There have been several papers lately on issues such as governance, democracy, national values, citizenship, and related topics, mostly analyzing the disruptions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Some astute observers have noted that we have similar concerns in the United States given the fault lines that became more obvious as a result of the 2016 presidential elections. The common … [Read more...]
Can Anything be Done to Push Broad-based Economic Growth in North Africa?
After more than three years, what we’ve learned about increasing jobs and growth Now that the “Arab Spring” has become an integral part of any analysis of the future of the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region, it is worthwhile to see what we are learning about two core issues raised during the demonstrations – increasing youth employment and economic growth. While governments have worked with … [Read more...]
How does Morocco Measure up to the Challenge of Defining ‘Citizenship?
UN Study Opens Debate on Citizenship Post-Arab Spring In a multi-year study of the impact of the Arab Spring on democracy, social development, civic activism, and governance, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) released “The Promises of Spring – Citizenship and Civic Engagement in Democratic Transitions” in mid-2013. The report team was led by Maha Yahya, a senior … [Read more...]
Middle East economic reform requires robust and constructive citizen participation
A great deal of hand wringing goes on as bad news continues to drown out progress in the transitions going on in the Middle East and North Africa. From Egypt and Syria to Libya and Yemen, nay-sayers and pundits readily point out that there are few short-term solutions that don’t require some pain in the process of moving forward. As national identities crumble under the assault of religious and … [Read more...]
Crossing the divide: young Moroccans reaching for the future
If Moroccans were any kinder, I would be buying an apartment in this North African nation tomorrow – the only challenge being where! Their multilingual skills were prominently displayed for the past 10 days as I struggled in French, Arabic, and English to get to know Moroccans under 40, many under 30, who are part of the new wave of university graduates and Moroccans returning from abroad … [Read more...]
From winning to working: challenges of moving beyond the Arab uprisings
I must admit that sometimes I am a bit confused by how some very good people frame their analyses of MENA issues. A recent case in point is a blog by Frederic Hof, one of my favorite writers on the Levant. He writes that the major question for the Arabs is “what will follow the Ottoman system as the true source of political legitimacy? The emerging answer is that for governments to be legitimate, … [Read more...]
Partners can make a difference in driving economic growth
Over the past several weeks, I have been looking at media coverage of events and activities related to how Morocco is confronting its challenges in driving economic growth. One particular theme that merits more attention is how external partners, whether bilateral or multilateral, can play a significant role in enabling Morocco to maximize its reform efforts. On March 18, the Carnegie Endowment … [Read more...]
“Egypt: Challenges of Crafting Leadership in Foreign Affairs”
The summer 2012 issue of the Cairo Review of Global Affairs, includes an article, “Egypt in the World,” by former Egyptian Ambassador to the US, Nabil Fahmy. He is clearly in the secular/modernist/democratic stream of Egyptian political discourse, and provides helpful insights to those who want to understand the Arab world beneath the stereotypes. His main theme focuses on the centrality of … [Read more...]
Emphasis on Youth and Women a major Pillar of the NAPEO Conference
The presenters at this year’s PNB-NAPEO conference in Marrakech are impressive. Most speakers have demonstrated expertise in a variety of enterprises or are enablers of ingredients for building businesses and jobs: venture capital, training, angel investors, and entrepreneurs. Most of the achievers are from Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, while the enablers are from the US–a heady mix of … [Read more...]