By Hafed Al-Ghwell, Senior Fellow and Director, North Africa ProgramIntroductionThe Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Sahel can no longer be understood as separate or loosely adjacent regions; they are increasingly forming a unified strategic space shaped by dense, multidirectional interdependencies. Polarization and ConnectivityThe contemporary Mediterranean space continues to be shaped by a deep and persistent polarization between its northern and southern shores. This shift is epitomized by projects like the SoutH2 Corridor, a 3,300-kilometer pipeline intended to transport hydrogen from North Africa to Italy, Austria, and Germany. Energy corridors, electricity interconnections, hydrogen pipelines, and digital infrastructure are materially binding Europe, North Africa, and — indirectly — the Sahel into shared systems of dependence. Treating the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Sahel as fundamentally separate spaces risks perpetuating mismatches between problems and policy responses.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 27, 2026 20:53 UTC