by Frederick Kempe, Giampiero Massolo, Yahia Zoubir, Abdelkader Abderrahmane, Pietro Gagliardi, Guillaume Biganzoli, Aldo Liga, Nader Kabbani, Nejla Ben Mimoune, Hannah Abdullah, Karim Elgendy, Shlomo Roiter Jesner, Jay Mens, Armando Sanguini, Karim Mezran, and Alissa Pavia
Atlantic Council
In the last decade, several events redefined North Africa’s heterogeneous character and identity. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the beginning of the Arab spring, but most of the root causes fueling the unrest remain unaddressed. The region is undergoing a delicate phase in its political, social, and economic life, and the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact have further exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities and inequalities, triggering frustration and distrust among North African citizens towards institutions, ruling elites and political parties.
In partnership with the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center is pleased to present its latest report, “North Africa 2030: What the Future Holds for the Region,” edited by Karim Mezran and Armando Sanguini. The edited volume with contributions from regional experts including Yahia Zoubir, Abdelkader Abderrahmane, Pietro Gagliardi, Aldo Liga, Hannah Abdullah, Nader Kabbani, Shlomo Roiter Jesner, and Alissa Pavia reveals that North Africa still faces an array of challenges – transnational terrorism, illegal migrant smuggling, poor local governance, and lack of basic infrastructure – that pose severe threats to North Africa’s economic, social, and political development. The report also notes that greater political stability, good governance, renewable energies, sustainable urbanization and greater employment opportunities for the youth are vital for creating prosperity in North Africa. The report also includes analysis on socio-economic and political trends in Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.
