Regional Megatrends and the prospect of development in the Middle East

The present article aims to provide a perspective of future development in the Middle East based on current trends in the region. According to Trend Analysis Method in future studies, providing a prospect for a country, a region or the whole world depends on Identification and analysis of the megatrends at every level. The megatrends consist of structural transformations that have huge consequences. Based on this approach, the this paper identifies five megatrends in the Middle East since 2003: 1. Intensification of regional conflicts, 2. The Crises of nation-state structure and the formation of fragile States and failed states, 3. Exacerbation of environmental crises, 4. The decline of the Middle East’s position in terms of global energy demand, 5. Drainage of human and material capital and the crisis of accumulation. The present paper is not only going to describe each trend, but it will also demonstrate that these critical trends are intertwined and mutually intensify each other. Consequently, they will be worsened in the upcoming years. The paper concludes that according to these megatrends, it is expected that the development prospect for most countries of the region will be dark.