Dr. Hamdy Bashir‏‏

On July 23, 2025, Massad Boulos, the advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab, Middle Eastern, and African affairs, paid an official visit to Libya. This was the first visit by a senior American official since Trump assumed the presidency. The purpose of the visit was to discuss developments in Libya at the local, regional, and international levels. During his trip, Massad Boulos met with Mohamed al-Menfi, Chairman of the Presidential Council; Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Prime Minister of the interim Government of National Unity; and Nagy Issa, Governor of the Central Bank of Libya. He also held subsequent meetings with political and security officials in Benghazi to address key issues on his agenda. However, this visit raises several questions about its significance and timing. 

Understanding the Drivers Behind the Visit of Massad Boulos to Libya

American Re-engagement:

Mohamed Ezz‏‏

One of the key trends that has been shaping the security landscape of the Middle East since the beginning of 2025 is the concerted effort by state actors, as well as certain regional and international powers, to disarm militias who have become major disruptors of regional affairs. Some observers argue that the most prominent feature of the first quarter of the 21st century is the rise of non-state armed actors, many of whom now resemble parallel armies, possessing economic resources and engaging in state-like diplomatic relations with both regional and international powers. These actors have come to be described by terms such as "quasi-state," "de facto authority," or even "a state within a state."

How Disarming Militias Could Reshape Middle Eastern Security

Undermining Influence:

Traditional military and political transformations are no longer the most significant threats to the security and stability of Middle Eastern countries. Instead, non-traditional threats stemming from demographics, economic problems, and health crises, such as the spread of pandemics, have escalated. These threats now pose an unprecedented risk to the foundations of individual and community security in the region's countries. This is especially true given the exceptional surge in the spread of certain epidemic diseases in some regional states, which are expected to increase in light of cross-regional labor flows and interregional migration movements, amid rising multiple sovereignties and border fluidity among many countries in the region.

How Do Deteriorating Health Conditions Reflect Middle East Interactions in 2024?

Reflective Mirror:

InterRegional for Strategic Analysis

Interregional for Strategic Analysis held a panel discussion session titled "Restoring Influence: The Future of French Policy Towards the Middle East," featuring Camille Lons, Deputy Head of the Paris Office and Middle East and North Africa Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). The session explored the key determinants and features of French foreign policy toward the Middle East, the main tools Paris employs in its relations with the region, and the significant challenges that hinder the effectiveness of French foreign policy.

The Future of French Policy Towards the Middle East (Panel Discussion)

Restoring Influence:

Dr. Mohammad Salami‏‏

For centuries, the Middle East has been a meeting point of civilizations, which developed transport and trade routes connecting this region with other parts of the globe. The Middle East and Central Asia have long been at the crossroads of East Asia, Europe, and Africa, and the Silk Road is one of the oldest trade routes in the world.

How Middle Eastern Countries Are Competing over Trade Routes

A War of Corridors:

China and Russia each have their own economic and political objectives in the international arena. These two Global South powers are also both interested in challenging the dominant Western order. The Middle East seems to be a potential site for future competition between the two nations. Beijing’s efforts to influence and invest in key Middle East infrastructure will certainly expand beyond the economic sphere to further political and geopolitical ambitions. When this happens, Moscow will be keeping a close eye on the process.

Could the Middle East Become a Zone for Sino-Russian Competition?

Turbulent Outlook:

The visit of Air Marshall Martin Sampson, the British Chief of the Defense Staff Senior Advisor for the Middle East and North Africa, to Libya at the end of September, which coincided with the anchoring of the Royal Navy warship HMS Albion at Tripoli’s Abu Sitta naval base, demonstrates Britain’s growing involvement in Middle East crises of late. This has also clearly manifested in Britain’s many moves in pursuit of a resolution to the Libyan political crisis, its active engagement with threats in the Arabian Sea related to the crisis in Yemen, its strident opposition to the Iranian nuclear program and adoption of escalating measures against Iran, and in the turn towards relocating the British Embassy to Jerusalem. Such moves demonstrate a "Return of Britain" to the region. These moves seek to strengthen Britain’s influence, especially following Brexit, as London attempts to exert its presence apart from Europe on the world stage.

How to Interpret Britain’s Current Involvement in the Middle East?

The Brexit Effect:

Dr. Guy Burton

China’s footprint in the Middle East is expanding, and there is little reason to think that will change as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine. In some ways, the war may serve to enhance its sphere of influence, while also hampering it in other ways.

How China's Mid-East Policy May Change After Ukraine War

Vested Interest:

Dr. Diana Galeeva‏‏

The geopolitical competition playing out among the great powers in Europe has shed light on the political and economic significance of the MENA region. US Vice President Kamala Harris recently led the "strongest delegation" to the UAE since President Joe Biden took office, during which she offered her condolences on the death of its ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The conflict in Ukraine has brought UAE-US tensions into focus and the visit was seen as "a bid to step up efforts to repair frayed ties with Gulf allies."

Middle East

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