The recent collapse of the Assad regime in Syria constituted another watershed moment in the Mashreq. While the region as a whole appears to be in a permanent state of turmoil, each country and territory faces its own unique challenges.
In Lebanon, the August 2020 explosion at the port of Beirut accelerated the economic and institutional collapse of the country, and the November 2024 ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel remains as fragile as ever. In Gaza and the West Bank, the Israeli offensive launched after the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2024, has led to widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis, with the UN estimating that more than 1.8 million Palestinians are facing "extremely critical" levels of hunger.
At the same time, numerous common threads are clearly visible: sectarian divisions, the Israel-Iran strategic competition, Russian and Turkish foreign policy ambitions, as well as the unwavering US support for Israel and the ambiguity surrounding its approach to the broader region under the Trump II administration.
From the EU's perspective, stability in its Southern Neighbourhood is crucial to its own security. Indeed, the key aim of the EU's policy for the region is to support stabilization in political, economic, and security-related terms. Undeniably, however, its impact on the ground has been limited.
Against this background, the goal of the workshop was to brainstorm ways in which the EU can strengthen its position as an international actor in the region and achieve its policy goals. In particular, invited policymakers and experts from the EU and MENA region explored concrete options for the EU and developed actionable policy recommendations.
This worshop was a close-door event held under Chatham House rules.