Michaël Tanchum

Prof. Michaël Tanchum teaches international relations and political economy of the Middle East and North Africa at Universidad de Navarra, Spain. He is also senior fellow at the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES).  

Prof. Tanchum researches newly emerging patterns in Middle East and North African commercial connectivity.  With a special emphasis on the 'gatekeeper' nations of Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt, he analyzes the nexus of energy, strategic resources, and manufacturing value chains that connect the Middle East with Africa and Europe. Examining the partnerships of the North African nations with the European Union, China, Russia, Turkey, and the Arab Gulf states in the development of Euro-Africa and Euro-Middle East corridors, Prof. Tanchum assesses the strategic implications of the new connectivity on the evolving security architectures of the Mediterranean basin, North Africa/Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and the wider Middle East. 

His recent publications include: "Turkey's Maghreb-West Africa Economic Architecture: Opportunities And Challenges" (Berlin - Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, 2021); "Europe–Africa Connectivity Outlook 2021: Post-Covid-19 Challenges and Strategic Opportunities" (Rome - Istituto Affari Internazionale, 2021); "Greece's Rise as a Trans-Mediterranean Power: Greece's Eastern Mediterranean strategic shift to Europe-to-Africa and Europe-to-Middle East connectivity" (Athens - ELIAMEP, 2021); "Libya, Energy, and the Mediterranean's New 'Great Game'" (Madrid - Real Instituto Elcano, 2020).  

He is a regular contributor to Foreign Policy magazine on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean affairs.  His articles have also appeared in The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, and various policy journals. 

Prof. Tanchum holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University and was a Fellow at Harvard's Olin Institute for Strategic Studies and its Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. He is also an affiliated scholar at the Centre for Strategic Policy Implementation (Başkent-SAM) at Başkent University, Ankara and the Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University.