Middle East & Africa
List of Middle East & Africa articles
What Will Elections in France, Iran, and the U.K. Mean for U.S. Foreign Policy?
As more countries prepare to go to the polls, Julian Assange is freed and Vladimir Putin cozies up to Kim Jong Un.
How Kenya’s President Broke the Social Contract
Faced with economic crisis and mass protests, Washington’s newest non-NATO ally has turned to brutal repression at home.
Key Foreign-Policy Moments From the Trump-Biden Debate
The two candidates clashed over Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, immigration, and America’s global image.
U.S. Military Courts New Partners in Africa After Major Setbacks
Top military chief visits Africa to reassess U.S. presence.
The Deep Roots of Kenya’s Unrest
A tax bill sparked deadly protests. But a broken financial system has plagued the country for years.
Can a Reformist President Change Iran?
Masoud Pezeshkian could win the election, but that doesn’t mean he’d have the power to change the country’s direction.
Washington Fails to ‘Read the Room’ in Kenya
President Ruto is valued by the White House but much less popular at home.
The Conservative Power Struggle Shaping Iran’s Election
Iran’s reformists are back—but the competition among conservatives deserves far more attention.
The Man Leading Israel’s Not-So-Quiet Annexation of the West Bank
Bezalel Smotrich aims to bankrupt the Palestinian Authority and cement Israeli rule.
The Empty Promise of Africa’s Oil and Gas Boom
The continent is awash in fossil fuel discoveries. But relying on them for development will be disastrous.
Africa’s Critical Mineral Race Heats Up
Competing railway corridors pit the United States against China; Kenya faces a violent crackdown on tax protests.
Elections Could Reshape U.S.-Iran Dynamic
Voters in Iran are focused on restrictive Western sanctions as both countries head to the polls this year.
How Africa’s War on Disinformation Can Save Democracies Everywhere
African leaders can’t afford to wait for Big Tech. By taking action, the continent could spare future generations from the scourge of adversarial AI.
Can South Africa’s Center Hold?
The new coalition government has brought together parties with divergent agendas while keeping radical populists out.
What a War Between Israel and Hezbollah Might Look Like
The Lebanese armed group is trained and equipped much better than Hamas.
Why Biden’s Gaza Gambit Is Likely to Fail
The U.S. president wants a truce more than Israel and Hamas do.
How to Solve the World’s Refugee Crisis
UNHCR’s Filippo Grandi on Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, and more.
Why South Africa Won’t Be Going Green
Clean energy was not a priority for voters—and a weakened ANC will make climate-friendly policies even less likely.
What Africa Can Learn From China’s Rise
The continent’s human capital is its greatest resource.
South Africa Should Take Zuma’s Threats Seriously
The ex-president’s party is openly hostile to democracy, but excluding it after a strong election showing could lead to violence.
Rwanda’s Rigged Election
Paul Kagame has banned all but two opposition candidates, ensuring himself another landslide win.
Israel and Lebanon Won’t End Up at War
The fighting is intensifying—but neither side wants an all-out escalation.
Why South Africa’s Nonalignment Is Here to Stay
The end of ANC majority rule is unlikely to signal a dramatic shift in the country’s foreign policy.
Inside Israel, the Gaza War Looks Very Different
Mired in the trauma of Oct. 7, many see the war as one of existential necessity.
How ECOWAS Lost Its Way
An inability to stand up to constitutional coups—most recently in Togo—has undermined the bloc’s credibility.
The Forgotten World War III Scare of 1980
Moscow and Washington trapped themselves in a cycle of fear over Iran.
The Influencer Chef Dividing Syria’s Diaspora
Chef Omar has popularized Damascene cuisine online and in his Istanbul restaurant. But is he linked to the Assad regime?
America’s Israel Policy Is Stuck in the 1990s
Washington has been making a series of bad assumptions that trace back 30 years.
Americans Don’t Want a Wartime President
If Biden can avoid the temptation to be a warrior defending allies abroad, he might have a better chance at winning his battles at home.
‘Somalia on Steroids’: Sudan Conflict Escalates
The U.S. special envoy for Sudan warns that the geopolitical fallout from the spiraling civil war could be immense.
Sudanese Militias Are Committing Genocide in Darfur—Again
The United States has the power to halt ongoing atrocities in El Fasher.
South Africa’s Era of ANC Dominance Is Over
After a stinging election setback, the long-ruling party is assessing its coalition options.
The Man Who Tried to Save Israel From Itself
This time, Israel must heed Theodor Meron’s warning.
The U.S. Needs a New Purpose in the Middle East
It’s time to ditch both romantic ideals of remaking the region and the policy of retrenchment.
Why Did America Stumble Into a Trap in Iraq?
A new history offers a sharp but limited critique.
What if Israel Had Been in China?
How Albert Einstein, a Brooklyn dentist, and pre-World War II Chinese leaders tried to create a Jewish homeland in Yunnan.
Biden Outlines Israeli Proposal For Gaza Cease-Fire Deal
Hamas is “no longer capable” of carrying out another major attack against Israel, the U.S. president said.
Is Biden Blowing It in Gaza and Ukraine?
Washington seems to keep moving the goalposts—but it isn’t bringing stability in either conflict, or electoral benefits at home.
Why Diego Garcia Matters
A dispute over a tiny island in the Indian Ocean presents complications for U.S. goals in the Indo-Pacific.
The Mood From Tehran
As Iran gears up for elections to replace Raisi, the country is divided.
The Normalizing of Assad Has Been a Disaster
Syria’s president was welcomed back into the fold a year ago—and everything since then has gotten worse.
The U.S.-Saudi Agreement Is a Fool’s Errand
For the sake of the international order, Biden must abandon his proposed deal with Riyadh.
The End of Secondhand Clothes
A major source of work for women in East Africa is suddenly under threat.
The World’s Refugee Relief Is Utterly Broken
Millions of Sudanese are fleeing a warzone—and exposing the world’s bankrupt response.
What to Watch in South Africa’s Election
If the ANC doesn’t win a majority, how it chooses to form a coalition will be key.
Will South Africa’s ANC Be Forced to Govern in a Coalition?
The ruling party could still win—but everything from a hard-left coalition to a national unity government is possible.
Why Is the World Ignoring a Looming Genocide in Sudan?
Aid workers fear a new disaster as militia forces close in on a major Darfur city.
Why Land Reform Matters in South Africa’s Election
Even in an urbanized economy, many Black voters care deeply about the government’s unfulfilled promises when it comes to land redistribution.
Raisi’s Funeral Has Exposed the Two Irans
The president’s death has shocked a political system that was designed to survive.
Can Zackie Achmat Change South Africa From Inside Parliament?
After decades as a thorn in the side of politicians, one of South Africa’s most celebrated activists is running for office.
Why the U.S. Should Recognize Palestinian Statehood
Sovereignty would serve America’s interests—and Israel’s.
Campus Protests Reflect Impatience With U.S. Foreign Policy
The Biden administration’s disavowal of students’ concerns will only make things worse.
Democracies Aren’t the Peacemakers Anymore
How Washington can reclaim its diplomatic primacy in an authoritarian age.
How Germany Lost the Middle East
Berlin’s unequivocal support for Israel has eroded its soft-power footprint in the region.
Israel and Hezbollah Inch Closer to War
Skirmishes in Israel’s north heighten risk of a new front in the war.
Kenya and the U.S. Need Each Other More Than Ever
Closer ties to emerging economies are an insurance policy for Washington against geopolitical shocks.
Can South Africa Keep the Lights On?
Even with the suspension of power cuts, voters remain skeptical ahead of the country's general elections.
South Africa’s Uncertain Election, Explained
The African National Congress risks losing its majority for the first time since 1994.
Why Jacob Zuma Still Looms Large in South African Politics
South Africa’s controversial former president could end up as the country’s kingmaker—despite being banned from running for office.
The Problem With ‘Conflict-Free’ Minerals
How traceability schemes have wound up hurting Congo’s people.
Rwanda’s Undemocratic Election
An opposition candidate makes the case for letting her name appear on the ballot.
Raisi’s Death Represents a Tipping Point for Iran
But it won’t change Tehran’s domestic or foreign policy.
Is the War in Gaza Turning Israel Into a Pariah State?
Possible ICC warrants are the latest indicators.
Why Realists Oppose the War in Gaza
If you’re surprised by the movement’s position, you never really understood it.
Why Iran Believes It’s Winning Against Israel
Tehran has concluded that a regional reordering is underway. The death of the president and foreign minister won’t change that.
ICC Prosecutor Seeks Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Hamas Leaders
The announcement ramps up pressure on Israel and puts the United States in a new bind.
Blocking a Fair WHO Pandemic Accord Endangers Humanity
Without an equitable agreement, including wealthy nations sharing IP with poorer ones, the world is doomed to repeat its COVID-era mistakes.
What Raisi’s Death Means for Iran’s Future
The president’s sudden death in a helicopter crash creates uncertainty for the country amid regional turmoil.
Rift or Rupture?
What the war in Gaza is doing to U.S.-Israeli relations.
‘We Are Allied, but We Are Not Aligned’
Josep Borrell, Europe’s outgoing foreign-policy chief, on the U.S., China, Ukraine, and Gaza.
Genocide Allegations Are Not a Political Football
Why Turkey’s application to join South Africa’s ICJ case trivializes the charges against Israel.
The Day After Iran Gets the Bomb
Scholars and policymakers are still trying to understand what would happen after Tehran acquires a nuclear weapon.
Could Ghana Be Jihadists’ Next Target?
Long seen as an island of stability, the country shares many of the same vulnerabilities that militants have exploited across the Sahel region.
After Al Jazeera, Will Israel Target Its Own Media?
Rights groups worry the closing of the Qatari network is just the beginning.
A Middle East Security Pact Won’t Free Palestine
The Biden administration needs to recognize that the problems lie with Israeli politics.
How Joe Biden Sabotaged the ‘Rules-Based Order’
By denying that Israel has violated international humanitarian law in Gaza, Washington is discrediting itself and the order that it claims to uphold.
Are Campus Protesters Heroes or Hypocrites?
As universities take center stage in the debate over Israel’s war in Gaza, the unrest could spell trouble for Biden’s reelection campaign.
Biden Draws a Red(Ish) Line on Israel
The U.S. president pauses some military aid as tensions with Israel mount.
Biden’s Escalation Fears Have Dangerous Consequences
Pressuring allies not to retaliate against attacks raises the risk of spiraling conflicts.
Saudi Arabia Is on the Way to Becoming the Next Egypt
Washington is brokering a diplomatic deal that could deeply distort its relationship with Riyadh.
U.K. Begins Rwanda Deportations
After Parliament overruled the Supreme Court and declared Rwanda safe, Sunak’s government is rounding up asylum-seekers.
Biden Should Not Stand in the Way of the ICC
Washington is wrong to accept the court’s indictment of Russian, but not Israeli, leaders.
Can the ICC Actually Arrest Netanyahu?
A former ICC president answers questions about the top court's jurisdiction in the Israel-Hamas war.
What to Expect from Israel’s Rafah Offensive
Israeli troops would face a battle-hardened enemy while trying to get tens of thousands of civilians out of the way.
How Iran’s Attack Could Change Israel’s Strategy
The April 14 missile barrage showed Israel that it cannot prevail against Iran on its own.
The Columbia Protests and the Economics of Divestment
What would meeting the demands of pro-Palestinian protesters cost the university?
How to Stave Off a Famine in Gaza
Two experts reflect on the impact of international pressure amid a fraught conflict.
A U.S.-Saudi Deal Without Israel Is an Illusion
The hype about a bilateral agreement is misplaced. Diplomatic normalization and a Palestinian state are needed to really change the regional playing field.
No, College Curriculums Aren’t Too Focused on Decolonization
Critics of campus demonstrations are aiming at the wrong target. We need to study more history, not less.
Top House Democrat ‘Deeply Worried’ About Israel’s War Strategy in Gaza
Israel is losing the support of Democrats over how it’s prosecuting the war, lawmaker warns.
When AI Decides Who Lives and Dies
The Israeli military’s algorithmic targeting has created dangerous new precedents.
Iran Makes a Play in South Asia
President Ebrahim Raisi’s recent trip to the region was an opportunity for Iran to showcase its engagement amid instability in the Middle East.
Iraqi Kurdistan’s Ethnic Minorities Are Under Attack
A power struggle between Baghdad and Erbil is targeting the country’s most vulnerable.
Why Won’t More Feminists Speak Up For Israeli Victims of Sexual Violence?
Israel’s government has promoted misinformation around Oct. 7, but that doesn’t mean victims should be ignored.
Israel Has Failed to Restore Deterrence
The concept that has always guided Israeli strategy may not survive the current war.
Chad’s Great-Power Balancing Act
Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Déby courts Russia and expels U.S. troops ahead of elections.
Egypt Is Obliged to Let Gaza Refugees In
Cairo’s decision to seal the border has exacerbated a humanitarian disaster. It’s also illegal.
The U.S. Military Is Getting Kicked Out of Niger
Although it’s the military’s largest presence in the Sahel, the loss is more symbolic than substantive.
What Columbia’s Protests Reveal About America
Some politicians have called student protesters a threat. Instead, they are providing us all with an education in democracy.
Israel Is Desperate to Replace Palestinian Farmhands
Newly arrived Indian workers say abuse is common.