Macron in the Middle East

Macron in the Middle East

President Emmanuel Macron of France has been back in the Middle East. This time he was in Saudi Arabia, his first visit to the kingdom since 2017, before heading to the UAE.

The French leader has made something of a name for himself in the region in recent years. He staked significant political capital on cajoling Lebanon’s leaders to pass reforms to solve their dire economic crisis. He hosted a political summit in Baghdad with officials from across the region – including Iran and the Gulf – that sought to build avenues for dialogue rather than conflict. He has visited holy sites in Jerusalem, cultural sites in the Emirates and met illusive musical icon Fairuz in Lebanon. He has cut deals on energy, defence, the environment, and culture.

On this week's Beyond the Headlines, host James Haines-Young looks at Macron in the Middle East: what came out of his recent visits, why he has been so engaged in the region and what that means for French diplomacy.

Episoder(492)

Death penalty: The new threat to Palestinian detainees

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US-brokered negotiations between Lebanon and Israel began this week in Washington. This comes after at least 1,500 Lebanese have been killed in Israeli strikes since March and more than one million re...

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US President Donald Trump went from warning about the demise of a “whole civilisation” to announcing a “big day for world peace” in a matter of hours. It was not the first time he has used his Truth S...

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Escalation or diplomacy: Where does the war go from here?

In his address to the nation on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said the war with Iran was nearing its end and the US had decimated the country’s military capabilities. But parts of his speech contr...

3 Apr 24min

How much longer can Israel sustain the war it started?

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It has been a month since Israel, along with the US, launched strikes on Iran, leading the Middle East into yet another conflict it tried to avoid. Iran has responded by firing waves of missiles and d...

27 Mar 23min

What is the end goal of Israel’s new war in Lebanon?

What is the end goal of Israel’s new war in Lebanon?

About one million people have been forcibly displaced in Lebanon and almost a thousand killed in Israel’s renewed war with Hezbollah. The Iran-backed group fired missiles at Israel in early March, joi...

19 Mar 21min

Who will endure the highest cost of the Iran war?

Who will endure the highest cost of the Iran war?

US President Donald Trump said the American-Israeli war on Iran could end soon, without specifying an end date. But almost two weeks in, military operations only seem to be intensifying. The US claims...

13 Mar 21min

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