The 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquake, Sanctions, and How to Improve Humanitarian Access

The earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in February has prompted a litany of policy debates surrounding the state of humanitarianism today.
Harnessing Ideology: Addressing Iran’s ‘Soft Power’ in Latin America

On 11th January, Iran’s naval commander announced[i] that Iran would station warships in the Panama Canal before the end of 2023. Further exasperating concerns, according to documents[ii] published recently by the Brazilian navy, […]
Beyond Heroes, Symbols and Role Models: Women at the Centre of MENA Politics

Women’s political mobilisation is central to MENA’s regional dynamics, yet it often takes major events to draw global attention to these issues.
Qatar and the Al Thani: The Self-Made Critical Ally

With a strategy informed by its past, no other ruling dynasty in the Arab Gulf has played a weak hand with more skill than Qatar’s Al Thani regime.
The Games Inside the Game: A Look at the Politics and Economics of the Qatar World Cup

With the successful delivery of the Qatar World Cup, Qatar will be able to step out from the shadows of its more well-known Gulf neighbours.
COP27 Nets Mixed Blessings for Host Egypt

In the case of Egypt, the host nation of COP27, the pitfalls of being in the public eye for such an important event almost managed to derail the perks.
A Look to US-Saudi Relations in 2023: Irritants, Constraints and Opportunities

For many decades, the U.S.-Saudi relationship has been loosely defined by the premise of oil for security. This premise arose out of a growing alignment of interests following the announcement […]
Iran and Saudi Arabia: Mutual Threat Perceptions and the Potential for Conflict

For about a year and a half, there was hope that Iran and Saudi Arabia, two Persian Gulf neighbours and regional rivals, would overcome the period of hostility between them […]
Will Turkey’s Meddling in Syria Solve the Kurdish Dilemma?

Turkey’s long-lasting Kurdish issue, which embodies the political, economic and cultural problems that Kurds have faced over the past century, has become more complicated than ever, largely due to the […]
Can the Iraqi Prime Minister implement his pledges?

After more than a year of political stalemate, the Iraqi government headed by Mohammad Shiaa al-Sudani was formed, and his selections for ministerial positions were passed without much Parliamentary obstruction. […]