The Sykes-Picot Agreement was a 1916 secret treaty between Britain and France, with the agreement of Russia and Italy, that divided the Ottoman Empire into British and French spheres of influence.
Named after negotiators Mark Sykes and Francois Georges-Picot, it aimed to define post-war control of Arab territories. The agreement led to the division of regions like Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Palestine, impacting the region's future and contributing to ongoing political tensions.