The MENA Mix: Regional Recap is a monthly video podcast, produced by the Institute for Middle East Options (IMEO). Each episode features rotating experts who will unpack and analyze key news stories shaping the Middle East and North Africa.
Our May episode brings together H.A. Hellyer (Senior Fellow, Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies) and Noha Alkamcha (Middle East Advocacy Consultant, Women For Women International). Amongst other topics, they discuss Western pressure on Israel, Syria’s recovery following Trump’s sanctions, and implications of the US-Iran Deal and what this says about US diplomacy in MENA.
H.A. Hellyer
Dr. H.A. Hellyer, an internationally recognized expert on geopolitics and national security studies worldwide, has operated at the nexus of government policy and think-tanks for the past 20 years. He currently serves as senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, following prolonged tenures at Brookings and Carnegie. Formerly deputy convenor of the UK Government’s Taskforce on radicalisation, Dr. Hellyer also served in the UK Foreign Office and held positions at Harvard and Cambridge. A research entrepreneur and coordinator, Dr. Hellyer is the author of 10 books, 100s of op-ed articles, and is regularly consulted by media for his expertise.
Noha Al Kamcha
Ms. Noha Alkamcha is a governance advisor, development consultant, and women’s rights advocate with extensive experience supporting organizational development, capacity building, and policy advocacy across the MENA region. Since 2011, she has supported numerous civil society organizations, governance institutions, and social justice initiatives that have arisen in the wake of the Arab Spring. Previously, Ms. Alkamcha served as chief organizer for the Syrian Civil Society Declaration Initiative in Gaziantep, Turkey, uniting over 300 Syrian civil society organizations to create a platform for political engagement in the Geneva peace talks. She also served as director of development at the Syrian Forum. Ms. Alkamcha holds a Master’s in social justice and community development from Loyola University Chicago.