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In the light of hydrocarbon reserves discovered in the East Mediterranean, the attention shifted towards this corner of the Mediterranean, where Europe meets the Middle East. This article is part of a trilogy that explores the latest challenges East Mediterranean experience based on these new findings.

Article 1 “Conflicts in the East Mediterranean: Why it matters” shed light on the particularities of this region and how the recent hydrocarbon findings have contributed to the current crises.

In this analysis, Article 2 of the trilogy, the objective is to monitor the shifting dynamics in this region and understand how each entity or state adapts to this new reality. On this account, the below section enlists the group of regional players from the perspective of their rebranded identity motivated by the discovery of hydrocarbons findings.

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Why it matters

The East Mediterranean covers a region that stretches from Italy’s heel tip eastward to the Levant¹. Throughout history, it has played a crucial role in world politics. Given its geographic position as a crossroad between Africa, Europe, and Asia, East Mediterranean has become numerous times the epicentre of great competition and conflict.

During the Cold War, East Med was vital for the United States. Its geographic location became a landmark of delimitation between the US-USSR influence zones that would refrain Communism from penetrating the three continents. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US attention shifted to other regions that were undergoing more pressing crises (such as the Balkans, the Persian Gulf, and the Horn of Africa).

The last decade has seen a rising tension in the region, which has picked the interest of political experts. As a result, many voices urged the United States to renew its attention in the Mediterannean. The below section lists the ongoing conflicts the region encounters. Read more