Dr. Isabelle Werenfels
Africa and Middle East Senior Fellow
Areas of Expertise
- Algeria
- Maghreb / North Africa
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- Arab Spring
- Elites and elite change
- Political Islam / Islamism
- Political systems
Political transformation, elite change and social mobilization in the Maghreb states, intra-regional relations in the Maghreb, German and European policies towards the Maghreb states. Current focus: authoritarian resilience in the Maghreb, migration policies in the Maghreb and Maghreb-EU migration cooperation, "turn to Africa" of the Maghreb states.
Short Curriculum vitae
10/2023-04/2024 Member of Expert Group in Support of the Comprehensive and Deep Reflection on NATO’s Southern Neighbourhood
Since 2020 Chair of the International Advisory Board, Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM)
Since 2019 Member of the Foundation Board of the Fondation Hirondelle, Lausanne
2014-2018 Head of Research Division Middle East and Africa
2007-2018 Member of the Foundation Board of the "Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies", Geneva (2010 - 2014 as Vice-chairwoman)
1999 Head of the Swiss Delegation and of the Research, Analysis and Information Division of the Temporary International Presence in the City of Hebron (TIPH)
1993-1998 Reporter/Editor with a special focus on the Middle East at the Swiss Broadcasting Company's Radio (DRS)
SWP Publications
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Regaining NATO’s Southern Neighbours
The Alliance Should Seize the Opportunity to Jointly Reshape Southern Partnerships
SWP Comment 2024/C 25, 28.06.2024, 6 Pagesdoi:10.18449/2024C25
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Of Friends and Foes: Israel and Iran in the Maghreb
Perceptions and Instrumentalisation
SWP Research Paper 2024/RP 08, 18.06.2024, 36 Pagesdoi:10.18449/2024RP08
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Shadow Players: Western Consultancies in the Arab World
How Multinational Consulting Firms Shape Public Policy
SWP Comment 2023/C 50, 28.09.2023, 8 Pagesdoi:10.18449/2023C50
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No Time to Lose as Tunisia’s President Consolidates Authoritarian Turn
Europe Waits, Watches, Misses Opportunities
SWP Comment 2022/C 41, 16.06.2022, 6 Pagesdoi:10.18449/2022C41
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Measuring the Maghreb
What Do Rankings and Indexes Really Tell Us?
SWP Comment 2021/C 37, 15.06.2021, 7 Pagesdoi:10.18449/2021C37
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The Pandemic and Governance in the Maghreb: A Moment of Truth
The Covid-19 Pandemic Tests the Sustainability of Different Governance Approaches
SWP Comment 2021/C 15, 18.02.2021, 8 Pagesdoi:10.18449/2021C15
Publications of the Megatrends Afrika project
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Mauritania’s Balancing Act amid Intensifying Algerian-Moroccan Rivalry
Algeria and Morocco are increasingly jostling for Mauritania’s favour. Observers watch for any sign that Mauritania might abandon its neutral stance. The rivalry plays out as much through propaganda as it does in reality – with potentially destabilising effects.
Megatrends spotlight 49, 07.04.2025
External publications
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Big Others: The Maghreb and Europe's Geopolitical Rivals
in: Intertwined Destinies: How (and Why) to Redesign EU-Maghreb Relations, Aldo Liga (ed.), - ISPI, April 2025, S. 44-47. -
North Africa's Relationship with Europe
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Isabelle Werenfels, a senior fellow in the Middle East and Africa Division of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. Together, they discuss how North African states are asserting their newly found leverage over European states, and how European states are changing the ways they approach North Africa.
Interview in: Babel: Translating the Middle East, CSIS, 04.09.2024 (bis 27:00) -
NATO Summit 2024 – Did it help Order the Disorder?
in: Episode 55, Disorder, 18.07.2024 -
Maghrebi Elites and the Pandemic: The Political Economy of Counter Revolution
in: IEMed Mediterranean Yearbook 2022, p. 84 - 89 -
In Morocco, Benevolent Authoritarianism Isn’t Sustainable
in: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Commentary, 20.07.2020 (online) -
The jury's still out on Algeria
First anniversary of the Hirak movement
in: Qantara, 14.02.2020 (online)