Influence of Non-EU Nations beyond European Borders: Insight into the U.S.A.'s Impact in Eastern and Southern Regions
In a recent paper published by SHARPEM-EU, the focus was on understanding the role of geostrategy in shaping U.S. democracy promotion efforts in the European Union's eastern and southern near neighbourhoods between 2011 and 2022. The study compared U.S. strategies in Ukraine and Georgia with those in the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The research underscores the significant impact of geostrategy on the approach to democracy promotion. In the Eastern Neighbourhood, particularly in Ukraine and Georgia, U.S. support for democratic reforms has often aligned with broader geopolitical objectives, such as the integration of these countries into Euro-Atlantic structures. Conversely, in the MENA region, U.S. democracy promotion efforts have often been hindered by security and alliance interests, resulting in limited and inconsistent practice.
The paper argues that while democracy promotion has been a significant part of U.S. foreign policy, its practical application has been uneven and influenced by geostrategic priorities. In contrast, in the MENA region, democracy promotion has consistently conflicted with U.S. security and alliance interests, leading to a pattern of rhetorical commitment but limited and inconsistent practice.
Despite occasional renewed emphasis, such as during the early 2000s Freedom Agenda and in the immediate aftermath of the 2011 Arab uprisings, U.S. policy in the MENA has largely favoured authoritarian stability over democratic transition. The paper implies that U.S. policy in the MENA has generally prioritized authoritarian stability over democratic transition.
The paper examines the evolution and divergence of U.S. democracy promotion efforts in the European Union's Eastern and Southern Neighbourhoods between 2011 and 2022. It compares U.S. strategies in Ukraine and Georgia with those in the broader MENA region to highlight the central role of geostrategy in shaping the limits and contradictions of American democracy promotion.
Unfortunately, the search results do not contain information about the author of the 2023 SHARPEM-EU paper. However, the paper's insights provide valuable insights into the complexities of U.S. democracy promotion efforts and the factors that influence their success or failure.
