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.

The Levant: Search for a Regional Order

The rapid developments of recent years have drastically altered the political and economic landscapes of most countries in the Levant. Faced with a myriad of challenges, the (re-)construction of a regional order in the region remains a highly complex and difficult proposition, one with, according to many observers, slim chances for success.

An Assessment of the International Conference on Libya

Following the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron, an international conference on Libya took place in Paris on 29 May 2018, in an effort to advance the political unification and reoconsilitation process in the country. The conference was held under the patronage of the UN Special Envoy to Libya. Macron had previously brought together two Libyan key players in France. The French initiative is widely understood as a clear message that France wants to take the lead in the stabilization of Libya. The publication is in German.

The Fight Over Libya's Oil

Libya's oil crescent has been shaken by clashes between militias and the forces of Khalifa Haftar recently. This is not the first time that the Gulf of Sidra became the scene of Libyan power struggles. The recent developments around the two oil terminals Ras Lanuf and El-Sidr showcase the fragmented political and economic conditions in Libya, which are exacerbated by the parallel structures in West and East. The publication is in German.

„Belt and Road Initiative“: China's New Silk Road in the Mediterranean

The Chinese "Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)" aims to position China as important economic and geopolitical actor in the Mediterranean. The paper at hand analyzes the economic and geopolitical dimensions of the Chinese initiative and sheds light on potentials and risks of the BRI for North African countries. [Publication in German]

The New Silk Roads and North Africa: What are the synergies?

Study on the implications of the Chinese "Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)" on North African countries and their positioning vis-à-vis the initiative (Text in French)

China's Belt and Road Initiative and the Mediterranean Region: The Energy Dimension

Mediterranean Dialogue Series 14

China’s geo-economic strategy in the framework of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aims at creating an integrated economic network of supply and value chains - especially in the production, transport and energy sectors. The analysis by Dr. Frank Umbach gives an overview of the energy dimensions of China's Belt and Road initiative and explores the Chinese strategy in the Mediterranean region and the Persian Gulf as part of its larger energy investment and energy security strategy towards the MENA region.

Oil, Banks, and Governance

Economic Realities in a Divided Libya

Despite limited improvements, the Libyan economy still lingers well below its potential, obstructed by continuing violent conflict and political uncertainty. Libya’s poor economic performance is evident in the numbers, and it is rendered even more obvious by the population’s claims. Many efforts – including specific policies and economic orientations - have been developed by Libya’s political authorities, in the East and in the West, to try and limit the effects of economic problems on the society. However, results remain limited so far.

Foreign Terrorist Fighters in the Euro-Mediterranean Area

Mediterranean Dialogue Series 13

In this publication, Dr. Can Kasapoglu provides a terrorism risk modeling and intelligence analysis guide for counterterrorism assessments vis-à-vis the threat of a 'mutated' Islamic State of Iraq and the Levante in the Euro-Mediterranean region - a threat that the author calls "black banners reloaded."