Middle East/Africa

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After a year of muscular rhetoric, missile tests and internal scandals driving domestic politics, the Middle East appears to be in a holding pattern - awaiting the effects of the new US administration of Barack Obama, the fallout from the global economic slowdown, the impact of regional elections and above all a showdown over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

North Africa’s regional unity is no more than geographical and international encouragement for collaboration and co-operation in 2008 went unheeded, putting at risk a number of initiatives including a North African brigade for the Standby Force envisioned by the African Union. In South Africa, the misery of intractable conflict and degradation of security continues to envelop vast swathes of Africa.

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