Select Committee · Foreign Affairs Committee
The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North Africa
Status: Closed
Opened: 31 Jul 2023
Closed: 29 May 2024
Inquiry scope
This inquiry will examine the main medium and long-term challenges facing countries in the Middle East and North Africa. It will ask whether there are key countries that the UK should focus its efforts on within the region. The work will explore the balance of engaging with countries who have little respect for human rights and ask whether there is a trade-off between establishing democracy and maintaining political stability. The inquiry will look at the influence of external state actors, such as Russia, China, Turkey and India, in the region. The Committee will explore the conflict between Israel and Palestine and ask what can be done to engage all parties in seeking a peaceful resolution. Read the call for evidence for more details about the inquiry.Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 14 May 2024 | Stephen Hickey · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | View ↗ |
| 26 Mar 2024 | Amine Ghoulidi · Heritage Foundation, Dr. Radwan Masmoudi · Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, Dr Shana Cohen · Think-Tank for Action on Social Change, Jonathan Wilks, Professor Gareth Stansfield · The University of Exeter, Urban Coningham · RUSI, Will Todman · Middle East Program, CSIS | View ↗ |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Colonel (Retired) Miri Eisin · International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, Dr. Gershon Baskin · Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI), Dr Rashid Khalidi · Columbia University, Gershom Gorenberg, Rt Hon Alistair Burt · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Samer Sinijlawi · Jerusalem Development Fund | View ↗ |
| 30 Jan 2024 | Denisse Rudich, Dr Elisabeth Kendall, Farea Al-Muslimi · Chatham House, Helen Lackner, Peter Millett, Tim Eaton · Chatham House | View ↗ |
| 23 Jan 2024 | Ali Ansari · The University of St Andrews, Behnam Ben Taleblu · Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Mike Singh · The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Sir Mark Lyall Grant · United Nations, The Rt Hon Jack Straw · Foreign and Commonwealth Office, The Rt Hon. the Baroness Ashton of Upholland LG GCMG · European Commission | View ↗ |
| 5 Dec 2023 | Jay Mens · Policy Exchange, John Casson · Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Professor Anoush Ehteshami · School of Government and International Affairs, University of Durham, Professor Christopher Phillips · School of Politics and International Relations, Queen Mary University of London, Professor Simon Mabon · Politics, Philosophy and Religion Department, University of Lancaster | View ↗ |
| 4 Dec 2023 | John Bolton · United Nations | View ↗ |
| 21 Nov 2023 |
Foreign Affairs Committee
No witnesses recorded
|
View ↗ |
Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Ali Ansari · Professor of Iranian History | The University of St Andrews | 1 |
| Amine Ghoulidi · Visiting Fellow at the Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy | Heritage Foundation | 1 |
| Behnam Ben Taleblu · Senior Fellow | Foundation for Defense of Democracies | 1 |
| Colonel (Retired) Miri Eisin · Senior Fellow | International Institute for Counter-Terrorism | 1 |
| Denisse Rudich | — | 1 |
| Dr Elisabeth Kendall | — | 1 |
| Dr Rashid Khalidi · Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies | Columbia University | 1 |
| Dr Shana Cohen · Director | Think-Tank for Action on Social Change | 1 |
| Dr. Gershon Baskin · Co-Chairman | Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) | 1 |
| Dr. Radwan Masmoudi · President | Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy | 1 |
| Farea Al-Muslimi · Research Fellow in the MENA programme | Chatham House | 1 |
| Gershom Gorenberg | — | 1 |
| Helen Lackner | — | 1 |
| Jay Mens · Senior Fellow | Policy Exchange | 1 |
| John Bolton · Former US Ambassador | United Nations | 1 |
| John Casson · Former Foreign Affairs Private Secretary to the Prime Minister and ambassador to Egypt | Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office | 1 |
| Jonathan Wilks | — | 1 |
| Mike Singh · Managing Director | The Washington Institute for Near East Policy | 1 |
| Peter Millett | — | 1 |
| Professor Anoush Ehteshami · Professor of International Relations | School of Government and International Affairs, University of Durham | 1 |
| Professor Christopher Phillips · Professor in International Relations | School of Politics and International Relations, Queen Mary University of London | 1 |
| Professor Gareth Stansfield · Professor of Middle East Politics and former director of the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies | The University of Exeter | 1 |
| Professor Simon Mabon · Professor of International Politics | Politics, Philosophy and Religion Department, University of Lancaster | 1 |
| Rt Hon Alistair Burt · Former Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | 1 |
| Samer Sinijlawi · Founding Chairman | Jerusalem Development Fund | 1 |
| Sir Mark Lyall Grant · Former UK Ambassador and Permanent Representative (2009-2015) | United Nations | 1 |
| Stephen Hickey · Director, Middle East and North Africa | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | 1 |
| The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon · Minister of State (Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, United Nations and the Commonwealth) | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | 1 |
| The Rt Hon Jack Straw · Former Foreign Secretary | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 1 |
| The Rt Hon. the Baroness Ashton of Upholland LG GCMG · Former Vice President | European Commission | 1 |
| Tim Eaton · Senior Research Fellow in the MENA programme | Chatham House | 1 |
| Urban Coningham · Research Analyst and Course Lead | RUSI | 1 |
| Will Todman · Deputy Director and Senior fellow | Middle East Program, CSIS | 1 |
Correspondence
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| Published | Direction | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Apr 2024 | — | Correspondence with the Foreign Secretary relating to International Humanitarian Law, dated 11/04/24 and 15/04/24 |
| 21 Mar 2024 | — | Correspondence with the Foreign Secretary relating to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, dated 15/03/24, 09/03/24 and 19/02/24 |
| 11 Mar 2024 | From committee | Letter to the Foreign Secretary relating to humanitarian aid access to Gaza, dated 09/03/2024 |
| 20 Feb 2024 | To committee | Letter from Foreign Secretary regarding arms export licences, dated 29/01/24 and 09/02/24 |
| 20 Feb 2024 | To committee | Letter from Foreign Secretary regarding concern over Rafah offensive, dated 13/02/24 and 15/02/24 |