What Does the Gulf Want From France in Return for Its Energy?

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Speaking on France 24 on 19 October 2026, EISMENA Director Adel Bakawan explains the Gulf states’ demand for reciprocity: Europe may seek their oil and gas, but it must help secure the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. He argues that France and the EU possess significant diplomatic and economic leverage—yet have failed to translate it into concrete action.

The Middle East and North Africa : Structural Recompositions 

The Middle East and North Africa are undergoing strategic fragmentation, as declining traditional hegemonies and shifting alliances reshape regional power dynamics. Despite economic growth, the region faces structural challenges, including debt, inequality, youth unemployment, hydrocarbon dependence and climate pressures. Digitalisation creates opportunities but also expands surveillance, while ongoing conflicts and the absence of stable regional governance reinforce uncertainty. Fragmentation has become the defining feature of a fragile but emerging regional order.

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