The RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy (CMEPP) brings together analytic excellence and regional expertise from across the RAND Corporation to address the most critical political, social, and economic challenges facing the Middle East today. Our goal is to inform policy in ways that help improve the security and well-being of people living in the region.
Since 2011, 12 million Syrians have fled their homes, either inside Syria or crossing its borders as refugees. To help shape policy that will improve the lives of refugees and support host communities over the longer term, RAND focuses its work on the greatest challenges related to this crisis: humanitarian assistance, education, jobs, and regional and global security.
This report investigates humanitarian and stabilization needs in Iraq, through a case study of Mosul, and offers recommendations for actions for stabilization after liberation from ISIS. The research team examined humanitarian needs, security implications, infrastructure and services, and governance and reconciliation. All of these activities will affect the immediate stabilization of Iraq and Mosul more specifically, including whether civilians can return home.
This report examines what binds and divides the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — and presents the outlook for the GCC's evolution over the next ten years. The study aims to help policymakers better understand intra-GCC dynamics and prepare for future trends in a region with high stakes for U.S. strategic interests.
This Perspective examines how Iranian factional divisions may impact the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany) and the viability of the JCPOA if major events were to occur, such as the death of the supreme leader or heightened U.S.-Iran tensions.
In this third paper in a series addressing Syria's conflict, RAND researchers examine how recent developments in Syria and the region -- including the cessation of hostilities that was sponsored by Russia, Iran, and Turkey -- reinforce the prospects for a national ceasefire based upon agreed zones of control backed by external powers. The authors also propose a plan for international administration of Raqqa province.
Director, Center for Middle East Public Policy; Senior Political Scientist
RAND CMEPP Experts are available to the media on a wide range of topics.
Office of Media Relations
Latest Work
Turkey's Double Standard: How Ankara's Actions Contradict Its Claims of Opposing the Islamic State
Apr 13, 2018
Yayla, et al.
Turkey wants to take credit for the demise of the Islamic State, insisting that Turkey's actions in northern Syria have helped lay the groundwork for a sustainable peace. But the evidence clearly suggests otherwise.
The Iran Deal Will Survive, at Least for Now
Apr 4, 2018
Baffa @R_Baffa
A U.S. unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal does not necessarily mean the deal will collapse. But a broader collapse of the agreement along with the imposition of harsh sanctions in the coming months could sharply escalate tensions with Iran.
Tackling Gender-Based Violence Among Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
Mar 22, 2018
Woldetsadik
Increased poverty and major shifts in traditional gender roles for Syrian refugees have worsened interpersonal tensions, increased the risk of domestic violence, and caused challenges for aid workers.
Gaza on the Brink
Mar 9, 2018
Efron @ShiraEfron
The combined risk of violence and pandemic in Gaza makes this small coastal enclave a ticking time bomb. While neither Israel nor the U.S. has the solutions to all of Gaza's water and health woes, the United States' decision to withhold funding to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency could only make things worse.
Where Will ISIS Seek to Establish Its Next Safe Haven?
Feb 19, 2018
Clarke @ColinPClarke
Many of ISIS's surviving fighters will seek out new battlefields to continue waging jihad. By coordinating with its allies around the globe, the U.S. could work to help alleviate the conditions that lead states to fail, making them less appealing as sanctuaries where terrorists can rest, rearm, and recuperate.
Gaza's Water and Sanitation Crisis
Feb 14, 2018
Efron @ShiraEfron, et al.
The Gaza Strip's water issue is twofold: a shortage of potable water combined with a lack of wastewater sanitation. Even under current political constraints, there are ways to help reduce the likelihood of a significant public health disaster.
If We Don't Get the Peace Right, Iraq Will Slide Back into the Morass
Feb 12, 2018
Robinson @RobinsonL100, et al.
Actions taken now by the United States, the Iraqi government, and private parties could determine the war-torn country's future. The message the Sunnis receive in these next six months will determine whether Iraq is on the path to stability.
Counteracting Iran's Gray Zone Strategy in Syria
Jan 25, 2018
Clarke @ColinPClarke
Iran is extending its influence throughout Syria as the Islamic State's influence declines. To counter Iranian efforts and the inevitable similar actions of other countries, the United States should dedicate significant resources to crafting a strategy to prevent Tehran from taking advantage of the conflict and humanitarian crisis.
Unrest in Iran: An Opportunity for Democratic Change
Jan 14, 2018
Baffa @R_Baffa
As the unrest that began in Iran on Dec. 28 begins to wane following a crackdown, it is difficult to assess what may come next. But this is not the first time Iranians have come out on the streets to protest and challenge authoritarian rule, nor will it be the last; the Iranian people have a long history of seeking a democratic political order.