Toms Rātfelders

Expert

Toms Rātfelders is journalist and political analyst specializing in International Relations of the Middle East and North Africa. His research has covered Foreign Policy strategies of the small Gulf monarchies (with particular emphasis on Qatar and Oman), Iranian Foreign policy and security issues in the region (e.g. wars, regime security, militant groups).

He holds MLitt. degree in the Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asia security studies from the University of St. Andrews (UK) and Bachelors degree in International Relations from Riga Stradiņš university (Latvia). Toms has also worked as a civil servant in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, where he helped to facilitate bilateral dialogue between Latvia and The Gulf States. 

He is a frequent commenter on the MENA issues for Latvian and international media outlets.