NORTH AFRICA
AP Photo
December 2011
"Africa's New Engine"
Magazine or Newspaper Article, Finance & Development, issue 4, volume 48
By Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development; Director, Science, Technology, and Globalization Project; Principal Investigator, Agricultural Innovation in Africa
Cell phone use has grown faster in Africa than in any other region of the world since 2003....Of course, South Africa—the most developed nation—still has the highest penetration, but across Africa, countries have leapfrogged technology, bringing innovation and connectivity even to remote parts of the continent, opening up mobile banking and changing the way business is done.
November 25, 2011
"Arab Awakening, Act II"
Op-Ed, Boston Globe
By Nicholas Burns, Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics, Harvard Kennedy School
In his Nov. 25 Boston Globe column, “Arab Awakening, Act 2”, Nicholas Burns warns that, nearly one year since the start of reform and revolution across the Arab world, the region may turn more turbulent and violent in the months ahead.
AP Photo
November 7, 2011
"With a Little Help From Our (Arab) Friends"
Op-Ed, The Huffington Post
By Charles G. Cogan, Associate, International Security Program
"Qatar had been instrumental in persuading the Arab League to endorse an intervention in Libya, which the United Nations Security Council voted in two resolutions: Resolution 1970 on February 26 and Resolution 1973 on March 17. Qatar also became the first Arab country to recognize the rebels' Transitional National Council. A few other Arab countries lent diplomatic support and cash to the TNC — including the United Arab Emirates in the former case and Kuwait in the latter."
AP Photo
Fall 2011
"Guest Editor's Forward"
Journal Article, Sharqiyya
By Annie Tracy Samuel, Research Fellow, International Security Program
"The past year has been one of tremendous change in the Middle East and North Africa. The transformations that have come in the wake of momentous upheavals—now commonly known as the Arab Spring—have a wide and varying significance. For many people in the region, the past year has been one of daring, fearless action in pursuit of far-reaching political change. Their demands induced fear among the long-time, autocratic rulers, which has resulted either in the abdication of long-clung-to power or in brutal resistance and violence against masses of unarmed, pro-democracy protesters. World leaders have found themselves scrambling to protect various vital interests while struggling not to end up on the wrong side of history."
November, 2011
Tunisia’s National Constituent Assembly: Current Politics and Next Steps
Policy Brief
The paper is intended for all policy analysts interested in Tunisia, but it could be especially helpful for members of the NCA and the legal advisory committee recently established to advise them on constitutional law and drafting procedure. It explores the different challenges of legitimate procedure the NCA faces in drafting an inclusive constitution during this critical phase in their democratic transition.
AP Photo
October 29, 2011
"Arab Spring, Islamic Harvest: Tunisia Goes to the Polls"
Op-Ed, The Huffington Post
By Charles G. Cogan, Associate, International Security Program
How did this stunning victory of Ennahda happen? As elsewhere in the countries of the Arab Spring, the Islamist parties had no connection with the former authoritarian military regimes: with the extreme longevity of the dictators in power, producing a feeling of lassitude among the people; with the repression of the people by the police and security services of these regimes; and with the rampant corruption among the ruling families. The feeling toward Ennahda among many Tunisians, as is the case elsewhere with Islamist parties in the Arab world is, in a nutshell, "They're clean. Let's give them a try."
AP Photo
November-December 2011
"The End of the American Era"
Op-Ed, National Interest
By Stephen M. Walt, Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs; Faculty Chair, International Security Program
"...[T]he biggest challenge the United States faces today is not a looming great-power rival; it is the triple whammy of accumulated debt, eroding infrastructure and a sluggish economy. The only way to have the world's most capable military forces both now and into the future is to have the world's most advanced economy, and that means having better schools, the best universities, a scientific establishment that is second to none, and a national infrastructure that enhances productivity and dazzles those who visit from abroad. These things all cost money, of course, but they would do far more to safeguard our long-term security than spending a lot of blood and treasure determining who should run Afghanistan, Kosovo, South Sudan, Libya, Yemen or any number of other strategic backwaters."
October 26, 2011
"An Arab Birth Worth Celebrating"
Op-Ed, Agence Global
By Rami Khouri, Senior Fellow, Middle East Initiative
I celebrated two birthdays this past weekend, first my own biological birthday and then the political birth of the modern Arab world on Sunday, when Tunisians voted for their new 217-seat national assembly, or provisional parliament. Human birthdays occur every year, but the birth of the modern Arab world happens once in a lifetime, and it is exhilarating to watch the process unfold day by day. The significance and symbolism of the Tunisian election cannot be over-emphasized.
AP Photo
October 24, 2011
"Libya: Sarko the Impulsive Meets Dorian Gray"
Op-Ed, The Huffington Post
By Charles G. Cogan, Associate, International Security Program
"And what credit does Nicolas Sarkozy, or Barack Obama, for that matter, gain from the sudden and felicitous demise of Muammar Gaddafi. Very little. Both are up for reelection in 2012, and the odds are not good, both in terms of Sarkozy's perceived un-presidential and rough manners, and in terms of Obama's miseries over the economy."
October 20, 2011
"Gadhafi’s death: A message to Arab youth, and old dictators"
Op-Ed, Power & Policy Blog
By Ashraf Hegazy, Former Executive Director, The Dubai Initiative
The death of Muammar Gadhafi, as well as that of his son and his closest advisor, in addition to the fall of Sirte, allows the Transitional National Council to declare Libya’s freedom. However, it does not guarantee a peaceful transition any more than Saddam’s capture did in Iraq. The tough work of nation building and the creation of an inclusive political system will now begin. And while analysts have been concerned about the divisions that have recently emerged within the TNC, those divisions are a sign that the TNC is a truly diverse institution, bringing together a wide coalition of ideologies and interests. That is as good a start for the establishment of a democratic system as we can hope for.
