Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Foreign Policy Strategies of Emerging Powers in a Multipolar World special issue of Third World Quarterly. Read the full paper (registration required) »
While the Middle East and North Africa (mena) are undergoing rapid change, many domestic, regional and international actors are vying for space and influence as systems and customs evolve and adopt new forms. This paper characterises and compares the evolving foreign policy strategies of two such regional actors, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. It further assesses the motivations and activities of and challenges to Turkish and Saudi involvement throughout the region since the Arab uprisings. Ultimately these cases provide intriguing insight into the foreign policy purpose and methods of emerging states under conditions of uncertainty.
