The Arab Geopolitics series of conferences was launched in 2011, inspired by the ambition of creating a forum that would gather together experts, decision-makers, policy advisors and influencers from and related to the Arab World. These events – held in Rome on an annual basis – wish to promote the Atlantic culture and the spirit behind the Mediterranean Dialogue and the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative. To know more, visit our dedicated webpage.

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The Arab Region has experienced for the first time during the last years a gradual political and business recomposition due to the Abraham Accords, despite a very long cycle of conflicts and tensions. The initial group of countries includes Bahrain, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, followed by Morocco and Sudan. Moreover, the dynamic was reinforced with the Negev Summit (Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and the USA) and by a deepening understanding between Tel Aviv and Amman over the accords.

Two years after their inception, these agreements show their economic development leverage, while they may have a considerable potential also in the security sphere: for instance, they allow to conceive a different regional security architecture beyond the research of new or old enemies and opening possibilities of cooperation beyond defence, non-proliferation and terrorism. Unfortunately, the absence of good governance and of a solid regional collaboration maintains a chronic instability where illegality, trafficking and corruption find fertile ground, while civil society still remains at the margins.

The conference will consist of three panels.

The first one will look at future evolutions in the region and see what is a realistic division of labour within partnerships and with major international organisations towards more projected security in the area.

The second panel should try to assess the future security dynamics of the Abraham Accords.

The third will try to redefine the geoeconomics of organised crime and trafficking in the region taking stock from the normalisation agreements, considering also terrorist ramifications.

PARTNERS