North Africa

Policy Analysis on North Africa

Mali and MENA: The Future of Counterterrorism in the Sahel and Maghreb

As the Ukraine war creates a critical juncture for European security, France and its partners are pulling military resources out of Mali, raising questions about how best to address persistent terrorist threats and growing Russian footprints in the surrounding regions.

Mar 7, 2022

◆

Louis Dugit-Gros

Arab Spring Tunisia Yemen Bahrain Egypt Libya Syria

Audio

In-Depth Reports

No Going Back

Activists Reflect a Decade After the Arab Spring

Interviews with thirteen activists reveal a deep sense of disappointment but also a shared conviction that a new reform movement will eventually rise and deliver lasting change to the region.

Mar 7, 2022

◆

Roy Gutman

◆ Reform, Protest, Change

A Ukrainian flag flies at a naval base in Crimea in 2014 - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Middle East Responses to the Ukraine Crisis

So far, official statements from the region have ranged from rejecting Russia’s moves to treating them as a natural extension of existing policy.

Updated Mar 4, 2022

◆

Margaret Dene
Hannah Labow
Carol Silber

A supporter of Tunisia's Islamist Ennahda Party protests against the Tunisian president's 2022 coup - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Tunisian Jihadism in the Shadow of a Coup

If the West delays on pressing Saied to resume the democratic transition, it risks undermining the progress made so far in establishing a professional, apolitical counterterrorism infrastructure.

Mar 3, 2022

◆

Aaron Y. Zelin

United Nations headquarters building in New York - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

The UN Resolution on Ukraine: How Did the Middle East Vote?

A comprehensive record of what regional officials said—or didn’t say—about the emergency wartime vote in the General Assembly.

Mar 2, 2022

Libyans protest against their parliament's decision to appoint a new prime minister in Tripoli - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Libya’s Renewed Legitimacy Crisis

Washington and Europe need to clearly signal that they will not endorse any new governing arrangements until all local actors peacefully adhere to a negotiated political roadmap.

Feb 14, 2022

◆

Ben Fishman

Brief Analysis

“The Holocaust Was an Arab Story Too”: Holocaust Remembrance in the Arab World

المحرقة كانت قصة عربية أيضاً: إحياء ذكرى "الهولوكوست" في العالم العربي

The Washington Institute’s executive director reflects on this year’s wave of remembrance events in the region, including his remarks at two landmark programs in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Jan 28, 2022

◆

Robert Satloff

Video

Brief Analysis

The War on Jihadism: Lessons from Twenty Years of Counterterrorism

Three French experts survey the evolution of twenty-first-century counterterrorism and assess how the struggles against jihadist and far-right violence need to adapt in the coming years.

Dec 22, 2021

◆

Marc Hecker
Elie Tenenbaum
Louis Dugit-Gros

◆ Counterterrorism Lecture Series

In-Depth Reports

Soldiers of End-Times

Assessing the Military Effectiveness of the Islamic State

The IS military project led not only to the announcement of a “caliphate,” but to the proliferation of jihadist franchises that devastated countries, displaced millions, and killed tens of thousands.

Dec 21, 2021

◆

Ido Levy

An Egyptian guard inspects bomb damage near the Gaza border in Sinai

Brief Analysis

Egypt’s Counterinsurgency Success in Sinai

The military’s shift to tribal engagement has helped reduce jihadist attacks, but Cairo’s lagging efforts on development and human rights could leave the peninsula open to a future resurgence.

Dec 9, 2021

◆

Ido Levy

President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken host the Summit for Democracy. Source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

The Summit for Democracy Skips the Arab World

To address the region’s democracy gap, Washington needs to develop consistent messaging on reform objectives and help its partners focus on achievable goals such as protecting free speech, dissidents, and civil society.

Dec 8, 2021

◆

Ben Fishman

Video

Brief Analysis

Three experts discuss how Washington should shape its regional response to persistent protest movements, economic struggles, and democratic backsliding.

Dec 2, 2021

◆

Chiraz Arbi
Yasir Zaidan
Alberto Fernandez

Rebel soldiers in Libya during the 2011 revolution. Source: AP

Articles & Testimony

December Elections in Libya Risk a Return to Civil War

Authorities have come too far to risk resuming violence or dividing the country with a rushed, heavily boycotted vote.

Nov 21, 2021

◆

Ben Fishman

A Middle Eastern migrant with guards at the Belarus/Poland border. Source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

The EU Migrant Crisis: Options for Border Security and U.S. Interests

Spurred by conflicts in the Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan, the migration emergency in Belarus gives Washington an opportunity to foster cooperative agreements and goodwill.

Nov 19, 2021

◆

Kenneth R. Rosen
Calvin Wilder

A Sudanese protester against military rule

Brief Analysis

In Sudan, the Masks Come Off After a Military Coup

After months of nebulous plotting, the domestic and foreign actors who drove opposition to Hamdok’s reformist government will become more discernible as the generals look for ways to solidify their hold on power.

Oct 26, 2021

◆

Alberto Fernandez

Video

Brief Analysis

Contending with New and Old Threats:

A French Perspective on Counterterrorism

A top intelligence official discusses domestic radicalization, the AUKUS crisis, potential Afghanistan fallout, and other key security issues, emphasizing the need for strong U.S.-French cooperation.

Oct 12, 2021

◆

Laurent Nuñez

◆ Counterterrorism Lecture Series

Photo of Naftali Bennett and Abdul Fattah al-Sisi meeting in Sharm al-Sheikh.

Brief Analysis

The Bennett-Sisi Meeting: A Rare Chance to Publicly Boost Relations

The welcome visit indicates that Egypt-Israel ties can thrive post-Netanyahu, potentially expanding from the security domain to economic and civil affairs.

Sep 13, 2021

◆

Haisam Hassanein

Articles & Testimony

U.S. Policy on the Mediterranean and the Role of PMCs

Although Biden may not see Russia as his top priority, Moscow’s proxy military activities in the Mediterranean are directly aimed at diluting Washington’s leverage in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

Sep 10, 2021

◆

Anna Borshchevskaya

Brief Analysis

When Tunisians Fired the Start Gun for 9/11

A footnote in one decade of jihadist history can become a major mobilizer for terrorists and foreign fighters in subsequent years, and few cases illustrate this problem better than the Tunisian operatives involved in the 2001 murder of an Afghan rebel leader.

Sep 9, 2021

◆

Aaron Y. Zelin

Brief Analysis

Political Uncertainty Deepens in Tunisia

Washington should publicly emphasize the importance of preserving hard-won progress on political pluralism and human rights, while privately conveying that Tunis must return to the constitutional framework in order to receive MCC and IMF funding.

Aug 31, 2021

◆

Sarah Feuer
Grant Rumley
Ben Fishman
Aaron Y. Zelin

Supported by the

Rubin Family Arab Politics Program

The Washington Institute's Rubin Family Arab Politics Program focuses on social, political, and economic developments in the Arab world, with an emphasis on the Arab countries of the Levant.

Never miss a breaking event on U.S. policy interests in the Middle East. Customize your subscription to our expert analysis, op-eds, live events, and special reports.