Morocco: a singular path in a troubled region

The Elcano Royal Institute is a think-tank for international and strategic studies that analyses world events and trends from a Spanish, European and global perspective.

The Elcano Royal Institute's Working Papers are longer documents of an academic nature - usually between 12,000 and 15,000 words long, with footnotes and bibliographies - on current international affairs of relevance to Spain or on different aspects of Spain's foreign policy and security.

Since 2011 the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has been grappling with many hotbeds of instability, internal strife and an existential struggle against extremist terrorism.

The region has transitioned from the great hopes for change towards a spiral of fragmentation, insecurity and fragility and continues to face complex emergency situations on an unprecedented scale. The conflicts caused untold damage to human lives and physical infrastructures, as 15 million people have fled their countries. Syria today is an increasingly fragmented nation and the humanitarian situation remains extremely challenging.

The picture is no brighter in Iraq, where the deteriorating security situation and armed conflict in the country have caused new waves of internal displacement. In Libya, only a political solution, inclusive dialogue and democratic and representative institutions, within the framework of Libyan national unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty can help resolve the serious crisis gripping the country. It was with this in mind that all warring Libyan parties agreed at the end of December 2015, in Skhirat (Morocco), on the formation of the Government of National Unity, which is an important step on the path to peace and stability.

Morocco's new political landscape http://www.europeansources.info/record/moroccos-new-political-landscape/

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