After over a decade of division between rival factions in eastern and western Libya, the Trump administration has put forward a plan to unite the two sides through a power-sharing agreement. Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow Jonathan M. Winer to unpack the details of this proposal and its potential consequences for the Libyan people. Winer, who served as United States Special Envoy for Libya, offers analysis of the plan’s viability, the response of various actors on the ground, and whether it can stabilize the country and help resolve its deep-seated challenges.
The Far Reach of the Iran War: Food Insecurity from North Africa to the Sahel
Within weeks of the Strait of Hormuz closure, fertilizer prices began to rise sharply. Tanker traffic through the strait, which handles one-third of the global fertilizer trade, fell by 90%. Across North Africa the impacts are multiplying, and this is having ripple effects for the Sahel in the south, adding to food price inflation, migration pressures, and the erosion of state legitimacy. The situation underscores how food security is a governance issue compounded by geopolitical crisis.
Battered but Still Standing, Egypt Tries to Weather the Economic Ravages of the Iran War
While Egypt is not in the direct line of fire in the US-Israeli war with Iran, its economy is acutely vulnerable to the conflict. In addition to the rising energy prices and shortages that have affected much of the world, it also struggled with issues that reflected its economy’s own underlying structural vulnerabilities.
What more can be done to resolve the problem in Western Sahara?
Mr. (Carne) Ross, Undersecretary General Miyet, and I have be trading opinions for six months and it is clear that Mr. Ross has no intention to propose or agree on any kind of political settlement or compromise, regardless of arguments to the contrary. It is time to quit deluding ourselves and allowing the refugees to be used as hostages in an effort to advance the cause of a few thousand Polisario rebels. Rather, we should reach out together for a common middle-ground solution.
This Opinion was first published on Reuters.com on October 11, 2012
Assertions and opinions in this policy paper are solely those of the above-mentioned author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Middle East Institute, which expressly does not take positions on Middle East policy.
After Benghazi: Diplomacy With a State; War Within
This article was first published by The Huffington Post on October 2, 2012
Assertions and opinions in this publication are solely those of the above-mentioned author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Middle East Institute, which expressly does not take positions on Middle East policy.
Libya, the third largest country in the African continent (1.75 million km²), shares 4,400 km of border with six other countries, four of which are Arab countries. It has a vast coastal area on the Mediterranean (nearly 2,000 km). For such a large country, its population density is very thin — there are barely six million inhabitants.
Slain U.S. Ambassador Thrived On Tough Assignments
This story first appeared on NPR.com on September 12, 2012
Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador killed in an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was a very special diplomat. He made a career of going to difficult places and insisting that he witness tumultuous events firsthand.
Stabilizing the Sinai Peninsula – An Agenda For Action
MEI Podcast, 7 September, 2012 Foundation for Middle East Peace, Middle East Institute, Churches for Middle East Peace, and Americans for Peace Now invite you to a program Stabilizing the Sinai Peninsula – An Agenda For Action with Ambassador (ret.) Arthur Hughes Former Director General of the Sinai Multinational Forces and Observers (MFO) and Geoffrey Aronson Director for Research and Publications Foundation for Middle East Peace Friday September 7, 12:00-1:30 PM Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC Rising lawlessness and violence and an inc
Stabilizing the Sinai Peninsula – An Agenda For Action
MEI Podcast, 7 September, 2012 Foundation for Middle East Peace, Middle East Institute, Churches for Middle East Peace, and Americans for Peace Now invite you to a program Stabilizing the Sinai Peninsula – An Agenda For Action with Ambassador (ret.) Arthur Hughes Former Director General of the Sinai Multinational Forces and Observers (MFO) and Geoffrey Aronson Director for Research and Publications Foundation for Middle East Peace Friday September 7, 12:00-1:30 PM Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC Rising lawlessness and violence and an inc
Stabilizing the Sinai Peninsula – An Agenda For Action
MEI Podcast, 7 September, 2012 Foundation for Middle East Peace, Middle East Institute, Churches for Middle East Peace, and Americans for Peace Now invite you to a program Stabilizing the Sinai Peninsula – An Agenda For Action with Ambassador (ret.) Arthur Hughes Former Director General of the Sinai Multinational Forces and Observers (MFO) and Geoffrey Aronson Director for Research and Publications Foundation for Middle East Peace Friday September 7, 12:00-1:30 PM Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC Rising lawlessness and violence and an inc
Stabilizing the Sinai Peninsula – An Agenda For Action
MEI Podcast, 7 September, 2012 Foundation for Middle East Peace, Middle East Institute, Churches for Middle East Peace, and Americans for Peace Now invite you to a program Stabilizing the Sinai Peninsula – An Agenda For Action with Ambassador (ret.) Arthur Hughes Former Director General of the Sinai Multinational Forces and Observers (MFO) and Geoffrey Aronson Director for Research and Publications Foundation for Middle East Peace Friday September 7, 12:00-1:30 PM Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC Rising lawlessness and violence and an inc
Stabilizing the Sinai Peninsula – An Agenda For Action
MEI Podcast, 7 September, 2012 Foundation for Middle East Peace, Middle East Institute, Churches for Middle East Peace, and Americans for Peace Now invite you to a program Stabilizing the Sinai Peninsula – An Agenda For Action with Ambassador (ret.) Arthur Hughes Former Director General of the Sinai Multinational Forces and Observers (MFO) and Geoffrey Aronson Director for Research and Publications Foundation for Middle East Peace Friday September 7, 12:00-1:30 PM Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC Rising lawlessness and violence and an inc
The first volume of the migration and the Arab World series dealt primarily with the trends in, consequences of, and policy responses to labor migration in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states since the “oil boom” period of the 1970s. This volume focuses on the countries of the Mashreq (i.e., Egypt and the Levant) as source and destination countries for various migrant groups, dating from the late 19th century up to the present day.
The oldest peer-reviewed publication dedicated to the study of the modern Middle East, MEI’s flagship journal covers politics, society, and culture in the region.
