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Liz Truss as the UK's new prime minister: What this means for the Middle East

Truss, who has won the race for the UK premiership, is likely to focus on pre-existing trade deals with the Middle East, but is not likely to focus on human rights in Palestine and the wider region
4 min read
05 September, 2022
Truss will begin her duties as UK prime minister on Tuesday [Getty]

Liz TrussÌýwas announced , in a vote that saw her beat her rival, by 81,326 votes to 60,399 after a months-long contestÌýthat was prompted by .

Truss, who was formerly foreign secretary, is expected to expand on her already-existing policies concerning the Middle East and North Africa region.

She is most likely to emphasiseÌýtrade and business given the worseningÌýeconomicÌýsituation sweeping the UK andÌýmany countries across the globe in the wake ofÌý.

Here is what is expected to occur in the MENA region following , who will formally assume her new position on Tuesday:

Trade and Economy

, who served as the UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade, has been described as "pragmatic and trade-focused" by theÌýConservative Middle East Council (CMEC) think-tank, and will look to prioritise and maximise Ìýwith MENA countries, particularly theÌýGulf states.

She is also likely to exploreÌýnon-traditional trade deals in the region.

Charlotte Leslie,Ìýdirector of CMEC, told °®Âþµº that Truss isÌýlikely to look at other trading areas which were previously managed byÌý, which the UKÌýleft in 2020.

Truss will want to tap intoÌýnew markets in the MENA region as a 'replacement'Ìýto what once was available through the European Union. Leslie predicts that Truss will be looking to , to make up for reduced Russian gas supplies to Europe and the UK.

Truss will also likely explore similar deals in other in the region.

Leslie toldÌý°®Âþµº that Truss will look for these deals given the fact that post-Brexit Britain continues toÌýeconomically compete with the EU.

Leslie added that the UKÌýshould look out for an appointment of a Middle East and North Africa minister encompassing the entire region, rather than the current case where there are three ministers for each of the Middle East's sub-regions - North Africa, the Levant and the Gulf states.

Perspectives

Israel and Palestine

Chris Doyle, the director of the Council of Arab-British Understanding (CAABU),Ìýtold °®Âþµº that what he described as former Prime Minister "anti-Palestinian" approachÌýwouldÌýbecome "even sharper"Ìýunder Truss, and that she will likely go ahead with bolstering London’s already-strong relations with Israel.

In a bid to strengthenÌýher campaign for the premiership, Truss hinted to the UK lobby group Conservative Friends for IsraelÌýshe would review moving the UK’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Doyle predicted that Truss will go ahead with this, saying that thisÌýwill show "how far she is willing to go"Ìýwith Israel.

He said she is likely to showÌý"a lack of interest in the Palestinian cause".

Recently, Truss stressed earlier in August, which killed 49 people including a large number of children.

Doyle said it will be even "tougher"Ìýto raise Palestinian-related issues in parliament, when Truss begins her duties as prime minister.

In May, fromÌýAmnesty International for failing to call for investigations into the Israeli killing of and for not highlightingÌýIsrael’s attacks on media freedom.

SheÌýhas generally been criticised for not condemning Israeli violence in Palestine.Ìý

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Human Rights

DoyleÌýsaid that human rights would likely "slip off the agenda"Ìýunder Truss’s leadership, withÌýher prioritiesÌýfocused on trade deals. HeÌýalso predicted that the UK’s foreign policy will shift to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, with less focus given to issues relating to the Middle East.

Doyle expects that "no initiatives will be taken"Ìýon Syria, Libya and Yemen - countries that are still plagued by civil war and in-fighting between rival governments.

Recently, Truss was , an EgyptianÌýdissident imprisoned on charges of "spreading false news," for her "inaction" on securing Abdel-Fattah's release, who is also a British citizen.

The UK, under Truss’ premiership, will likely follow its pre-existing policies on the Middle East, in line with the US and the EU, but will not prioritise the region as such, with the exception ofÌýtrade and bilateral deals, as well as the ongoing .

Doyle said aÌýshift in policy will only occur in the event that "an incident affects a key British interest".

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