MENA

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are reshaping their military posture abroad, reflecting their recalibrated foreign policy. This especially regards the Bab el-Mandeb area: as the Emiratis have partially withdrawn from the military bases in the Horn of Africa (Berbera in Somaliland and Assab in Eritrea), they are strengthening the pivot on Yemen’s coasts and islands: Perim, Mokha and Socotra.

The combination of a long-running family rivalry coupled with asevere economic crisis, chronic political problems, and the unrelenting Covid-19 pandemic have put Jordan’s reputation as the Middle East’s most stable country at risk.

The royal family is no stranger to tumult, but it has been able to overcome internal disputes without a public battle. This time however, family spats have escalated into conspiracy charges and arrests.

The passing of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said last January marked the end of an era. Despite fears of a messy succession, a smooth transition of power ensued from an emergency session held by the Council of Oman (comprising the appointed State Council and the elected Shura Council). As different governmental establishments gathered to witness the inauguration of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, the initial challenge of (dis)unity was overcome.

The MED This Week newsletter provides expert analysis and informed comments on the MENA region’s most critical issues and trends. Today, we turn the spotlight on Jordan - a linchpin for the region - where rumours of a conspiracy to oust the king have brought the country’s structural weaknesses to the fore.

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What does the future hold for the Middle East and North Africa? The second Rome MED Regional Meeting held last week provided an opportunity for experts to analyse and comment on the trends and challenges facing the region. The discussion was framed around MED’s 4 core pillars: Security, Prosperity, Migration, and Culture & Civil Society.

The MED This Week newsletter provides expert analysis and informed comments on the MENA region's most significant issues and trends. Today, we turn the spotlight on the outcomes of the latest European Council, where the EU-Turkey relationship was discussed in light of the recent attempts to de-escalate the Eastern Mediterranean situation and Ankara's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. 

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The European Council meeting — which, among other things, discussed Turkey and the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean — offered a fragile, positive agenda in EU-Turkey relations and kicked the can down the road to the June meeting, as widely anticipated. The most important items of the positive agenda are as follows: additional financial aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey; the modernisation of the EU-Turkey customs union; high-level dialogue with Turkey on issues of common concerns and interests; and increasing people-to-people contact mechanisms.