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North Africa and Middle East

Description

Analysis of changing dynamics in the North Africa/Middle East region, against a backdrop of increasing security crises and their political, economic and energy consequences.

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Aerial view of Cairo, Egypt
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Publications
Date de publication
December 2024

Out of Thin Air but More than a Mirage: The Politics of Saudi Arabia's Nascent Music Industry

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XP Music Futures, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 8, 2023
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XP Music Futures, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 8, 2023
Credits : Ifri
Accroche

This study critically examines Saudi Arabia’s nascent music industry, which is promoted as a key element of Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s strategic framework to diversify the kingdom’s economy. It explores how state-led investments in music and entertainment intersect with authoritarian governance. The author neither dismisses these investments as conspicuous spending nor reproduces an alarmist narrative of impending cultural imperialism. The article takes a political sociology approach to understand how Saudi entertainment plans consolidate domestic power and reshape regional cultural landscapes.

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A Palestinian Perspective on the Oslo Accords

Date de publication
11 October 2023
Accroche

The Oslo Agreement of 1993 was a declaration of principles that later needed to be clarified through further negotiations. 

Camille MANSOUR
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Thirty Years on from the Oslo Accords: An Israeli Perspective

Date de publication
11 October 2023
Accroche

The Oslo agreements signed in 1993 raised high hopes for peace in the Middle East. But appraising the state of affairs, thirty years on, the picture is bleak. 

Itamar RABINOVICH
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Is Iran the Big Beneficiary of Chinese Foreign Policy in the Middle East?

Date de publication
06 June 2023
Accroche

On March 10, the revelation of an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran brokered by China took Western observers and diplomats by surprise. Beijing's unprecedented intervention in the dispute between Riyadh and Teheran confirms its growing ambitions in the region.

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Israel and China, a Test of Loyalty for the United States?

Date de publication
26 January 2023
Accroche

Like the Gulf monarchies, Israel has strengthened its economic cooperation with China since Xi Jinping came to power in 2013, leading to an influx of Chinese capital, whether in Tel Aviv's high-tech sector or in Israel's port infrastructure. 

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The United Arab Emirates and Sino-American Competition: Towards a Policy of Non-Alignment?

Date de publication
02 December 2022
Accroche

In just under five years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has accelerated its rapprochement with Xi Jinping’s China, to the point of becoming the first Gulf country to find itself at the heart of the rivalry between Beijing and Washington. Although benefiting from a large US military presence, the UAE has made its partnership with the Chinese regime a new priority that goes beyond energy and trade. 

Jean-Loup SAMAAN
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Japan’s Africa policy: Back to basics in times of crisis

Date de publication
16 September 2022
Accroche

Addressing remotely the 8th Japan-Africa TICAD Summit held in Tunis between August 27th and 28th, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged $30 billion in public and private contributions to the African continent over the course of the next three years. This is a quite a remarkable move, as no specific amount was mentioned by the late Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, at the previous TICAD 7 in 2019. By doing so, Japan aims at demonstrating that its commitment to Africa is solid and sustainable: its traditional approach towards a human-centered development is more relevant than ever in these times of crisis (between the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the adverse effects of climate change), and clearly marks a difference from China’s practices.

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Algeria: An Aggressive Restoration

Date de publication
07 June 2022
Accroche

The election of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, followed by the Covid-19 pandemic, marked the end of the road for the Hirak movement that had failed to establish itself as a political alternative despite its massive popularity.

Akram BELKAÏD
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Lebanese Banking Crisis: The Systemic Workings of a Wreck

Date de publication
11 May 2022
Accroche
Two and a half years after the outbreak of an unprecedented banking, monetary and debt crisis qualified by the World Bank as one of the worst financial meltdowns since 1850, fears of intermittent or cascading bank failures are high in Lebanon, as the fate of billions of dollars in deposits remains uncertain.
Bachir EL KHOURY
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What Role Should Southern Europe Play After the Pandemic and the War in Ukraine? Towards a Shared Agenda for EU Reform

Date de publication
29 April 2022
Accroche

Relations between southern European member states have often been marked by a loose cooperation or, worse, by logics of competition. Precisely when regional groupings within the European Union are increasingly shaping the agenda, these dynamics have hindered the capacity of France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain to pursue shared interests and objectives, while acting as a force for good for the European integration project. Recent events such as the post-pandemic recovery or the war in Ukraine show that, when cooperation occurs, positive results can be achieved.

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The French-Greek Partnership: Beyond The Eastern Mediterranean.

04 March 2022
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This week, Ifri, in partnership with CATS Network, is launching a series of five videos on the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, seen through the prism of the geopolitical rivalry between France and Turkey. 

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What Role Should Southern Europe Play After the Pandemic and the War in Ukraine? Towards a Shared Agenda for EU Reform

Date de publication
29 April 2022
Accroche

Relations between southern European member states have often been marked by a loose cooperation or, worse, by logics of competition. Precisely when regional groupings within the European Union are increasingly shaping the agenda, these dynamics have hindered the capacity of France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain to pursue shared interests and objectives, while acting as a force for good for the European integration project. Recent events such as the post-pandemic recovery or the war in Ukraine show that, when cooperation occurs, positive results can be achieved.

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The United Arab Emirates in Africa: The Partly Thwarted Ambitions of a New Regional Player

Date de publication
13 September 2021
Accroche

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has long-standing ties with African countries, but the implementation of a genuine Africa policy dates back only about 15 years. 

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Is Escalation Between France and Turkey in the Middle East and Beyond Inescapable?

Date de publication
11 November 2020
Accroche

In recent years, France and Turkey have been on opposing sides relating to Middle East concerns. 

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RAMSES 2021. At the Edge?

Date de publication
02 September 2020
Accroche

RAMSES 2021. At the Edge?, written by Ifri's research team and external experts, offers an in-depth and up-to-date analysis of geopolitics in today’s world.

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The Shifting Foundations of Political Islam in Algeria

Date de publication
03 May 2019
Accroche

Understanding Algeria’s various Islamist communities—including militant groups, moderate factions, and grassroots movements—offers a window into the country’s uncertain sociopolitical future.

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A Protest Made in Algeria

Date de publication
02 April 2019
Accroche

Since February 22, thousands and then millions of Algerians have taken to the streets every Friday to protest against the fifth term of their ailing eighty-two-year-old president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

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Understanding the Resilience of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Date de publication
10 September 2018
Accroche

The leaders of Iran nurture regional ambitions, and are conscious of the limits of their country’s power.

Pierre PAHLAVI

The Gulf Monarchies' Armed Forces at the Crossroads

Date de publication
04 May 2018
Accroche

Something is happening with the military forces of the Arab monarchies in the Gulf.

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"Playing with Molecules": The Italian Approach to Libya

Date de publication
13 April 2018
Accroche

This paper aims to analyse the many ways in which Italy is trying to play with the many Libyan “molecules”, the different parties of a fragmented and collapsing country, and the possible implications of the strategy adopted by the Gentiloni government and its Minister of Interior, Marco Minniti, towards the country and the migratory crisis.

Aldo LIGA

Middle East, the new "Great Game"

Date de publication
06 June 2016
Accroche

Will a divided Middle East become the center of a new “Great Game”? The world’s global powers are aligned in it: the United States, falsely tempted by retraction; Russia, establishing its position in an unexpected state of play, France, destabilized by the contradictions of its own policy… In addition are tussles for regional hegemony between Iran, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

Support independent French research

Ifri, a foundation recognized as being of public utility, relies largely on private donors – companies and individuals – to guarantee its sustainability and intellectual independence. Through their funding, donors help maintain the Institute's position among the world's leading think tanks. By benefiting from an internationally recognized network and expertise, donors refine their understanding of geopolitical risk and its consequences on global politics and the economy. In 2024, Ifri will support more than 70 French and foreign companies and organizations.

Ramses Conference, 2024
Related centers and programs
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KAMPALA, UGANDA - SEPTEMBER 28, 2012. A look at life on the side streets of Kampala, Uganda
Governing the Urban Transition in Africa
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Sub-Saharan Africa's cities are experiencing the fastest growth rates in the world. By 2050, most of the countries in the region will have made an urban transition, meaning that more than 50% of their population will live in urban areas. Urban growth is often presented as a cornerstone of the continent's socio-economic development.

To assess these challenges Ifri’s Sub-Saharan Africa Center is launching, in May 2022, a research program looking into the major socio-economic and geopolitical challenges of urban dynamics on the continent.

The program deals with urban development in Africa through a sectoral and cross-cutting approach based on three key sectors: 

  1. Land issues are the foundation of urban life. Each urban project triggers changes within the relationship between land and its inhabitants.
  2. Urban infrastructure is often presented as a solution to the challenges of demographic growth in cities. However, the lack of infrastructure and its financing remains a concern for specialists.
  3. The mobility of goods, people and financial flows is characteristic of urban life and drives the multiple links between cities and the countryside. Analyzing the urban-rural continuum is at the heart of this program's objectives.

Research will be conducted at the macro (continental), meso (country), and micro (city/neighborhood) levels and will be promoted through events and publications.

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Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul, Türkiye
Turkey/Middle East Program
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Ifri's Turkey/Middle East Program aims to provide expertise on the trends and developments in politics, societies and economies across the region.

The programme has the following objectives:

  • Proposing a new approach towards the MENA region through an analysis of local, regional, and international dynamics with the potential to guide and influence new policies.
  • Highlighting the role of foreign powers which have traditionally been present in the region and analyzing the new role taken on by emerging countries ;
  • Anticipating new directions and outlooks in each country.
  • Interpreting risks and potentials and putting forward new templates for analysis.

The programme has built a dense network of researchers and experts who provide expertise on the MENA region and working together on a range of crosscutting themes.

Page image credits
Aerial view of Cairo, Egypt
(c) Shutterstock