Director, Middle East and North Africa programme
Interim Director, Africa programme
Middle East and North Africa
English, French, Arabic
Julien Barnes-Dacey is the director of the Middle East & North Africa programme and interim director of the Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. He works on European policy towards the wider region, with a particular focus on Syria and regional geopolitics.
Barnes-Dacey’s recent publications include “Principled pragmatism: Europe’s place in a multipolar Middle East,” “Society max: How Europe can help Syrians survive Assad and coronavirus,” and “Guns and governance: How Europe should talk with non-state armed groups in the Middle East.” His work has been published in the likes of Foreign Policy, Politico, the Financial Times, and the New York Times.
Immediately prior to joining ECFR Barnes-Dacey headed the MENA practice at Control Risks, a private sector consultancy. Before this he worked as a journalist across the Middle East. Based in Syria from 2007 to 2010, he reported for publications including the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Christian Science Monitor. He worked across Iraq as editor of Niqash and was also based in Egypt. Barnes-Dacey was an assistant foreign editor for UK television’s Channel 4 News, and a field producer for Al Jazeera International.
Barnes-Dacey holds a BA in history from the London School of Economics, an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies, and studied Arabic at the Institut Français du Proche-Orient.
No one wants to deal with dictators. But one year after the Syrian uprising began, the harsh truth is that Bashar al-Assad maintains the upper hand and the opposition – with its international backers – may have little choice but to cut a deal with him if they want to ease the Syrian people’s suffering.
An end to the bloodshed may necessitate talks with the regime
For so long a reliably boring country in the middle of a tumultuous region, there are signs that Jordan may soon become lively as demands for political reform and the wider impact of the Arab Awakening begin to reach Amman.
Are the days of the Syrian president numbered? Despite popular opposition and growing international isolation, Assad's eventual demise is by no means assured.
Julien Barnes-Dacey on US President Donald Trump’s first planned trip abroad to Saudi Arabia
Moving towards reconstruction and redevelopment, you would need US and European action in tandem
Julien Barnes-Dacey on the EU lifting sanctions on Syria and the importance of the US following suit
The dire state of the economy is clearly one of the biggest challenges facing a positive transition
Julien Barnes-Dacey on EU lifting sanctions on Syria
The EU has been in the direct line of fire of the Syrian conflict in terms of migration, terrorism and wider instability, so there is a clear interest in seeing a stabilised Syria moving forward
Julien Barnes-Dacey on Europe’s interest to support the power transition in Syria
Julien Barnes-Dacey on lifting sanctions on Syria
