Argentine foreign policy towards the Middle East and North Africa during the government of Alberto Fernández (2019-2023)

Abstract

The objective of the work is to analyze the characteristics of Argentine foreign policy towards the Middle East and North Africa region during the government of Alberto Fernández (2019-2023). While the guiding hypothesis holds that: Argentina's foreign policy towards the region is characterized, first of all, by presenting itself as timid, reactive, low-profile, and scarcely proactive, which is associated with the marginal role that this space occupies within the Argentine foreign policy agenda. Secondly, it is strongly concentrated in ties with the Gulf monarchies, the only actors with whom there is evidence of a certain dynamism in the relationship. Finally, external action towards the region, which was strongly overshadowed by the pandemic, is permeated by the search to increase the volume of commercial exchange and receive investments, as well as external financing. This in an instance in which Argentina has had to deal with a strong economic crisis, as well as with the debt problem. Regarding the methodological design, the work rests on a qualitative design, based on the collection and analysis of data from both primary and secondary sources.