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West Asia And North Africa Issues

The North African and West Asian (NAWA) countries have varying levels of socio-economic development. Learn more about the international relations in this region.

The dry and semi-arid climate of North Africa and West Asia are characteristic of the region. It is regarded as among the most varied due to its location at the crossroads of three different continents. 

West Asia and North Africa are especially sensitive to global warming’s impacts, which will increase the continent’s already significant concentrations of instability. Land pollution and degradation are prevalent problems in West Asian countries, and they are among the most severe issues these countries face. 

A Brief History of West Asia and North Africa

North Africa-West Asia (NAWA) comprises 19 countries with varying degrees of economic growth. The areas start from westward Morocco to Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey and stretch to Iran eastward. This has traditionally been seen as a tri-continental meeting point, combining Asia, Africa, and Europe. It serves as a roadway of connection and interconnectivity, providing discussion and chances for collaboration.

Timeline of the Issues in West Asia and North Africa

  • During 2017, this NAWA area generated around 7% of global household items. The WANA area has been regarded as the birthplace of politics from history. A few of the globe’s biggest empires thrived and were nourished within the area.
  • The area is home to civilisation, including Mesopotamian, Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrians, Persians, Elam, Cannan, and the Nile Delta (Egypt). This is a sacred birthplace, wherein Catholicism, Islamism, and Judaism originated and expanded globally. As a result, the area is home to many fronts, notably diverse culture, beliefs, class, faith, society, and people. The Balfour Declaration was announced for Jewish people. 
  • In 1916, The United Kingdom and France signed a secret treaty in 1916 called the Sykes-Picot Agreement. 
  • It is often seen as volatile in terms of safety and political sustainability.
  • Following World War Two, the highly volatile scenario between Western Asia and Northern Africa has observed the United States adopt a more assertive approach in the zone. 
  • Many attempts were made to bring peace in the region. However, even the best ones led to halted conflicts between Israel and Palestine. 
  • On January 28, 2020, the West Asia Peace Plan was revealed by Trump, the U.S. President, which gives Israel precisely what they want: a robust security control over the Palestinian state.
  • Lately, even the West Asia Peace Plan was proven as many other fruitless initiatives started to control the issues in West Asia and North Africa. 

Role of GNA

Libya has experienced severe financial, societal, and constitutional turmoil within the past decades. It has no unified government, and several nations support parties that dominate the country. It is indeed a largely arid nation from northern Africa rich in oil. Tripoli has been its capital.

Muammar Gadhafi, who controlled Libya with a tight grip from1969 to 2011, was defeated by deadly civil warfare. A North Atlantic treaty organisation that managed bombing campaigns supported the militants. The masses struggled, and many died in the quest for freedom.

The Government of National Accord (GNA) was afterwards founded to alleviate the issues in West Asia and North Africa. The General Assembly recognises the Tripoli-based Legislature of Government of National Accord (GNA), managed by Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj.

Yemeni Turmoil:

  • Yemen became a country when its southern region merged with the north around 1986. But unfortunately, this one was brief since the administration of Abdullah Saleh left power during the revolt in 2011 and was replaced by Mansour Hadi.
  • On the other hand, Hadi failed to handle the country’s wide range of problems.
  • The fighting started around 2014. The Shia Houthi fighters gained possession of the nation’s northern region. They even took over the centre of Sana, forcing Hadi to leave.
  • Since then, the military conflict has raged on. Iranians supported the Houthi militants, and they had also recently assaulted Saudi Aramco’s oil infrastructure. 

Facts on Kurdistan Problem:

  • The Kurdish seems to be the globe’s most prominent ethnic community without a state. They are currently between 25 to 35 million people and are primarily dispersed in Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Iran. However, they were also observed sometimes in tiny amounts throughout Armenia.
  • Sunni Muslims represent the bulk of Kurds presently; however other faiths and mystical forms, including Sufism, are actively followed.
  • The Treaty of Sevres, which restructured the Ottoman Empire’s boundaries at the close of WWI, imagined a distinct state for the Kurds.
  • The commitment of a distinct nation stayed on paper, and no force in the world established an independent state.
  • 2019 has become a difficult season for the Kurdistan population; they have been forced to a violent attack on their country by Turkish armed services. They possess a long history of battling the Islamist Group (IS) terrorist organisation. Their betrayal was just another American policy choice that has worsened geopolitical ties within Western Asia and throughout the world.

Conclusion 

Furthermore, like several other worldwide populations, the Kurdish, like Tibetans, are bound to remain stateless throughout the near future. The West Asia And North African region are regarded as a resource powerhouse, containing approximately two-thirds of the world’s total oil resources in addition to natural gas. As a result, the area serves as a generator of global economic expansion and provides much-needed power resources.