Africa and Middle East

Head

Dr. Azadeh Zamirirad

Head of Research Division

azadeh.zamirirad@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- North Africa and Middle East
- Security and defence policy
- Iran
- Defence and security policy / Armed forces
- Elites and elite change
- Political systems
Dr. Peter Lintl

Deputy Head of Research Division

peter.lintl@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- North Africa and Middle East
- Israel
- Middle East conflict
- Political systems
Dr. Melanie Müller

Deputy Head of Research Division

melanie.mueller@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Economics, trade, resources
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Southern Africa
- Human rights
- Migration
- Strategic partnerships
- Sustainability governance

Research

Dr. Muriel Asseburg

Senior Fellow

muriel.asseburg@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- North Africa and Middle East
- Israel
- Middle East
- Palestinian Territories
- Syria
- Civil wars
- Fragile states
- Middle East conflict
- Political systems
- Regional and interstate conflicts
Dr. Hamidreza Azizi

Visiting Fellow

hamidreza.azizi@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- North Africa and Middle East
- Turkey
Daniel Brombacher, M.A.

Visiting Fellow

daniel.brombacher@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- North Africa and Middle East
Projects
- Research Network Sustainable Global Supply Chains
Inga Carry, M.A.

Associate

inga.carry@swp-berlin.org
Dr. Karoline Eickhoff

Associate

karoline.eickhoff@swp-berlin.org
Dr. Wolfram Lacher

Senior Associate

wolfram.lacher@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Libya
- Sahel
- Civil wars
- Fragile states
- Regional and interstate conflicts
Dr. Gerrit Kurtz

Associate

gerrit.kurtz@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Ethiopia
- Horn of Africa
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Sudan
- Civil wars
- Conflict prevention
- Peacebuilding
- UN missions
- United Nations Security Council
Paula Martini

Research Assistant

Paula.Martini@swp-berlin.org
Dr. Stephan Roll

Senior Fellow

stephan.roll@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- North Africa and Middle East
- Egypt
- Saudi Arabia
- Elites and elite change
Meike Schulze, M.Sc., M.A.

Associate

meike.schulze@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Economics, trade, resources
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Natural resources management
- Strategic partnerships
- Sustainability governance
Dr. Guido Steinberg

Senior Associate

guido.steinberg@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Non-state violence
- North Africa and Middle East
- Arabian Peninsula
- Kurds in the Middle East
- Middle East
- Jihadism
- Political Islam / Islamism
- Terrorism
Lisa Tschörner

Associate

Lisa.Tschoerner@swp-berlin.org
Dr. Denis M. Tull

Senior Associate

denis.tull@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Sahel
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Civil wars
- Defence and security policy / Armed forces
- Political systems
Dr. Annette Weber

Senior Fellow (on leave of absence)

annette.weber@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- East Africa
- Ethiopia
- Horn of Africa
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Civil wars
- Fragile states
- Jihadism
- Political systems
- Regional and interstate conflicts
Dr. Isabelle Werenfels

Senior Fellow

isabelle.werenfels@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- North Africa and Middle East
- Algeria
- Maghreb / North Africa
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- Arab Spring
- Elites and elite change
- Political Islam / Islamism
- Political systems

Research Support

Julia Fath, M.A.

Project Coordinator

julia.fath@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- Sub-Saharan Africa
Veronika Jall, B.A.

Research Assistant

veronika.jall@swp-berlin.org
Lea Maria Strack, M.A.

Research Assistant

leamaria.strack@swp-berlin.org
Barbara Heckl

Assistant

barbara.heckl@swp-berlin.org
phone:+49 30 88007- 413
Jürgen Rogalski, M.A.

Information Research Specialist

juergen.rogalski@swp-berlin.org
phone:+49 30 88007- 318
Pelican Mourad, Dipl. geol.

Information Manager

pelican.mourad@swp-berlin.org
phone:+49 30 88007- 231
Anna Pellacini, Dipl.-Regionalwiss.

Information Manager

anna.pellacini@swp-berlin.org
phone:+49 30 88007- 408
Mark Schrolle, M.A.

Information Manager

mark.schrolle@swp-berlin.org
Andrea Sperk, M.A.

Information and Data Manager

andrea.sperk@swp-berlin.org
Ann-Marie Verhoeven, M.A.

Research Assistant

ann-marie.verhoeven@swp-berlin.org
Yussuf El-Banna

Student Assistant

yussuf.el-banna@swp-berlin.org
Talim Ehring

Student Assistant

talim.ehring@swp-berlin.org
Areas of Expertise
- North Africa and Middle East

SWP Publications

- Gerrit Kurtz
Protecting Civilians in Sudan
- German
Even without a Ceasefire, There Are Ways to Curb the Brutal Violence against the Civilian Population

SWP Comment 2025/C 31, 08.07.2025, 8 Pages

doi:10.18449/2025C31
- Gerrit Kurtz
Der Schutz der Zivilbevölkerung in Sudan
- English
Auch ohne Waffenstillstand gibt es Ansatzpunkte, die massive Gewalt gegen die Zivilbevölkerung einzudämmen

SWP-Aktuell 2025/A 31, 01.07.2025, 8 Pages

doi:10.18449/2025A31
- Azadeh Zamirirad
Neue Atomgespräche mit Iran

Herausforderungen und Handlungsoptionen für europäische Politik

SWP-Aktuell 2025/A 22, 12.05.2025, 8 Pages

doi:10.18449/2025A22
- Inga Carry
Rohstoffpartner Chile: Mehr als nur ein Lieferant
- English
Wie die EU strategische Partnerschaften stärken und geopolitische Spielräume nutzen sollte

SWP-Aktuell 2025/A 21, 07.05.2025, 8 Pages

doi:10.18449/2025A21
- Meike Schulze
The Strategic Raw Material Partnership between the EU and Zambia
- German
Industrial Cooperation Is Key to Value Creation and Long-Term Collaboration

SWP Comment 2025/C 19, 06.05.2025, 8 Pages

doi:10.18449/2025C19
- Muriel Asseburg
- Peter Lintl
Israel’s Radical Government
- German
Dismantling the Separation of Powers, Takeover of the State Apparatus, and Accelerated Annexation

SWP Comment 2025/C 18, 22.04.2025, 8 Pages

doi:10.18449/2025C18

View all

External publications

- Guido Steinberg
Das Potenzial einer fragil gewordenen Stabilität – fünf Argumente für einen Regimewechsel in Teheran (und ein Argument dagegen)

Ziel der jüngsten israelischen Luftangriffe gegen Iran war die Zerstörung von dessen Atomprogramm, das zur Vernichtung des jüdischen Staates hätte führen können. Die Gefahr weiter bannen könnte ein Regimewechsel in Teheran, doch ist ein solcher realistisch?

in: NZZ, 12.07.2025 (Paywall)
- Muriel Asseburg
Alternative Futures for Gaza: Israel’s Approach vs the Arab Plan

in: Mediterranean Yearbook, European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), 08.07.2025
- Guido Steinberg
Neuordnung in Nahost: Ein 12-Tage-Krieg und seine Folgen

Über die aktuellen Entwicklungen und möglichen Szenarien im Nahen Osten sprechen Martin Bialecki und Katharina Peetz in dieser Folge von „Pod und die Welt“ mit Guido Steinberg, Islamwissenschaftler bei der Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP).

Interview von Martin Bialecki und Katharina Peetz, in: Pod und die Welt, 03.07.2025
- Azadeh Zamirirad
Iran-Expertin Azadeh Zamirirad über das Atomprogramm & Krieg mit Israel/USA

Interview von Thilo Jung, in: Jung & Naiv, Folge 769, 03.07.2025
- Muriel Asseburg
Wie schnell wird der zerstörte Gazastreifen wieder bewohnbar?

Interview von Raimund Stündel, in: DW Nachrichten, 03.07.2025
- Muriel Asseburg
Wider die Vereinfachung

Thinktanks können vieles – eine inklusive, vielstimmige und konstruktive gesellschaftliche Debatte organisieren können sie nicht. Hier sind andere gefragt, auch und gerade beim Thema Nahost.

In: Weltendenker. Politikberatung in bewegten Zeiten, Internationale Politik (Spezial), Nr. 3/2025, S. 41-43

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Projects

The German-Iranian Dialogue involves researchers from SWP and the Iranian Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) in Tehran, alongside experts from the fields of politics and administration. The discussion centres on bilateral relations, political developments in the Middle East and questions of regional security.
The German-Israeli Dialogue involves researchers from SWP and the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv, alongside participants from the fields of politics and administration. The discussions, conducted jointly with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, centre on bilateral relations, current political developments in the Middle East and questions of regional security.
The Research Network Sustainable Global Supply Chains is a cooperative project led by four German research institutes. It brings together more than 100 leading international researchers to bundle and analyze existing knowledge within the field of sustainable global supply chains, initiate new research, and derive policy-relevant and evidence-based recommendations for political decision-makers and other stakeholders.
In the GIBSA Quadrilogues the SWP discusses perceptions, interests and cooperation opportunities in the fields of international relations and regional affairs with partner institutes from India, Brazil and South Africa.

German-Iranian Dialogue

The German-Iranian Dialogue involves researchers from SWP and the Iranian Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) in Tehran, alongside experts from the fields of politics and administration. The discussion centres on bilateral relations, political developments in the Middle East and questions of regional security.
German-Israeli Dialogue

The German-Israeli Dialogue involves researchers from SWP and the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv, alongside participants from the fields of politics and administration. The discussions, conducted jointly with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, centre on bilateral relations, current political developments in the Middle East and questions of regional security.
Research Network Sustainable Global Supply Chains

The Research Network Sustainable Global Supply Chains is a cooperative project led by four German research institutes. It brings together more than 100 leading international researchers to bundle and analyze existing knowledge within the field of sustainable global supply chains, initiate new research, and derive policy-relevant and evidence-based recommendations for political decision-makers and other stakeholders.
GIBSA Quadrilogue

In the GIBSA Quadrilogues the SWP discusses perceptions, interests and cooperation opportunities in the fields of international relations and regional affairs with partner institutes from India, Brazil and South Africa.

Contact

Barbara Heckl

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Projects

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Barbara Heckl

Areas of Expertise