Latest Updates

The ongoing turmoil in the Arab world began in Tunisia, where earlier this year President Ben Ali, in power for 23 years, fled the country after only four weeks of popular protest. Rob Malley, Crisis Group's Middle East and North Africa Program Director, explains why the first Arab revolution may have the best chance of success.

Gilles Yabi, Crisis Group’s West Africa Project Director, analyses the current situation in Côte d’Ivoire after the arrest of former President Laurent Gbagbo and discusses the prospects of a truth and reconciliation commission.

In March, after a month of popular protests, the island kingdom of Bahrain called for assistance from its neighbours in the Gulf to defend against an unspecified outside threat. In response, Saudi Arabia and other states dispatched troops and police. Though unspecified, the concern was clear: Bahrain’s Sunni rulers feared Iran’s influence among the country’s majority Shiite population. Joost Hiltermann, Crisis Group’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa Program, explains why the Iranian threat is overblown.

Mass protests have convulsed Yemen in recent months, as the country's established opposition parties have joined large street demonstrations in calling for Ali Abdullah Saleh to abdicate the presidency. April Longley Alley, Crisis Group's Senior Analyst for the Arabian Peninsula, looks at what distinguishes Yemen's protest movement from others throughout North Africa and the Middle East.

Elijah Zarwan, Crisis Group’s North Africa Senior Analyst, looks at the developments in Egypt and what needs to be done in order to ensure a smooth transition to an enduring democracy.

Afghanistan continues to struggle with fall-out from last fall’s parliamentary elections, with some seats remaining contested even after Parliament’s inauguration. In December, the Supreme Court, with President Karzai’s approval, established a Special Tribunal to settle election complaints. Crisis Group Senior Analyst Candace Rondeaux explains why the Special Tribunal may undermine an already fragile security situation.

The Communist Party of the Philippines has waged an insurgency against the Philippine government for over forty years. The two adversaries agreed to a series of peace talks this week in Norway—six years after talks were last suspended. Bryony Lau, Crisis Group’s South East Asia Analyst, explains the roots of the conflict and why this round of talks might lead to a negotiated settlement.

Escalating front-line clashes, a spiralling arms race, vitriolic rhetoric and a virtual breakdown in peace talks increase the chance Armenia and Azerbaijan will go back to war over Nagorno-Karabakh. Sabine Freizer, Crisis Group's Europe Program Director, explains the situation.

Thierry Vircoulon, Crisis Group’s Central Africa Project Director, explains the consequences of Congo's election laws revision. Among others, the run-off system was eliminated, allowing the candidate with a plurality to claim the presidency. This constitutional revision increases the presidential powers.

According to Haiti's constitution, President René Préval has less than two weeks left in his term, yet the country still has not voted on his successor. A second round to last November’s flawed presidential election has been delayed as the leading candidates have vied to appear on the official ballot. Crisis Group’s Senior Vice President Mark Schneider looks at Haiti’s potential constitutional crisis and gives an update on the country’s cholera epidemic and progress on post-earthquake reconstruction.