Content

MENASource

Apr 5, 2021

Experts React: A royal rift in Jordan amid competing allegations of a coup & corruption

By Atlantic Council

Atlantic Council experts react to the latest news of the royal rift in Jordan and how recent events may impact the country’s security, economy, and regional standing.

Middle East Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

New Atlanticist

Apr 5, 2021

The big issues at play in the IMF and World Bank spring meetings

By Hung Tran

This week’s spring 2021 meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank are taking place as the global economy recovers strongly but unevenly from the COVID-19 crisis, posing difficult questions about how to deal with the impacts of the pandemic and implement support measures.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

TURKEYSource

Apr 5, 2021

The end of the Gulf rift may not signal the end of Turkey-Qatar relations

By Meliha Benli Altunışık

Early this year, changing regional power balances drove Qatar and the GCC bloc to a normalization agreement, almost four years after the imposition of an embargo on Qatar. During that time, Qatar and Turkey developed an increasingly close and multifaceted relationship. Although cutting military ties between Qatar and Turkey had been on the original list of demands issued by the Saudi led bloc, don't expect any in Turkey-Qatar relations.

Defense Industry Economic Sanctions

MENASource

Apr 5, 2021

Strapped for dollars, the Syrian government is forcing its citizens to pay up

By Reem Salahi

A decade since the start of the popular uprising, the Syrian lira is in an unprecedented freefall after years of armed conflict, an economic crisis in neighboring Lebanon, deep-seated corruption and cronyism, and Western economic sanctions targeting Syrian government officials as well as Syrian-operated industries.

Human Rights Middle East

MENASource

Apr 5, 2021

US Mission to Saudi Arabia announces new women’s entrepreneurship program in partnership with Atlantic Council, AmCham Saudi Arabia, and Quantum Leaps

By Allison Holle

On March 31, the Atlantic Council’s empowerME initiative hosted an event in partnership with the US Mission to Saudi Arabia, AmCham Saudi Arabia's Women in Business Committee, and Quantum Leaps to mark the launch of their new joint program: IGNITING Women's Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Saudi Arabia.

Civil Society Education

UkraineAlert

Apr 4, 2021

Is Putin about to launch a new offensive in Ukraine?

By Peter Dickinson

Russia has sparked alarm in recent days by massing its armed forces close to the Ukrainian border. The military build-up has raised fears of a dramatic escalation in the simmering seven-year conflict between the two countries.

Conflict Russia

Fast Thinking

Apr 2, 2021

FAST THINKING: Russia’s making military moves in Ukraine. What’s it up to?

By Atlantic Council

Russia is massing military forces on its border with Ukraine and in Crimea. Seven years after Russia first invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea, how did we get to this new point of peril? And what should we expect next?

Crisis Management Russia

Seizing the advantage

Apr 2, 2021

Recalculating the math of great-power competition

By Arun Iyer

To better serve US interests, the Biden administration should recalculate the DoD’s GPC framework to address the threats that the country is most likely to confront, while improving the United States’ preparedness for the most dangerous threats. It should replace the single “2+3” concept with three multilayered and interactive frameworks nested upon one another.

Defense Policy Security & Defense

MENASource

Apr 2, 2021

The end of Libya’s nightmare or the beginning of a new one?

By Karim Mezran and Tahani Elmogrbi

If badly managed, any of these challenges could turn fatal for Dbeiba’s government. It will take a lot of goodwill from the Libyan population and from the new elite of the country to allow space for compromise and acceptance of differences to ensure that the path is one of political dialogue and peaceful confrontation rather than one of armed conflict.

Libya Middle East

IranElections2021

Apr 2, 2021

Social media helps and hurts Iranian elections. Here’s how.

By Amir Rashidi

The internet has always been one of the most challenging issues for the Iranian government, especially during elections. Over the past three years alone, Iran has tried to meet this challenge on numerous occasions by shutting down the internet during nationwide protests or blocking popular apps and websites.

Iran Middle East