Jonathan Fenton-Harvey | 27 April 2021
Renewed attempts to reach a breakthrough over Ethiopia’s River Nile dam faltered on April 4, as Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi reiterated his warnings of a conflict. Tensions are therefore extremely high over the ongoing construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
Mohammed Sinan Siyech | 22 April 2021 | AR | TR
The Islamic State has gradually ramped up its attacks in Syria and Iraq since the mid-2020. This brief examines the group’s recent activities in both nations to interrogate if the group is undergoing a phase of resurgence in the region. Accordingly, it maps out the different factors that are aiding the group and provides some policy implications for governments in the region
Mehmet Emin Cengiz | 19 April 2021
The intra-Kurdish unity talks between the PYD and the KNC seem to be at an impasse. The unity negotiations, which are undoubtedly the product of times of crisis in Kurdish politics in Syria, started in April 2020, and two rounds of negotiations have already passed. Nevertheless, face-to-face negotiations between the sides stalled months ago, and the third round of talks could not be initiated despite various attempts and US mediation. Moreover, many obstacles lie ahead of the success of the unity talks.
Giorgio Cafiero | 16 April 2021 | TR
Can Saudi Arabia Exit Yemen in a Dignified Manner? More than six years have passed since the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched its Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen. Today it is obvious that the [...]
William Figueroa | 08 April 2021
A Fact Check of the 25-Year Iran China Agreement The signing of the 25-year Iran-China Strategic Cooperation Agreement on March 27th, 2021 set off alarm bells in the media and prompted a frenzy of [...]
Al Sharq Strategic Research | 06 April 2021
Libya has emerged in recent years as the primary flashpoint in regional geopolitics. All the feuds, divides, and struggles that have defined the MENA regional politics since the onset of the Arab uprisings have played out in Libya
Leonid M. Issaev | 26 March 2021 | AR | TR
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to the Gulf fell during a period of trials between the new United States administration and the GCC countries, primarily Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman's “golden age” came to an end when former President Donald Trump stepped down and was replaced by Democrat Joseph Biden
Mona Alami | 26 March 2021
Not Obama, nor Trump: how Bidens Middle East policy is different The United States' recent international positions reflect the changes in Washington’s Middle East policy ushered in by the new Biden administration. Its statements [...]
Thomas Parker | 19 March 2021
Andrew F. March, The Caliphate of Man: Popular Sovereignty in Modern Islamic Thought Finally, Islamic democracy would leave theory and see application. Or so it seemed to some as the Arab uprisings spread throughout [...]
Anna L. Jacobs | 15 March 2021
Gulf States and the US Need to Work Together to Stabilize Iraq Ten rockets struck Ain al-Asad airbase this month, where about 2,000 U.S. personnel are currently stationed. No casualties have so far been [...]
