Supporting Afghan scholars abroad is a challenge. How can the international community help? Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili explains.

What are the parameters of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) - China relationship? And, are there differences among GCC countries in terms of their ties to China? Is there a risk of friction between US and China in the GCC, as China may be expanding its engagement with the region beyond economic cooperation?

How has the rise of China's influence in the Middle East and North Africa affected other major powers' roles in the region? Are there opportunities for cooperation between China and the other major powers in the Middle East and North Africa?

Even as global public opinion on China grew negative during the pandemic, Arab Barometer showed that in the Middle East and North African countries surveyed, popular views of China's favorability remained relatively high. What explains this popular perception of China in the MENA region?

Rayna Sabah Bakr evaluates the current post-pandemic recovery plans in Iraq. She notes what is being prioritized and what should be prioritized. She then continues with thoughts on how to address gender inequality in Iraq's economic ecosystem.

Khalid Abu-Ismail details his research on economic inequality in the MENA region. How do we move forward in reducing those inequalities? Abu-Ismail is a senior economic affairs officer at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

In this follow-up video to the Center's Post-Pandemic Inclusive Economic Recovery in MENA workshop, participant Nader Kabbani comments on what MENA region governments have learned from the COVID crisis and whether those governments have improved their policies since the pandemic. Following those thoughts, he elaborates on the need for more regional and sub-regional economic cooperation.

Turkey is struggling to balance Ukraine on the one hand, with which it has been developing lucrative economic and military ties; and Russia on the other, which is a critical supplier of natural gas and a significant trade and security partner. Complicating this balancing act even further are Turkey’s commitments to NATO, juxtaposed with President […]

Iran held elections at a critical time in terms of itself, its region, and the balance of power in the world. Ibrahim Reisi, the former head of the Judiciary, who is a close circle of the spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has become the new president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. How can the […]

Some have said that the relationship between the United States and Pakistan is at a crossroads with the imminent withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan. What opportunities and challenges will this create for future relations between the two countries? Sadia Sulaiman is an assistant professor at the Area Study Centre for Africa, North and South […]