The incident at the Port of Beirut this week cannot be considered as just another disaster, like many others that occur daily in the Middle East. Not only because of the loss of life, damage and economic impact, but also for the other consequences that the incident will lead to. 

The accident occurred at a very particular and delicate point in the history of Lebanon. The country is in the grips of an economic crisis, as a consequence of a policy of isolation and sanctions imposed by international actors, primarily the United States, targeted at draining the financial resources of Hezbollah. Prior to the explosions at the Port this week, the most important problem facing the Lebanese government was the economic crisis and its potential for social and political instability. The situation on the ground in Lebanon over the last has been dominated by growing discontent amongst the population as a result of an ongoing lack of essential services and development opportunities, along with an increasing assumption of corruption amongst the political class. 

This week a Royal Decree was issued in Jordan to hold parliamentary elections in accordance with the provisions of law. The final stages of preparations are being made for new elections to be held on November 10, and the right atmosphere must be prepared for successful elections. Elections are a critical component of any democratic process, and preparations should ensure inclusive procedures to maximize participation amongst all social and cultural groups and avoid any risk of boycotting or campaigns that devalue the process and therefore, the outcome. 

La politica globale sta cambiando e le dinamiche tradizionali in atto dalla seconda guerra mondiale stanno cambiando. Molti paesi, specialmente in Medio Oriente, hanno costruito le loro politiche sulla divisione tra Oriente e Occidente e la loro politica estera e la partecipazione alle alleanze si sono effettivamente basate su questo conflitto ideologico. Negli ultimi anni abbiamo assistito all'evoluzione della guerra al terrorismo che ha influito su questi pilastri tradizionali e le alleanze stanno diventando sempre più basate su vantaggi economici e reciproci.

Recent developments in southern Syria demonstrate the growing threat from terrorist and criminal groups in the area and the need to pay closer attention to the evolving situation. This is a growing risk of instability right on Jordan’s borders, and increasing the security threat in its major cities. The instability is not merely a result of security threats but also the economic hardship that people are under and the apparent lack of policies or strategies that for preventive measures to manage the risk.