PRIO is launching a new centre, dedicated to cultivating expertise on the Middle East, conducting research on the dynamics of peace and security in the Middle East, and informing constructive political engagement for the prevention, management and resolution of armed conflicts in the region.
Please follow this link to have a look at the Centre's website.
During its ‘kick-off’ week, the new centre is hosting three editions of MidEast Breakfast, each focusing on a set of political developments and offering analyses to place those developments in a larger historical and regional context:
- Iran and Saudi Arabia: Between Enmity and Amity, Wednesday 6 November
- A New Chapter in the Syrian War: The Shifting Agendas of Turkey and Russia, Thursday 7 November
- The Evolving Situation in the Gulf: Contradictions and Opportunities, Friday 8 November
Later in November, the Centre will offer other events, including one on Yemen with a focus on the consequences of the international counter-terror campaign (18 November) and one on Islam, Authoritarianism and Underdevelopment (28 November).
Kristian Berg Harpviken, Research Professor at PRIO, will lead the new centre: ‘It is with both pride and humility that we launch the PRIO Middle East Centre. The region is not only rife with challenges, it is also rich in natural, cultural, societal and human resources. One of the things that I look forward to the most is to work closely with colleagues from the region, pursuing new responses to seemingly intractable problems.’
The Centre will involve several PRIO researchers, specializing in the region or on relevant themes, working in close collaboration with research milieus in the region and beyond.
The new centre’s core funding comes from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through a grant administered by the Research Council of Norway. The grant is awarded for four years (2019-2022).
