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In Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, conflict and instability endure in contested border regions where local tensions connect with regional and global dynamics. The Asia Foundation, the Rift Valley Institute, and the Carnegie Middle East Center are working together to better understand the causes and impacts of conflict in these border areas and their international dimensions, support more effective policymaking and development programming, and build the capacity of their local partners to leverage research to advocate for peaceful change.
About UsProgram BrochureعربيPeripheral Vision: Views from the Borderlands sheds light on how political, security, and socio-economic developments affect the people living in contested borderlands and, reversely, how border dynamics shape change and transition at the national level. Peripheral Vision is published twice a year, as a timely update of dynamics on the ground, while also highlighting the latest news from the X-Border Local Research Network’s activities.
Border crossings and cross-border connections have become essential components in the growing regional contest for influence in Iraq.
Border markets on Yemen’s northwestern border with Saudi Arabia gave rise to a distinct economic system and bridged communities. Yet the war in Yemen has either destroyed them or forced their closure.
Idlib is heavily dependent on the delivery of aid, the disruption of which would almost surely create a humanitarian crisis.
Tunisia's informal trade networks reflect growing trends: the country's progressive shift away from Europe, and the rise of Turkey and China as major trade partners.
Jordan’s bahhara have suffered from a closed border with Syria, but efforts to resume informal trade ties continue.
As border crossings reopen, Jordanian authorities might have to tolerate a degree of informal petty trade with Syria to revive Ramtha's economy and prevent social unrest.
Over time, the Kuwait-Saudi border has developed a unique, flexible approach of firm physical boundaries but open economic boundaries. This approach allows both countries to resolve border disputes, such as an oil-related dispute from 2009 to 2019, but more investment could further strengthen Kuwait-Saudi ties.
The Iraqi-Syrian border continues to be geopolitically restless. Kurdish parties have taken advantage of central government weaknesses to increase their autonomy in these areas.
Ouargla Province, in central Algeria, is a resource-rich but infrastructure-poor province. As protests there ramp up, Algiers may find itself squeezed on solutions.
Kuwait and Iraq have worked hard to rebuild bilateral ties. Resolving their maritime dispute as part of larger discussions could provide a model of diplomacy.
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The X-Border Local Research Network is part of the X-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) program, a component of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and is funded by UK aid from the UK government.
