Publication

This brief describes Germany’s foreign policy towards the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and its economic interests there. It concludes that although Berlin’s influence in MENA is limited, it does have an indirect impact via its role in shaping EU policy, its longstanding relationship with Israel, and its relations with Iran and the GCC states. Finally, the brief wonders if MENA's ongoing security problems may nudge Germany towards a more security-centered focus in the region, and not merely an economic one.