Dima

A dramatic rise in violence against children has become visible across much of MENA, most notably in countries such as Lebanon and Iraq where inadequate regulations are failing to protect children from harm, coupled with economic distress weighing heavily on families.

Ethnic and racial considerations are integral to understanding the Arab perspective on the events unfolding in Niger.

From football, basketball to track and field and weightlifting, Lebanese sports have long been dominated by men before women stepped in to become powerful role models for the upcoming generations of girls nationwide.

In 2022, the Arab region experienced a significant surge in foreign direct investment projects, witnessing a 74 per cent annual increase, totaling 1,617 projects by year-end, according to data from the Arab Corporation for the Guarantee of Investment and Export Credit. The cumulative worth of these projects reached $200 billion, marking a remarkable 358 per cent surge from the preceding year.

India ranks as the world's third-largest importer of oil and gas, trailing only China and the United States, with annual energy imports amounting to a staggering $119 billion. Despite benefiting from reduced Russian oil prices, the Gulf nations, particularly Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, continue to fulfill 60 percent of India's energy requirements.

Israel's intentions of annexing the Golan Heights by displacing the original Arab inhabitants and replacing them with Israeli settlers were evident from the outset. Before the occupation of approximately 113 villages and 112 farms were inhabited by around 138,000 Syrian Arabs. Currently, only six Arab villages remain, inhabited by some 27,000 people.

Much like its historical ties with Russia, Algeria boasts a significant history of amicable relations with China which serve as a basis upon which Tebboune today relies to cultivate a strategic partnership with the administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping, fostering a climate of trust between the two sides.

Growing concerns over the world's food supply, particularly in relation to staple crops like wheat and rice, have been made worse by recent political and economic developments. Several Arab countries, notably Tunisia, Lebanon, Egypt, and Sudan, are expected to suffer grave effects as a result of this crisis, including a failure to secure adequate food supplies.

Tunisia's new migration policy signed with the European Union will negatively impact migrants and refugees, possibly permitting repressive practices.

Youth emigration from Daraa governorate in Syria is related to the regime, Iran, drug trafficking, security concerns and economic conditions.

Palestinians live in conditions forced upon them by Israel with an iron fist. Since the start of 2023, 174 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army, compared to 232 in all of 2022. Not including Israel's wars on Gaza, 2022 was the deadliest year on record for Palestinians. The majority of victims were from the West Bank.

Suhayr al-Qalamawi paved the way for Egyptian women to defend their right to learn and teach and their fundamental right to life.

Syria’s return to the Arab League was a bona fide gesture by the Arab group towards the regime, which had agreed to the final statement of the Amman meeting. The statement emphasised the need to take a proactive Arab role in resolving the Syrian crisis through a quid pro quo approach based on the Saudi initiative.

Egypt has restricted cross-border movement are part of a broader trend in the securitization of migration policies. This, in turn, is not an isolated development but affected by the EU’s agenda on migration, which centers around the externalization of its borders.

Forewarnings of drought in Iraq are alarming. Predictions indicate that its rivers may run dry entirely by 2040. On a visit to Iraq in March 2022, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, "Iraq faces a risk of water shortage in the Tigris and Euphrates. Iraq should not be a riverless country. This is a challenge for the government."

Extremist discourse is on the rise in Israel, and the national and religious right's influence in public politics is expanding. This change culminated in December 2022, when it gave rise to the election of the most extreme administration in the nation's history. With far-right parties in charge of 13 out of the country's 32 ministries, this administration currently controls a substantial portion of the political landscape. These include critical and essential departments like defense, interior, and finance.

Israel's rejection of a Palestinian state shows that the Palestinian leadership pursued an illusion when it signed the Oslo Accords.

The Iraqi government has set forth an ambitious plan to transform Iraq into a regional hub for the transportation of goods and energy resources. The plan capitalizes on Iraq's strategic location, which enables it to connect the Gulf states and Iran, major energy producers, with Turkiye, a crucial junction for the redistribution of energy resources to Europe.

The Red Sea coast in Egypt has become home to growing numbers of tourists, with resorts popping up along its shore. However, this growth is believed by experts to be having a negative impact on the region's wildlife.

The comprehensive economic visions forged by Gulf nations to guide their development programs in the long-term include Qatar’s National Vision 2030, the “New Kuwait 2035" plan, the "We The UAE 2031" document, the "Bahrain Economic Vision 2030," the "Oman Vision 2040" project, and "Saudi Vision 2030." Each nation has included a specific year in the heading of its unique vision or plan in an effort to meet the target date for achieving its economic and developmental goals.