Programs

Middle East Programs

Working with our allies and partners in Europe and the wider Middle East to protect US interests, build peace and security, and unlock the human potential of the region.

Libya

Content

In the News

Aug 27, 2022

Badi quoted in Al Monitor on current instability in Libya

By Atlantic Council

Libya Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Aug 25, 2022

Brown-to-green subsidy swaps in MENA are long overdue. Here’s why.

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

Reforms in fossil fuel subsidies can help address many challenges and could result in many benefits for the MENA region.

Energy & Environment Middle East

In the News

Aug 17, 2022

Farrand in Democracy for the Arab World Now: Sixty ‘glorious’ years after independence, can Algeria withstand the challenges ahead?

By Atlantic Council

North Africa Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

Aug 11, 2022

Mezran quoted in GIS Report about political turbulence in Libya

By Atlantic Council

Libya Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Aug 10, 2022

The founding head of al-Qaeda is dead. But radicalism continues to thrive in Egypt.

By Shahira Amin

The founding head of al-Qaeda is no longer, but it’s important not to forget that the terrorists that carried out 9/11 were born, raised, and radicalized in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.   

Middle East North Africa

MENASource

Jul 26, 2022

Experts react: Tunisia’s president cemented his power grab with a referendum vote. What does it mean for North Africa? 

By Karim Mezran, Emadeddin Badi, Alia Brahimi, Alessia Melcangi, Alissa Pavia

Atlantic Council experts share their thoughts on the vote and what it means for North Africa writ large.

Middle East North Africa

MENASource

Jul 22, 2022

Tunisia is the sole survivor of the Arab Spring. It was nice while it lasted.

By Tommaso Virgili

On July 25, Tunisians return to the polls for a historical vote: a referendum on whether to repeal the democratically-drafted constitution of 2014 and replace it with a new charter immaculately conceived by President Kais Saied.

Elections Middle East

MENASource

Jul 21, 2022

Tunisia has a referendum on July 25. Few have as much stake in it as Algeria does.

By Andrew G. Farrand

Algeria has invested in Tunisia's stability for years, providing it with cheap natural gas, governmental loans, and other bilateral support.

Elections Middle East

In-Depth Research & Reports

Jul 12, 2022

Shifting priorities: The US and the Middle East in a multipolar world

By Jonathan Panikoff

Middle Eastern leaders view the bipartisan progression of US disengagement across the region as an abandonment of its allies and security commitments. However, in Washington’s view, deprioritizing the Middle East is not the same as declining to prioritize it.

Democratic Transitions Middle East

In-Depth Research & Reports

Jul 12, 2022

Evolving MENA power balances: What is next for US engagement in the region?

By Karim Mezran, Valeria Talbot, Jonathan Panikoff, Sanam Vakil, Maha Yahya, Mark N. Katz, Gangzheng She, and Julien Barnes-Dacey

US President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s upcoming visit to the Middle East provides an opportunity to assess what role the United States will play in the Middle East and North Africa in the future. With the war in Ukraine further diverting US attention from the region, the big question is whether the region is entering a ‘post-US’ era.

Energy & Environment Middle East

Experts