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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 1h

From top-down to bottom-up: #Libya's local elections test the willingness of an entrenched leadership to move forward and break the status quo.

en.majalla.com/node/327663/...

Can municipal polls help break Libya's political deadlock?

Eventually, with enough elected Libyans at the local level pushing for national-level change, they will stand a better chance of challenging the status quo, as it seems unlikely to come from the top.

en.majalla.com

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 1d

If you get lost in the narrow streets between the Mattei Plan, the Global Gateway and the Rome Process, this policy brief by @kellyp90.bsky.social @arturovarvelli.bsky.social @ecfr.eu will guide you through, suggesting a more symbiotic relationship between the #EU and #Italy. ecfr.eu/publication/...

The turtle and the pilot fish: How the EU and Italy can help each other in the Mediterranean

Italy and the EU must work more closely together in the “Wider Mediterranean” on energy, migration and security. Here’s how they can do it.

ecfr.eu

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 1d

I have read many awful articles on #Libya in the past decade. This is by far the worst. A black and white picture where the good have fancy Instagram accounts while the bad traffic migrants into Europe. Anyone with a superficial knowledge of the country will understand that. What a disgrace.

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 2d

'Al-Nasr had become a buffer to extort migrants’ money, and Al-Maya a dead-end prison to capture international funds.' @wlacher.bsky.social and Jérome Tubiana explain how #Libya has turned #migrants into a source of revenue, blackmailing the #EU @monde-diplomatique.fr
mondediplo.com/2025/09/10li...

The extortion state: how the EU helps Libya to turn migrants into cash

Open access // by Wolfram Lacher & Jérôme Tubiana (Le Monde diplomatique - English edition, September 2025)

mondediplo.com

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 5d

'The executive order falls short of a NATO-style mutual defense agreement. Because it has not been ratified by the Senate, it is not binding. Future presidents will not be required to abide by it.' @washingtonpost.com
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...

Column | Israel may have underestimated Trump’s links with Qatar

The U.S. relationship with Qatar entered new territory this week with a security pledge from President Donald Trump.

www.washingtonpost.com

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 6d

Widespread #protests against corruption and inequalities have now reached a critical mass in #Morocco. How to respond to the legitimate claims of #GenZ212 will tell more about the future trajectory of the kingdom, now at a crossroad that reminds 2011. @france24.com
www.france24.com/fr/afrique/2...

Au Maroc, deux morts en marge des manifestations

Deux personnes ont été abattues mercredi soir alors qu'elles tentaient "de prendre d'assaut" une brigade de gendarmerie dans le sud du Maroc. Ces violences se sont produites en marge de protestations…

www.france24.com

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 6d

"The ideas that are being bandied around — from ethnic cleansing on the one hand to trusteeship on the other — all of these are echoes of the past. And, if we don’t realize that, then we’re missing the core of the story." @washingtonpost.com

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...

Column | A veteran of Middle East peace talks reflects on a history of failure

Robert Malley, a key diplomat in the Clinton administration, talks Oct. 7, ending the war in Gaza and the collapse of the two-state solution.

www.washingtonpost.com

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 7d

'[..] Keir Starmer has suggested that the #UK should look to European – specifically Italian – approaches towards tackling the source of migration flows. However, while #Italy can claim to have reduced overall sea crossings to its territory, its engagement in #Libya offers a cautionary tale.'

Libya shows ‘smash the gangs’ is not always a useful slogan on migration policy

A political, as well as a criminal justice based approach, is required for an effective UK policy.

www.chathamhouse.org

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 8d

'Este fin de semana, #Marruecos ha vuelto a vivir tiempos que recuerdan a la "primavera árabe" de hace ya 14 años.' @elconfidencial.bsky.social

www.elconfidencial.com/mundo/2025-0...

"No queremos Mundial, queremos sanidad": miles protestan en Marruecos en una rara muestra de enfado público

Convocada anónimamente a través de redes sociales, la juventud marroquí reivindica en las calles más inversión en sanidad y educación y menos en estadios para el Mundial en 2030

www.elconfidencial.com

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 8d

'[...] the ministers held online meetings on the days following the arrest in January where they were warned by the intelligence services that holding Al-Masri could lead to “retaliation” against #Italy [...]' @politico.com www.politico.eu/article/liby...

3 top Italian government officials accused of helping Libyan warlord flee justice

Italy’s parliament will vote on Tuesday on whether two ministers and a cabinet secretary can be prosecuted over the case.

www.politico.eu

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 8d

Working for peace or looking for money? In #Trump 's world you can have both ways, as conflict of interests disappear from view in favour of a transactional way-of-life. @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/b...

Where Mideast Envoy Pitched Peace, His Son Pitched Investors

www.nytimes.com

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 8d

- Stadiums + Hospitals

' #Morocco ’s youth have drawn inspiration from #Nepal, where youth-led protests have channeled widespread anger over the lack of opportunities, corruption and nepotism.' @apnews.com

apnews.com/article/moro...

Young Moroccans clash with police while protesting stadium spending and health system decline

Youth-led demonstrators have clashed with police in Morocco's largest anti-government protests in years.

apnews.com

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 11d

'Societal trends are not promising on either side of the Mediterranean. The far right is becoming stronger in Europe, as is ethnocentric, authoritarian nationalism in North Africa.' @carnegieendowment.org carnegieendowment.org/research/202...

The EU’s Dead-on-Arrival Pact for the Mediterranean

The EU’s new Pact for the Mediterranean aims to reshape the bloc’s relations with its Southern neighborhood. But the initiative lacks concrete measures to address societal divides and the region’s pre...

carnegieendowment.org

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 11d

'Prigozhin and his mercenary corps represented a new colonialism, marked by the seizure of resources, the support of autocratic regimes, and an utter lack of accountability.' @nybooks.com
www.nybooks.com/articles/202...

Slaughter for Hire | Joshua Hammer

From Africa to Ukraine, the rise and fall of the Wagner Group and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was marked by theatrical violence, the seizure of resources, and an utter lack of accountability.

www.nybooks.com

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 11d

'[...] it is highly unlikely that the #Gulf states will turn away from the #US, but their leaders will almost certainly resume the strategic hedging that characterised the end of Biden’s presidency.' @cinziabianco.bsky.social for @ecfr.eu ecfr.eu/article/out-...

Out of the rubble: The new Gulf response to Israeli aggression

The Israeli attacks on Doha, and America’s support of them, has caused Gulf leaders to majorly rethink their security. This could lead to a new Gulf-led security format…

ecfr.eu

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 13d

Di fronte a questa appello, appare evidente come la richiesta di cautela da parte del governo non sia altro che l'ennesimo tentativo di farci voltare dall'altra parte. /3

youtu.be/-cVKQB2aj54?...

The BBC Calls For Access To Gaza

YouTube video by BBC

youtu.be

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 13d

Nel frattempo le principali agenzie di stampa internazionali chiedono ad #Israele un accesso immediato alla stessa Striscia per documentare quello che sta avvenendo. /2

www.bbc.com/news/article...

BBC and news agencies launch film calling on Israel to allow foreign journalists into Gaza

Israel does not allow foreign journalists into Gaza independently, citing security grounds.

www.bbc.com

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 13d

In Italia esponenti politici della maggioranza giudicano troppo rischioso portare aiuti alla popolazione di #Gaza, reputando la Striscia una zona di guerra. /1

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 13d

Time for a change? The future of #MINURSO hangs in balance as #US' defunding forces the #UN to cut budget and the diplomatic activism of #Morocco achieves considerable results. @washinstitute.bsky.social
www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...

Time to Pull the Plug on MINURSO? Not Quite

Despite Morocco’s growing diplomatic momentum and recent U.S. cuts to the UN peacekeeping budget, prematurely ending the Western Sahara mission would be a mistake given the important practical role it...

www.washingtoninstitute.org

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 13d

A gulf between us. The strike on #Qatar calls again into question the real commitment of the #US to #Gulf countries, this time facing an unrestrained #Israel. My latest Strategic Trend for the #NATO Foundation.

www.natofoundation.org/gulf/ripple-...

Ripple effects

The airstrike carried out by Israel on Doha on the 9th of September 2025 represents a watershed moment for Gulf countries and raises serious questions - Scopri i progetti, le ricerche e le iniziative ...

www.natofoundation.org

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 13d

'The #Egypt -ian state denies having carried out forced displacement in #Sinai but is accused of having displaced more than 150,000 indigenous residents and has never acknowledged any civilian casualties in Sinai during its war against IS.'

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

Mass grave reveals scale of unlawful killings by Egyptian army in Sinai, say campaigners

Human rights group says hundreds of skeletons found exposed or buried just below ground during research into killings of civilians

www.theguardian.com

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 13d

Il nuovo pesante attacco subito nella notte dalla Global #Sumud #Flotilla ha un precedente infausto: si tratta della #MaviMarmara, nave della Freedom Flotilla assaltata nel 2010 da commandos di #Israele. Ne accenno qui, assieme a tante altre cose.

www.natofoundation.org/maghreb/hist...

History repeating

Sensitivities to the Palestinian cause vary deeply in the Arab world and nowhere is this more evident than in North Africa, where the Abraham Accords have - Scopri i progetti, le ricerche e le iniziat...

www.natofoundation.org

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 14d

'Boulos [...] set three core conditions for any future discussions: the first required that Khalifa Haftar refrain from interfering in the conflict between Dbeibah and western militias addressing concerns about alleged support from eastern forces in recent attacks.' thearabweekly.com/boulos-resha...

thearabweekly.com

Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 14d

#Tunisia has seen it all before. Recent attacks against the Global #Sumud #Flotilla, #Israel’s strike on #Qatar and talks of moving #Hamas to #Tunis bring back memories of the country’s recent past. My latest #Maghreb Strategic Trend for the #NATO Foundation. www.natofoundation.org/maghreb/hist...

History repeating

Sensitivities to the Palestinian cause vary deeply in the Arab world and nowhere is this more evident than in North Africa, where the Abraham Accords have - Scopri i progetti, le ricerche e le iniziat...

www.natofoundation.org

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Umberto Profazio @profazio.bsky.social · 14d

Forget idealism and principled approaches. Short term gains are the only game in town as transactionalism triumphs in foreign policy. North Africa is no exception, as pointed out in this excellent piece. www.mei.edu/publications...

North Africa’s experiment in tactical diplomacy

North African states are turning long-standing diplomatic relationships into new opportunities for leverage, using migration flows, energy supplies, and security partnerships as bargaining chips. Thes...

www.mei.edu

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