On February 28 — March 1, the Valdai Club, with the support of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, held the 12th Middle East Conference. The participants of the fifth session discussed the strategies of the states of the region and their role in the emerging polycentric world order.
Watch the fifth session also in Russian and Arabic.
12:30—14:00 Session 5. The Age of Sovereignty: Key Middle Eastern Countries’ Foreign Policy Priorities
International order in the Middle East is once again in the hands of the states of the region, rather than external forces. The main regional centres of influence, such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Algeria, and others are participating in the process of creating a new security system. They rely on national sovereignty and withdraw from the old (mainly post-colonial) formats of interaction with the West. What are the strategies of the states in the region? What role do they see for themselves in the emerging polycentric world order? To what extent might the Middle East become a consolidated pole?
Read the Programme for details.