ISPI MED this Week

The Scramble for the Eastern Mediterranean: Energy and Geopolitics

Over the past few years, the Eastern Mediterranean has become a major hotspot for both natural gas and geopolitical competition. Natural gas discoveries in the last decade have attracted growing interest from regional countries and beyond. However, recent escalations in tensions and outright confrontations suggest that competition goes beyond the scramble for energy. Indeed, natural gas is just one of the factors that contribute to shaping security and geopolitical dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean, which has emerged as a crucial strategic area in the broader Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Moving from the analysis of these interconnected factors, this Report examines the strategy and the plethora of interests of regional and international players, as well as the interplay between cooperative and competitive dynamics in the region. 

What are the geopolitical, security, and energy interests of the countries involved? What are the implications on the regional security context of the moves and policies of regional and international powers?

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Introduction
Paolo Magri


1. Israel’s Quest for Regional Belonging in the Eastern Mediterranean
Gabriel Mitchell (Mitvim Institute)


2. The Stakes for Greece and Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean
Zenonas Tziarras (PRIO Cyprus Centre)


3. Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean: Between Energy and Geopolitics
Mitat Çelikpala (Istanbul Kadir Has University)


4. Egypt: Threats and Interests in the Eastern Mediterranean
Nael Shama (Political Researcher and Writer)


5. The GCC in the Eastern Mediterranean: Growing Significance, Competing Agendas
Naser Al-Tamimi (Political Economist)


6. Russia: Towards a Balance of Interests in the Eastern Mediterranean
Ruslan Mamedov (Russian International Affairs Council – RIAC)


7. China in the Eastern Mediterranean: A Discreet Player
Camille Lons (International Institute for Strategic Studies – IISS)


8. The Eastern Mediterranean: A Testing Ground for the European Union?
Valeria Talbot (ISPI)

 

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