Zidan Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

MENASource
May 27, 2025

Beyond ceasefires: Reimagining stability and engagement in Libya

By
Karim Mezran and Roberta Maggi

With all major political institutions mired in crisis, a renewed approach to peace enforcement is pivotal to building stability.

Libya
Middle East

Zidan Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

MENASource
May 14, 2025

Choppy waters: Egypt’s waning patience with President Trump

By
Shahira Amin

The US president’s Suez Canal demands signal “a shift in US-Egyptian relations” which experts describe as “at their lowest ebb in decades.”

Middle East
North Africa

Zidan Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

EnergySource
Mar 11, 2025

The Mediterranean must work collectively to harness the power of renewables

By
Karim Elgendy

The EU Commission’s recent release of its Clean Industrial Deal underscored regional commitment to decarbonization. To capitalize on this momentum, the Mediterranean must engage in cross-border collaboration to overcome geopolitical tension and limited finance to achieve its renewables goals.

Energy & Environment
Energy Markets & Governance

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.

EXPLORE THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL’S MIDDLE EAST PROGRAMS

Libya

Zidan Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

MENASource
May 16, 2025

The killing of Abdul Ghani al-Kikli may be a turning point for Libya

By
Karim Mezran and Dario Cristiani

The killing is considered to be part of a push to eliminate influential militia leaders and consolidate GNU loyalist control over Tripoli.

Libya
Middle East

Zidan Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

MENASource
Apr 30, 2025

From Tripoli to Tehran: Lessons from Libya in US-Iran nuclear talks

By
Yaseen Rashed

Twenty-one years later, the nuclear disarmament of Libya serves as a model for the United States in current nuclear negotiations with Iran.

Iran
Libya

Zidan Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

MENASource
Apr 16, 2025

Solving Libya’s economic collapse will require confrontation—not consensus

By
Emadeddin Badi

If the status quo continues, the next phase of Libya’s crisis will not be quiet erosion. It will be public revolt.

Africa
Economy & Business

Read More on Libya

Content

MENASource

Aug 20, 2013

Zidan Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

By Karim Mezran

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan has a full plate as he tries to steer the country towards empowering state institutions and building a nation. The recent resignation of his deputy prime minister, Awadh al-Barassi, followed by the shocking resignation of Interior Minister Mohammed Khalifa al-Sheikh after his appointment less than four months ago, point to […]

Libya

New Atlanticist

Aug 19, 2013

America’s Missed Opportunity in Egypt

By Matthew Bryza

The brutal crackdown on August 14 by Egypt’s interim government on supporters of ousted President Mohammad Morsi will produce no winners. Both the secular interim government and its Islamist predecessor demonstrated they lack the intellectual and political tools required to cope with Egypt’s complex challenges. Now, all Egyptians will suffer as the country descends into […]

Economy & Business North Africa

MENASource

Aug 19, 2013

Who Loses from Cutting Off US Military Aid to Egypt?

By Mohsin Khan

Whether Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s recent ouster was a coup or not is a much debated topic in Washington circles, as analysts, government officials and pundits struggle over the question of suspending military aid to Egypt. Most analysts and many US politicians conclude that a coup is a coup and US law says military aid […]

North Africa
"The cancellation of an invitation for both the exercise within NATO and the bilateral exercise has been conveyed" to Egypt

NATOSource

Aug 16, 2013

Turkey Blocks Egypt from Joining NATO Naval Exercise

By Today's Zaman

Turkey has canceled two naval military drills with Egypt over the Arab nation’s violent crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood protesters that has killed more than 600. . . .

NATO North Africa

MENASource

Aug 16, 2013

Gulf State Divisions Reemerge in Reaction to Cairo Crackdown

By Richard LeBaron

Different approaches in the Gulf to the ongoing change in Egypt emerged again in stark relief as the Gulf states began to publicly enunciate their reactions to the massive display of force and loss of life in Egypt on August 14. While some commentators had speculated that Gulf positions regarding political change in Egypt might […]

North Africa

MENASource

Aug 16, 2013

In Egypt, Liberal Hypocrisy Can Kill Democracy

By Faysal Itani

The Muslim Brotherhood’s forced ouster in Egypt is a turning point in the political evolution of the Arab world. The Brotherhood’s military and civilian opponents would prefer to put this difficult chapter to end quickly, and to see the Brotherhood experiment as a mere footnote in Egyptian history. More likely, however, the increasingly violent crackdown […]

North Africa
" I call on all sides to exercise restraint and refrain from violence"

NATOSource

Aug 16, 2013

NATO Secretary General Speaks Out on Violence in Egypt

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

Statement by the NATO Secretary General on the events in Egypt

NATO North Africa

MENASource

Aug 16, 2013

Working Group on Egypt Issues Statement on Suspending Military Aid

By EgyptSource

In the wake of a deadly crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi’s supporters, the Working Group on Egypt has issued a statement urging the United States to suspend military aid to Egypt until, among other conditions, authorities lift the state of emergency and release all political prisoners.

North Africa

MENASource

Aug 14, 2013

Egypt and the Death of a Revolution

The Egyptian security forces finally made their move against supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi in the early hours of August 14, 2013. After weeks of warnings by the interior ministry and the military, authorities followed through on the threat to storm the two protest sites at Raba’a al-Adaweya and al-Nahda, supported with bulldozers and armored […]

North Africa

New Atlanticist

Aug 14, 2013

Will White House Strong Words on Egypt Be Followed by Action?

By James Joyner

The Obama administration has issued a strongly worded statement on this morning’s massacre by the Egyptian government:

North Africa Political Reform
Load More

Experts

Staff

Manal Fatima

Assistant Director, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Disinformation Middle East

Fellow

Simin Kargar

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Cybersecurity Disinformation

Fellow

Alessia Melcangi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Civil Society English

Staff

Karim Mezran

Director, Resident Senior Fellow, North Africa Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Economy & Business
Emily Milliken

Staff

Emily Milliken

Associate Director, Media and Communications, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Libya

Fellow

Brian O’Toole

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Cuba Economic Sanctions
Load More