Special Economic Zones

A Model for the Middle East and North Africa

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have enormous economic potential with remarkable natural resources and industrial production capacities. While considerable progress for economic reforms has been reached already, a deeper regional integration and stronger cooperation can provide the needed impetus for facilitated development and upgraded national as well as regional economic structures in the wider region. One economic and business tool that could help generate growth and encourage regional integration is the “Special Economic Zone” (SEZ). SEZs can be a stepping-stone for greater sectoral change as infrastructure development and streamlined regulation alongside heightened investments can open job opportunities, strengthen value chains and enable greater inter-regional dialogue and cooperation in the MENA region.

Algeria’s Crisis: Outlook and Regional Implications

Mediterranean Dialogue Series 22

Algeria, the largest country in Africa by land area, one of Europe’s top three gas suppliers and a pivotal security actor in the region, has been shaken by mass protests since February 22, 2019. In this paper, Dalia Ghanem analyses the impact of the Algerian crisis on its neighbors Tunisia, Morocco, the Sahel and Europe.

The Maghreb’s Got Talent, but it’s leaving the region

Mediterranean Dialogue Series 21

While the attention on migration flows in the Mediterranean focusses mainly on the irregular dimension, the economic losses caused by the departure of skilled workers from the countries of the Maghreb are an important issue that remains little discussed. In this article, the author addresses a phenomenon that highlights the need to further coordinate migration policies between the two shores of the Mediterranean.

MENA 2030: A Strategic Foresight Exercise

Mediterranean Dialogue Series 20

The prospects for regional cooperation on peace and security in the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are more than bleak to take stock and to identify future trends, threats, and weak signals of change that might have an influence on the security architecture of the region, the Regional Political Dialogue South Mediterranean of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) convened its Mediterranean Advisory Group for a strategic foresight exercise on 28 to 30 March 2019 to formulate future scenarios for the MENA region and discuss possible opportunities for multilateral security cooperation in the Mediterranean.

The European Union and North Africa

Prospects and Challenges

The ongoing upheaval in North Africa has presented many challenges to Europe, which previously had been comfortable with the status quo of authoritarian leadership in much of the region. Now in its ninth year, the turmoil has forced European leaders to rethink their approaches to the region, based on the now-obvious reality that the brief hopes of early 2011 for the spread of democracy and economic progress will not be fulfilled anytime soon.

Libyen: Haftar in der Tripolis-Sackgasse

Während Kampfverbände des selbsternannten Feldmarschalls und de-facto Herrschers Ost-Libyens Khalifa Haftar vor den Toren der libyschen Hauptstadt Tripolis stehen, haben die Milizen im Westen des Landes unter der nationalen „Einheitsregierung“ (GNA) die Operation „Vulkan des Zorns“ zur Verteidigung der Hauptstadt ausgerufen. Haftar will mit seiner „libyschen Nationalarmee“ (LNA) die Macht in Tripolis und somit in ganz Libyen übernehmen. Dafür muss er alles auf eine Karte setzen.

Trump in North Africa

Mediterranean Dialogue Series 19

The election of US President Donald Trump in 2017 meant a critical realignment in Washington’s global priorities. The Middle East and North Africa is no exception to this trend as new geopolitical realities emerged that prevalently breaks with traditional arrangements. The Trump administration’s policy towards North Africa in particular was characterized by a degree of apathy and an overall prioritization of US national interest. But the gradual demise of the White House and the State Department in North Africa is being replaced by an active Pentagon and a reinvigorated Congress. The following presents an evaluation of the US policy towards North Africa in the Trump era.

Drifting Apart? Transatlantic Relations in the Middle East

Meditarranean Dialogue Series 18

The transatlantic relations are not going through a smooth period. There seem to be more divergences than convergences regarding a number of issues. One of the areas where deep disconnects plague current transatlantic cooperation is the Middle East policy. While there is a common transatlantic understanding of the main threats to peace and stability in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, differences mark the approaches towards issues such as the nuclear deal with Iran or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Transnational Organized Crime and Political Actors in the Maghreb and Sahel

Mediterranean Dialogue Series 17

The following paper is based on a workshop organized by the Regional Program South Mediterranean and the Regional Program Sahel of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung on December 3rd and 4th 2018 in Tunis. The paper aims at providing an overview on the dimensions of organized crime in the Maghreb-Sahel belt, the economic dependence of border populations on illicit economies, and the extensive connections between smugglers, states, jihadist groups and local communities.

A Comparative Study of Refugee Laws in Arab Countries

Mediterranean Dialogue Series 16

The asylum phenomenon has recently acquired a new dimension in the Arab region following the unrests happening in the aftermath of the so-called Arab Spring. Arab countries seem to not be fully prepared, especially on the legal level, to face this challenge.