The COVID-19 Pandemic And Its Possible Repercussions On MENA Regional Politics

The emergence and rapid spread of the coronavirus on a global scale will have long-lasting effects on both global political and economic dynamics in the coming months. Many articles have been penned in an attempt to forecast the implications of COVID-19 on the global economy and politics. Optimists lean towards a sense of solidarity emerging from the current crisis, while others assert that the pandemic will strengthen isolationist and authoritarian trends. The pandemic has also placed the neoliberal order under intense scrutiny.

However, the possible repercussions of the pandemic on politics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have not received due attention. The MENA region includes many weak and failed states which are currently facing various challenges in conjunction with the pandemic. Inefficient governance was already a reality prior to the crisis, and the coronavirus is further exacerbating the situation, generating new challenges for many countries. In an attempt to understand the possible repercussions of the pandemic on regional politics in the MENA, we have prepared the following dossier with insights from our distinguished experts, each focusing on a different angle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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