POMED Notes: Meet the Press At Brookings – The Egypt Revolution One Year On
On Wednesday, the Brookings Institution hosted a discussion about the state of the Egyptian revolution. Panelists included Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Tamara Wittes, Woodrow Wilson Center Fellow Robin Wright, Director of Research at the Brookings Doha Center Shadi Hamid, and Brookings Institution Vice President for Foreign Policy Martin Indyk. The moderator was David Gregory from NBC’s Meet the Press. For full event notes, continue reading below. ...
February 9, 2012
Category: Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Events, Foreign Aid, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs, Political Islam, Political transition
The Tipping Point: Transitions to Democracy in the Middle East and Latin America
The Kellogg Institute for International Studies in association with the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies released a report, “Transitions to Democracy and the Arab Spring: Does Latin America Hold Lessons for the Middle East,” that examines how insights from Latin America’s democratization experience may be relevant for the Middle East today. The symposium was divided into two panels: the first explored the domestic challenges to democratization in Latin America ...
February 8, 2012
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Category: Bahrain, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Gulf, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Political transition, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, US foreign policy, Yemen
February 8, 2012
Category: Congress, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, NGOs, Political transition
Arab Uprising Impact’s on Press Freedom
In its 10th annual press freedom index, Reporters Without Borders (RWB) assessed the evolution of press and media freedom after one year of turmoil in the Arab world. RWB noted "The transitions that have begun are not necessarily leading towards more ...
Does Economic Growth Affect Democratic Transition?
American political scientist Jay Ulfelder challenged the so-called “cardinal principle of empirical democratic theory” alleged by democratization scholar Larry Diamond. Diamond proposed that “hard economic times” translate to “hard times for democracy.” Ulfelder’s recent study concluded that this might not be the case necessarily. Ulfelder used the findings of his study to dispel complaints from senior officials in Egypt, warning that cutting U.S. aid to Egypt at this time would “transform a peaceful revolution ...
February 6, 2012
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Category: Congress, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Muslim Brotherhood, Political transition
Egypt Brings Charges to NGO Workers
Egypt announced it is prosecuting 43 people, including 19 Americans, in criminal court on charges of illegal foreign funding. The government has accused the NGOs of providing funds to opposition protestors, and despite a promise that equipment would ...
Ashton Calls for ‘Supporting the Arab Awakening’
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton published in the New York Times a piece calling for the support of the "emerging democracies" in the Arab world. Ashton reckoned that democracy can be "'turbulent ...
February 3, 2012
Category: Bahrain, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Featured, Jordan, Libya, Political transition, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen
Leahy Ties Egyptian Aid to NGO Raids
In a statement on the Senate floor, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on the State Department and Foreign Operations, laid out a strong declaration tying Egyptian aid to the recent NGO raids. Leahy noted there has been progress in Egypt exemplified by elections which have seated a new parliament, but infringements on due process, and the raids on the NGOs - that aim to promote democracy and human ...
Congressmen Say Egypt Aid in Jeopardy
Senators Carl Levin and John McCain, leaders of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, told Foreign Policy Tuesday that withholding military aid to Egypt was now a real possibility due to the Egyptian military's role in the late-December raids ...
February 2, 2012
Category: Congress, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Legislation, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs, Political transition
POMED Notes: Shifting Sands: The Future of U.S.-Egypt Relations
On Wednesday, The Center for National Policy hosted a panel discussing the future of U.S.-Egyptian Relations in light of important internal developments in Egypt that have put stress on bilateral relations. The panel featured Professor of Political Science and International affairs at George Washington University Nathan Brown, Director of the Rafik Hariri Center at the Atlantic Council Michele Dunne, and Professor of Economics at the National Defense University Paul Sullivan. The ...
WaPo Editorial Board: NGO Crisis a “Witch Hunt”
On Tuesday, the Washington Post editorial board argued that the U.S. government must be prepared to withhold promised military aid to Egypt should the Egyptian government refuse to back off its investigation into U.S.-funded nongovernmental organizations operating in ...
February 1, 2012
Category: Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Legislation, NGOs, Political transition, US foreign policy
Egypt’s SCAF Bypasses Parliament in Issuing Elections Law
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), the military junta that took power in Egypt after the January revolution, drew ire from the newly-elected parliament yesterday when it issued rules for upcoming presidential elections. The law did ...
January 31, 2012
Category: Egypt, Elections, Featured, Islamist movements, Legislation, Military, Political transition
U.S. Embassy Shelters American NGO Workers
Earlier today, the U.S. Embassy in Egypt confirmed that it was sheltering a “handful” of American citizens who were barred from leaving Egypt last week. The unidentified Americans are employees of U.S.-funded nongovernmental organizations raided by Egyptian police late last year ...
D.C. Lobbyists End Contract with Egypt
A Washington lobbying group named the PLM Group (the Podesta Group, Livingston Group and Moffett Group) has ended a contract with Egypt. The Group was "a lobbying entity created to advocate on behalf of the regime of former ...
Report: Egypt’s Transition to Democracy One Year On
Yesterday, Human Rights First released its report on the human rights situation during Egypt's post-revolution transition, titled "Egypt’s Transition to Democracy One Year On: Recommendations for U.S. Policy". While touching on concerns that Islamist domination of the parliament ...
January 28, 2012
Category: Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Featured, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Military, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: The Arab Revolt: Can the Liberals Compete?
On Thursday, The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies hosted a panel event discussing the ability of liberals to compete in the newly formed governments of the Arab Spring. The panel featured Khairi Abaza Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, an expert on democratic reform in the Arab world. Joining him was the Director of the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East Michele Dunne, ...
Observers React to Egypt’s Year of Transition
The first anniversary of Egypt’s revolution elicited commentary on Egypt’s transition, not all of which was optimistic. In a joint piece for the Washington Institute for Near East Peace, Samuel Tadros argues that "there is no true democratic transition in Egypt," ...
January 26, 2012
Category: Egypt, Elections, Featured, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Islam, Political transition
American NGO Workers Barred From Leaving Egypt
This weekend, the son of Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and at least five other American employees of nongovernmental organizations in Egypt were barred from leaving the country. The Americans were from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and ...
