do more to leverage their influence in pursuit of core interests
ECFR’s Differentiation Tracker provides a snapshot of third state relations with Israel – and the extent to which these contain a clearly defined territorial definition that explicitly excludes Israeli settlements constructed on occupied territory in line with UNSCR 2334
Violence is tearing Mali and the Sahel apart. But who are the armed groups behind the bloodshed? Where are international actors stationed in the region? And what motivates them all?
An ECFR guide to the key disputes threatening to spark a wider Middle Eastern war
This interactive web project charts the constellation of political players as Palestinians approach a period of political change. Over 100 pen portraits reveal new insights into the personalities and power structures that will shape the future of Palestinian politics.
In Libya there are very few truly national actors, the vast majority are local players. This guide explains who the players are and what they control.
Mark Leonard, Ellie Geranmayeh, Hossein Mousavian, Vali Nasr, and Ali Vaez discuss the latest developments in the negotiations around the Iran nuclear deal and evaluate different possible outcomes and their consequences
On location at the Doha Forum 2022, Mark Leonard and his guests discuss Western energy sanctions on Russia and why is there a reluctance in the Gulf states and the West to cooperate on energy supplies
Humanitarian crises in places like Afghanistan, Yemen or Ethiopia are not only a reflection of internal turmoil – but mirror a much grander development: system failure
What does the re-engagement of regional actors mean for the future of Syria? And what role can Europe play to create breathing space in the country?
Who is filling the vacuum which the US is increasingly leaving behind in the MENA region? How are regional actors reacting to US disengagement?
What does the end of Operation Barkhane in its current form mean for the Sahel?
Does the election of Raisi represent a significant change of direction following the term of President Rouhani?
What is the Western Sahara conflict is all about, and how will the most recent developments between Morocco and Spain influence this conflict?
Discussion about the political shifts from the March Israeli elections and dynamics surrounding the upcoming Palestinian elections
How can the EU prevent the Turkey-UAE rivalry from destabilising European security and foreign policy?
How can Europeans more effectively advance their human rights agenda as part of, and while maintaining, their broader relationships with regional states?
The Youth Forum is part of the one-day conference “The future of popular mobilization in the Middle East and North Africa: Insights from 10 years of struggle” jointly organized by the Rome office of ECFR, Centro Studi di Politica Internazionale (CeSPI) and Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI)
This event will consider how women peace-builders in Yemen are providing essential gender-responsive humanitarian and peacemaking support
The EU’s lack of strategic sovereignty in the MENA region need not be permanent
Il recente insediamento dell’amministrazione Biden a Washington e il percepito disimpegno degli Stati Uniti nella regione offrono agli europei l’opportunità di contribuire ad allentare le tensioni tra gli Stati del Consiglio di Cooperazione del Golfo (CCG) e l’Iran
Proces oparty na porozumieniach z Oslo wyczerpał się, a szanse na realizację rozwiązania opartego na dwóch państwach są coraz mniejsze. Europie nie udaje się zmienić…
The EU’s High Representative, Josep Borrell, and Mark Leonard discussed why strategic autonomy matters
Zoom registration required, see link below. After President-elect Joe Biden’s victory at the US elections, the ECFR MENA team will host a fireside chat…
A conversation with Ibrahim Kalin to discuss Turkey’s assertive policy, prospects of dialogue, and implications for Turkish-European relations
Questo scacchiere richiede concrete decisioni da parte dei decisori politici europei e atlantici ed attenzione costante dei media
The appointment is a departure from orthodoxy in Saudi politics, given that the king usually holds this position
Saied remains by far the most popular and trusted political figure in the country
The energy diplomacy carried out in recent months is a rare example of coherence and strategy in the pursuit of national interest
Arturo Varvelli and Lorena Stella Martini analyse the foreign policy strategy of the Draghi government towards the Southern Mediterranean, and in particular North Africa
In geopolitics, it is the many facets of globalization meant to connect us that will ultimately come to haunt us
Mark Leonard comments on Germany’s basic security and economic assumptions in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine
It is really difficult to understand how to solve the situation in Libya except by resetting the whole system, not only at a political but also at a military level
