<p>The Middle East and North Africa is the world&#39;s crossroads. It encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the mountains of Iran, the plains of Turkey, the deserts of the Levant, the lands north of the Sahara and all coasts in between. The story of the region, as is so often the case of places stuck between foreign players, is the story of trade, exchange and conflict. The traditional powers of the region are Turkey and Iran &mdash; Saudi Arabia and Egypt are the current Arab powers &mdash; and their competition for influence over the region&#39;s weaker states makes the Middle East and North Africa an arena of violence and instability.</p>

The Middle East and North Africa encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the mountains of Iran, the plains of Turkey, the deserts of the Levant, the lands north of the Sahara and all coasts in between.

Middle East and North Africa

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Libya

Morocco

Oman

Palestinian Territories

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Tunisia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Western Sahara

Yemen

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Saudi Survival Strategy

The Kurdish Struggle

Iran's Arc of Influence

Israel's Survival Strategy

The Difficulties of North African Reform

Egypt's Uphill Battle

The Battle for Mosul

Snapshots

Saudi Mining and Industry Minister Bandar Al-Khorayef addresses the Future Mineral Forum in Riyadh on Jan. 10, 2024. 

Economics

Despite recent deals, the kingdom's mining sector will struggle to secure the level of investment needed to accomplish its Vision 2030 goals, though certain minerals adjacent to oil production, like lithium, are poised for greater growth.

The Challenges and Opportunities in Saudi Arabia's Mining Sector

Assessments

A tank is seen during Turkey's International Defense Industry Fair on July 22, 2024, in Istanbul.

Military & Security

Turkey's push to improve its air defenses in Syria amid Israel's ongoing aerial campaign raises the risk of tactical incidents and a brief crisis, although a larger conflict remains unlikely.

In Syria, Turkey and Israel's Parallel Deployments Heighten Flashpoint Risks

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jassim al-Budaiwi and the foreign ministers from the six GCC countries (Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates) pose for a group photo during the GCC foreign minister meeting in Kuwait City on June 2, 2025.

Energy

Despite global economic uncertainty and oil price volatility, Gulf Arab states are expected to sustain solid economic growth, driven by strong fundamentals, substantial buffers and ongoing diversification efforts.

Solid Fundamentals Shield GCC Economies From Global Volatility

Argentina

Bolivia

Brazil

Canada

Paraguay

United States

Uruguay

Venezuela

Indonesia

Japan

Singapore

South Korea

Vietnam

Europe

The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

Politics

Mercosur is increasingly opening its markets in pursuit of free trade agreements with partners around the world, particularly as U.S. protectionism shifts global trade dynamics.

The Geopolitics of Trade: What Changing Trade Dynamics Mean for Mercosur

China

Russia

India

An aerial view shows a campaign poster of Bolivian presidential candidate Samuel Doria Medina and his supporters marching during a rally in La Paz, Bolivia, on Aug. 12, 2025.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Bolivian Elections, a Controversial Israeli Settlement Plan 

Tunisian President Kais Saied attends his swearing-in ceremony before the National Assembly in Tunis on Oct. 21, 2024. 

The government's focus on centralizing power and suppressing dissent over economic reform or liberalization will leave the Tunisian economy vulnerable to global downturns and reliant on uncertain foreign support.

Tunisia's Economy at Risk as President Saied Prioritizes Consolidating Power

Armenia

Azerbaijan

U.S. President Donald Trump (center), Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (left) and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (right) hold up an agreement signed during a ceremony at the White House on Aug. 8, 2025.

The deal sidelines Russia and Iran while establishing a U.S. commercial presence in the South Caucasus, but it will remain fragile due to unresolved security guarantees and implementation challenges.

What To Make of the U.S.-Brokered Peace Deal Between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Columns

On Geopolitics

South Sudan

Chad

Ethiopia

Somalia

Sudan

Uganda

Shipping containers are offloaded from a vessel at Berbera Port in Somaliland on Aug. 31, 2021.   (ED RAM/AFP via Getty Images)

The UAE is expanding its influence across East Africa through large-scale investments and security partnerships, aiming to consolidate its status as a global trade hub and counter regional competitors, at the risk of entangling regional states in broader geopolitical contests.

The UAE's Long Game in East Africa

Israeli military vehicles drive along the border fence into Israel, near the town of Majdal Shams, in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, on July 17, 2025.

While the two countries may engage in limited security cooperation, Israel's continued military interventions in Syria and the lack of U.S. economic pressure on Damascus will make full normalization nearly impossible.

Despite Recent Talks, Syria-Israel Normalization Remains Highly Unlikely

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) looks at Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Nov. 30, 2018, during the G20 Leaders' Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to meet in the coming days.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: A Trump-Putin Summit, the Deadline for a U.S.-China Tariff Pause

U.S.-China Relations

Kenya

Environment, Science & Technology

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held phone calls on Aug. 21 with his counterparts from Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya during which he stressed Egypt's "categorical rejection of unilateral measures" on the eastern Nile Basin and said "water security" was "existential" for Egypt, Addis Standard reported on Aug. 22.

Egypt: Cairo Courts Upstream Nile Basin States With Promise of Development Support  

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet with officials from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, known collectively as the E3, during the week of Aug. 24-30 to discuss nuclear negotiations and sanctions, Reuters reported on Aug. 22. 

Iran: Tehran To Discuss Nuclear, Sanctions Issues With Germany, France, U.K.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, has declared a famine in the Gaza governorate, stating that more than 500,000 Palestinians in Gaza City and the surrounding area are facing "catastrophic" conditions, giving the area a Phase 5 classification -- the highest possible -- in an Aug. 22 report.

Israel, Palestinian Territories: IPC Officially Declares Famine in Gaza Governorate

The U.S. Trump administration has reportedly urged Israel to scale back "non-urgent" military operations in Lebanon to support the Lebanese government's move to begin disarming the political and militant group Hezbollah, Axios reported on Aug. 21.

Lebanon: U.S Asks Israel To Scale Down Attacks, Lebanon Starts Disarming Palestinian Camps

Thousands of Tunisians marched in Tunis on Aug. 21 to demand union rights and broader civic freedoms amid escalating tensions between President Kais Saied and the country's most powerful labor union, The New Arab reported on Aug. 22.

Tunisia: UGTT and Saied on the Verge of a Clash

Israel's Higher Planning Council formally approved the E1 settlement, which would separate east Jerusalem from the West Bank, on the same day that Israel began the initial stages of its Gaza City takeover, Reuters reported Aug. 20. 

Israel, Palestinian Territories: Israel Begins Gaza City Takeover, Approves E1 Settlement

The Israel Defense Forces announced it was calling up 60,000 reservists to support the next phase of "Operation Gideon's Chariot" in the military's newly approved plan to conquer Gaza City, CBS News reported on Aug. 20. 

Israel, Gaza: IDF Calls Up More Reservists, Netanyahu Criticizes Ceasefire Proposal

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

Qatar forwarded a draft peace deal to the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Rwandan-backed M23 that would involve a seven-month phased approach to resolving their conflict, Jeune Afrique reported on Aug. 18.

Congo: Qatar Forwards Draft Peace Deal With M23

Middle East and North Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

Egypt: Cairo Courts Upstream Nile Basin States With Promise of Development Support

Iran: Tehran To Discuss Nuclear, Sanctions Issues With Germany, France, U.K.

Israel, Palestinian Territories: IPC Officially Declares Famine in Gaza Governorate

Lebanon: U.S Asks Israel To Scale Down Attacks, Lebanon Starts Disarming Palestinian Camps

Tunisia: UGTT and Saied on the Verge of a Clash

Israel, Palestinian Territories: Israel Begins Gaza City Takeover, Approves E1 Settlement

Israel, Gaza: IDF Calls Up More Reservists, Netanyahu Criticizes Ceasefire Proposal

Congo: Qatar Forwards Draft Peace Deal With M23

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