Following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, MEIS established the Syria Task Force to facilitate dialogue between the new government in Damascus and the public and private sectors in Switzerland and Europe. By supporting the aspirations of the Syrian people for peace and dignity, we leverage strategic access points to enable ambitious private sector actors to contribute to Syria’s economic recovery.

Amid ongoing instability in the Red Sea region, MEIS conducts regular monitoring to assess political, business, regulatory and currency risks. Serving a diverse range of corporate and government clients, we track geopolitical, security and trade developments while engaging with key stakeholders on the ground to provide timely and informed updates.

Excerpt of a Report on Ansar Allah & Maritime Security in the Red Sea

This EU-financed multi-year academic research project, conducted with Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, investigates the applicability of international development policies to the political, socio-economic and structural conditions of developing countries in the Middle East. Through engagement with local stakeholders, the project examines how diverse perspectives shape economic recovery, highlighting synergies and divergences between local priorities and international donors interests in Syria.

MEIS is currently assessing the feasibility of a Middle East Regional Impact Fund (MERIF) as an innovative financing mechanism to enhance economic integration across the GCC region, including Yemen, Iran and Iraq (GCC+3). This involves engaging stakeholders from multilateral development banks, governments, the private sector, chambers of commerce and international organizations in exploring pathways toward greater regional economic integration.

In partnership with the SAIS Foreign Policy Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Washington DC, MEIS developed a series of hybrid dialogues addressing key topics pertinent to North Africa, including China’s emerging role in the subregion, alongside focused discussions on security, migration and economic development.

In collaboration with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi, MEIS served as a knowledge partner on Africa-Gulf relations, with a specific focus on food security, foreign direct investments, ports and corridors, and regional integration.

MEIS conducted research for the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in the context of its MENA strategy 2024-2027. The research examined internal dynamics within the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, including organizational structures and power distribution.

MEIS collaborated with Chatham House on a comparative research study of social protection systems in Algeria, Egypt and Iran, exploring different levels of state-society relations and the role of non-state civil society actors in shaping social protection.

MEIS provided Swiss parliamentarians from various political groups with state-of-the art intelligence on key developments and actors in the Middle East, including Hamas and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).