NATO Conference in Rome on Arab Geopolitics

NATO Conference in Rome

Rome [ENA] A High-level Conference organized by NATO Defence College Foundation took place in Rome on 9th October. When NATO was established in 1949 the Arab world was away from being a priority of the Alliance. The Middle East was a proxy battlefield between the US and the Soviet Union, but the main focus of the Alliance remained the Iron Curtain. In 1979 the Revolution changed Iran, in 1989 the Soviet Union retreated

from Afghanistan and then collapsed. The Gulf war at the beginning of the ‘90s was intended as a collective effort to maintain peace, but it was ephemeral. The so called Arab Spring generated a sudden change in the region, many old regimes fell, other resisted, some other collapsed due to civil wars and sectarian clashes. The continuing turmoil has deeply shaped regional and global geopolitics, leaving a slew of internecine wars, inter-sectarian tensions and harsh inter-state conflicts. The subsequent fragmentation has furthered corruption, organized crime, illegal trafficking and terrorism. The geographical expansion of the Caliphate has been shrunk by military operations but it has not been yet beaten.

The geographical range of the confrontation has expanded. The previous picture with different crises interrelated to different areas (Syria-Iraq; Lybia; Sub-Saharian Africa; the Persian Gulf) has now transformed, and these crises are more interweaved than before, while several states are weaker than before. In this scenario, local producers and consumers are engaged into a race against time towards diversified economies, sustainable energy mixes and sensible water management. Together with the reconstruction, these needs can be the foundation to support a regional confidence dynamic. Energy from rivalry leverage to pivot of stability.

Maghreb has acquired a new strategic security depth in the Sahara sand sea across the Sahel region. It is an essential contributor to international security. The region lies between the Mediterranean, opened to commerce, energy and financial flows, and the desert which is increasingly insecure due to organized crime, smuggling, terrorism and illegal migrations. In 2019-2024, EU-NATO relations will be essential for a strategic area like the Mediterranean. Opening remarks of the conference were provided by Mr. Mahmoud Gebril, Former Prime Minister, Tripoli, and closing remarks were made by Mr.Ahmad Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, Cairo.