ICGER Hosts Forum on the Centennial of the Treaty of Lausanne
The International Center for Geopolitical and Economic Studies held a roundtable discussion on “The Geopolitical Landscape 100 Years After the Treaty of Lausanne” at its headquarters in downtown Beirut. The event brought together a group of experts and enthusiasts in regional and global geopolitics and geostrategic affairs.
Dr. Mohammad Walid Youssef, president of the Center, opened the session by reflecting on the geopolitical conditions that led to the signing of the Lausanne Treaty in 1923, which laid the foundation for the modern states of the region. He charted the transformation of the geopolitical environment over the past century, noting how nationalist movements and military coups paved the way for the rise of Islamist movements seeking to reclaim historical legacies.
Dr. Youssef emphasized an ongoing reconfiguration of the Middle East’s geopolitical structure, warning that the expanding war in Gaza could accelerate this process. He asserted that the region is witnessing a renewed Sunni-Shiite power struggle, alongside growing Turkish-Iranian rivalry driven by both religious and nationalist motives.
Addressing the broader crisis of the regional order, Dr. Youssef analyzed the composition of states, their borders, and their strategic buffers. He identified Iran, Turkey, and Egypt as critical geopolitical bulwarks, and highlighted the Aleppo–Mosul and Damietta–Ismailia–Alexandria corridors as strategic axes shaping the region’s future.
He also discussed the ongoing crisis of the nation-state in the Middle East, arguing that stability can only be restored through a return to inclusive national identities that transcend ethnic and sectarian divisions. Without such a shift, he warned, the region may witness the collapse of existing states and the emergence of new ones through a sweeping and destructive conflict.
When asked about the prospects of a “Greater Kurdistan,” Dr. Youssef dismissed its feasibility under current conditions. However, he noted that in the event of a major regional war, both Greater Kurdistan and Greater Armenia could emerge, along with other new states formed from the remnants of those that disappear.
The session concluded with an open discussion between Dr. Youssef and attendees.
