A workshop in Paris on the impact of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict on the Middle East and North Africa

Abaad Center for Strategic Studies organized a workshop in Paris to discuss the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the Middle East and North Africa.

The workshop dealt with the opportunities made and challenges caused by the war to the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, including the negative and positive repercussions on the system of regional and international alliances, in addition to the effects it has on production chains and the rise in energy and other basic commodities prices.

The workshop discussed the current and potential impact of the war on the roles of regional and international actors in the region, including the Russian, Iranian, Israeli and Turkish roles. Furthermore, it discussed the impact of the war on the role of China in the region, especially in North Africa, and the possibility of an acceleration of the Chinese presence there as a result of the war, and the rise of China’s influence in the Middle East and North Africa in the long term.

Participants stressed the importance of long-term effects, which will be profound in the Arab region, and might include shifts in political systems according to alignments, as a kind of war between the major powers.