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Sarah Yerkes

Sarah Yerkes is a senior fellow in the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Middle East program, where her research focuses on Tunisia’s political, economic and security developments, as well as state-society relations in the Middle East and North Africa. She has been a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and a Council on Foreign Relations international affairs fellow and has taught in the security studies program at Georgetown University and at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. Yerkes is a former member of the State Department’s policy planning staff, where she focused on North Africa. Previously, she was a foreign affairs officer in the State Department’s office of Israel and Palestinian affairs. Yerkes also served as a geopolitical research analyst for the Pentagon’s joint staff strategic plans and policy directorate, advising the Joint Staff leadership on foreign policy and national security issues.

Articles By Sarah Yerkes

China’s Rise in North Africa Won’t Abate Anytime Soon By Sarah Yerkes - Sep 29, 2021

China has been increasing its footprint in North Africa over the past decade. While Europe remains North Africa’s primary economic partner, China has taken advantage of the decreasing influence of the West in the region. Indeed, even the Tunisian president’s recent seizure of power from the country’s parliament and prime minister elicited very little reaction … Continue reading “China’s Rise in North Africa Won’t Abate Anytime Soon”

Tunisia Is in Trouble By Sarah Yerkes - Jul 15, 2021

Late last month, a member of Tunisia’s parliament was twice physically assaulted in the chamber, a shocking and graphic reminder of how far politics in the country has deteriorated. In fact, Tunisia, the Arab world’s only free country according to Freedom House, is mired in three simultaneous crises that have the potential not only to … Continue reading “Tunisia Is in Trouble”