IFI Podcast

Ali Fathollah-Nejad by IFI-AUB

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs cordially invites you to the Nadim Makdisi Memorial Fund Annual Lecture: "What's a Journalist from India Doing in an Al-Qaeda Camp? Reflections on covering the Global South from the Global South" Date: March 14 Time: 6 PM Location: IFI Auditorium For twenty-five years, Vijay Prashad has been writing for the Indian press about world affairs. He has traveled to every continent, lived in several countries and studied closely the rhythms of conflict and of possibility. In this talk, he will reflect on his experiences and what it means to cover the Global South for newspapers and magazines of the Global South. What it means - in sum - to produce news that is not refracted through the narrow and suffocating circuits of Western news media. Vijay Prashad is the Executive Director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, which is an inter-movement organization based in Argentina, Brazil, India and South Africa. He is also the Chief Editor of LeftWord Books, based in New Delhi. Prashad is regular columnist and reporter for Frontline (India), The Hindu (India), Newsclick (India), BirGün (Turkey) and Alternet (USA). He is the author of twenty-five books including - most recently - Red Star Over the Third World. He was the Edward Said Chair at AUB in 2013-14 and had been a Senior Research Fellow at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs. Vijay has a PhD in History from the University of Chicago.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Open Society Foundations Held a panel discussion Civil Society Actors Influencing Policy-Making in the Arab World The Civil Society & Policy-making in the Arab World Program at the Issam Fares Institute launched a research project funded by the Open Society Foundations last year. The project consisted of three case studies and aimed to explore the effect of several internal and external factors on the role of Civil Society Actors in influencing policy-making in the Arab world. Three research papers from Lebanon, Egypt and Tunisia were prepared by Lea Bou Khater (Lebanon), Nermeen Kassem (Egypt) & Alexander Martin (Tunis) during the last months. Dr. Lea Bou Khater analyzed the 2012 wage hike in Lebanon using the Multiple Streams Framework as an instrument to consider agenda setting, and decision-making processes as well as the role of policy entrepreneurs. Dr. Nermeen Kassem conducted the research on the influence of classical and social media on the role of Egyptian Civil Society in approaching the recently issued NGO law (2017). Dr. Alexander Martin conducted the research on the Tunisian case. Martin’s research explores the role of foreign funders in influencing the civil society organizations concerned with the transparency of the management and extraction of the phosphate and natural resources in Tunisia. Note: This panel discussion will be held in English and Arabic with simultaneous interpretation. ***************************************************************************** يتشرف معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية بالتعاون مع مؤسسات المجتمع المفتوح (Open Society Foundation) بدعوتكم إلى جلسة نقاش بعنوان "كسر القوالب: الناشطون في المجتمع المدني يؤثرون في صنع السياسات في العالم العربي" الزمان: 23 كانون الثاني/يناير 2018 من الساعة الخامسة والنصف عصرًا حتى الساعة السابعة والنصف مساءً المكان: معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية‏ - قاعة الأوديتوريوم، غرين اوفل الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت‏ أجرى برنامج "الفاعلون في المجتمع المدني وصنع السياسات في العالم العربي" في معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت، بتمويل من منظمة مؤسسات المجتمع المفتوح (Open Society Foundation)، ثلاث دراسات بحثية خلال العام المنصرم في أكثر من بلد عربي. تناولت الدراسات دور بعض العوامل الداخلية والخارجية في تأثير المجتمع المدني على صنع السياسات العامة في العالم العربي على مدار الأشهر الماضية، أُقيمت ثلاثة أبحاث من لبنان ومصر وتونس من إعداد كل من ليا أبو خاطر ونرمين قاسم وألكساندر مارتن الدكتورة ليا بو خاطر أجرت دراسة حول مسألة رفع الأجور في لبنان (2012) مستخدمة إطار المسارات المتعددة Multiple Strems Framework كأداة لدراسة وضع الموضوع على جدول الأعمال، لدراسة آليات صنع القرار المتعلق به كما لدراسة دور الرياديين في مجال صنع السياسات في هذه المسألة وأجرت نرمين قاسم من مصر دراسة مطوَّلة حول تأثير وسائل الإعلام الكلاسيكية ووسائل التواصل الاجتماعي على بلورة دور المجتمع المدني وتفاعله مع قانون الجمعيات الصادر حديثًا في مصر 2017 أما ألكساندر مارتن فتناول في بحثه تأثير المانحين الأجانب على دور جمعيات المجتمع المدني المعنيّة بالسياسات المتعلِّقة بشفافية إدارة واستخراج الفوسفات والموارد الطبيعية في تونس الجلسة باللغتين العربية والإنكليزية مع توفر الترجمة الفورية

Issam Fares Institute Senior Fellow Rami Khouri spoke at AUB’s New York Office on the ways to analyze US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, the Embassy of Finland Beirut and the Finnish Institute in the Middle East Held a lecture A Small Nation Surviving a Turbulent Era: The Finnish Experience with Jaakko Iloniemi Finnish veteran diplomat In the field of international politics, small nations can easily fall into the role of a pawn, instead of being seen as active and effective members in negotiations and operations. Drawing from the experience of Finland – 70 years ago a poor, war-torn, developing country, facing the task of relocating 420,000 refugees (12% of country's population), today a Nordic welfare state with a strong presence in regional politics and international peace-building missions – Minister Jaakko Iloniemi will discuss the possibilities of small nations in contributing to international relations and foreign policies in regions where tensions between countries have been high. Examples of supporting the multilateral systems and efforts to resolve crises include work in the United Nations and the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, as well as in various peace-building missions. Jaakko Iloniemi (b. 1932) is a renowned Finnish diplomat with an extensive career in international politics and economics. In 1957 he received his degree in Political Science from University of Helsinki and entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1961. During the 1970's he became a prominent figure in foreign politics and diplomatic missions, acting as the Deputy Head of Mission to the United Nations 1971-73, Ambassador to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe 1973-75, Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs 1975-77, and Ambassador of Finland to the United States 1977-83. During the 1980's his focus turned to economics, and he served as member of the Board of the Union Bank of Finland 1983-1990, and as the Executive Director of the Center of Business and Policy Studies 1990-2000. In 2000, University of Helsinki awarded Iloniemi Honoris Causa Doctorate in Political Science. Since 2008, he has been a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Iloniemi has written four books on topics of international affairs. He is also an active columnist, with almost 300 writings on politics and economics.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, in collaboration with Al-Edara-BiMahala and the German Foreign Office Held a panel discussion Decentralization in a Comparative Perspective: Lessons Learnt from Arab Countries and Former Yugoslavia Panel Jinan Limam, Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences, Tunisia Ali Al-Khawaldeh, Trainer on Key Policy and Development Issues, Ministry of Parliamentary and Political Affairs in Jordan Soeren Keil, Reader in Politics and International Relations, Canterbury Christ Church University Moderator: Carmen Geha, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Studies and Public Administration, AUB The topic of decentralization has been brought to the discussion table repetitively in Lebanon. Although the concept is agreeably beneficial for the country’s various structures, no full application of it has been noted so far at the local level. Since it is believed that bringing such discussions back to light could and would help push further work on implementing it, a consortium comprising Democracy Reporting International, Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE), Partnership Center for Development and Democracy (PCDD), NAHNOO, and Beyond Reform and Development (BRD), have worked on organizing a comparative discussion showcasing the various experiences and moments of decentralization across different parts of the Arab world and former Yugoslavia where Lebanese authorities can learn more about the topic itself: notably its prerequisites and consequences on the various sectors in the country. The Consortium الإدارة بمحلها: Identity and Work The consortium consists of various civil society organizations which include Democracy Reporting International, a Berlin-based non-governmental organization catering for democratic processes and political participation, NAHNOO, Lebanese Association for Democratic Election, Beyond Reform and Development, and Partnership Center for Democracy and Development. The consortium seeks to set an Agenda for Decentralization in Lebanon. Simultaneously, Democracy Reporting International helps provide legal assistance to the Parliamentary Committee working on behalf of the Justice and Administration Committee which is currently discussing a draft decentralization law.

معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية بالتعاون مع مركز صنعاء للدراسات الاستراتيجية حلقتي نقاش حول مسارات الصراع في اليمن وفرص السلام ١٠:٠٠ - ١٠:٣٠ افتتاح الدكتور طارق متري، مدير معهد عصام فارس ١٠:٣٠ - ١٢:٠٠ الحلقة الأولى: التداعيات الإقليمية على الأزمة وفرص السلام مديرة الجلسة: ردينة البعلبكي، منسّقة برنامج الشؤون العربية والدولية في معهد عصام فارس فارع المسلمي، مركز كارنيغي للشرق الأوسط، تداعيات الأزمة الخليجية على الحرب في اليمن ماجد المذحجي، المدير التنفيذي لمركز صنعاء للدراسات الاستراتيجية، الديناميات المحلية للحرب ١٢:٠٠ - ١٢:٣٠ استراحة قهوة ١٢:٣٠ - ١٤:٠٠ الحلقة الثانية: الاقتصاد اليمني في ظل الحرب مدير الجلسة: آدم بارون، زميل زائر في المجلس الأوروبي للعلاقات الخارجية منصور راجح، البنك المركزي اليمني، أزمة البنك المركزي في ظل الحرب محمد شهاب، رجل أعمال يمني، القطاع الخاص خلال الحرب في اليمن طارق الأسدي، مدير فرع بنك قطر الوطني في اليمن، القطاع المصرفي الخاص خلال الأزمة وذلك نهار الإثنين في ١٦ تشرين الأول، ٢٠١٧ من الساعة العاشرة صباحًا وحتى الساعة الثانية من بعد الظهر في معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية - قاعة "الأوديتوريوم" (غرين اوفل) - الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت ما هو المسار المتوقَّع للصراع(ات) في اليمن خصوصا بعد الأزمة الخليجية؟ وما هي فرص تحقيق السلام في البلاد في ظل ديناميات الصراع الإقليمي والداخلي؟ ما هي تداعيات الحرب الدائرة على الاقتصاد الوطني بما في ذلك القطاع الخاص في اليمن، وكيف يتكيّف القطاع المصرفي معها؟ وما هي تبعات انهيار الاقتصاد الوطني على المدَيَيْن القصير والبعيد في البلاد؟

معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية بالتعاون مع مركز صنعاء للدراسات الاستراتيجية حلقتي نقاش حول مسارات الصراع في اليمن وفرص السلام ١٠:٠٠ - ١٠:٣٠ افتتاح الدكتور طارق متري، مدير معهد عصام فارس ١٠:٣٠ - ١٢:٠٠ الحلقة الأولى: التداعيات الإقليمية على الأزمة وفرص السلام مديرة الجلسة: ردينة البعلبكي، منسّقة برنامج الشؤون العربية والدولية في معهد عصام فارس فارع المسلمي، مركز كارنيغي للشرق الأوسط، تداعيات الأزمة الخليجية على الحرب في اليمن ماجد المذحجي، المدير التنفيذي لمركز صنعاء للدراسات الاستراتيجية، الديناميات المحلية للحرب ١٢:٠٠ - ١٢:٣٠ استراحة قهوة ١٢:٣٠ - ١٤:٠٠ الحلقة الثانية: الاقتصاد اليمني في ظل الحرب مدير الجلسة: آدم بارون، زميل زائر في المجلس الأوروبي للعلاقات الخارجية منصور راجح، البنك المركزي اليمني، أزمة البنك المركزي في ظل الحرب محمد شهاب، رجل أعمال يمني، القطاع الخاص خلال الحرب في اليمن طارق الأسدي، مدير فرع بنك قطر الوطني في اليمن، القطاع المصرفي الخاص خلال الأزمة وذلك نهار الإثنين في ١٦ تشرين الأول، ٢٠١٧ من الساعة العاشرة صباحًا وحتى الساعة الثانية من بعد الظهر في معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية - قاعة "الأوديتوريوم" (غرين اوفل) - الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت ما هو المسار المتوقَّع للصراع(ات) في اليمن خصوصا بعد الأزمة الخليجية؟ وما هي فرص تحقيق السلام في البلاد في ظل ديناميات الصراع الإقليمي والداخلي؟ ما هي تداعيات الحرب الدائرة على الاقتصاد الوطني بما في ذلك القطاع الخاص في اليمن، وكيف يتكيّف القطاع المصرفي معها؟ وما هي تبعات انهيار الاقتصاد الوطني على المدَيَيْن القصير والبعيد في البلاد؟

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Media Studies Held a lecture From Political Violence to Exiting Violence in a Global Perspective with Michel Wieviorka Professor of Sociology, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales President, Fondation Maison des sciences de l’homme Political violence can be instrumental but it can also be an answer to a crisis or a reaction to frustration. It is sometimes connected to cultural dimensions, including socialization in education and the family. Political violence also has a lot to do with subjectivity and processes of subjectivation and de-subjectivation. Exiting violence does not mean only putting an end to concrete expressions of violence, it means taking into account the sources of the phenomenon and its different dimensions, including eventually instrumentality, the crisis, socialization and subjectivity. Michel Wieviorka, Professor at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, is the President of the Board, Fondation Maison des sciences de l’homme (FMSH). He was Director of the Center for Sociological Analysis and Intervention (CADIS, EHESS-CNRS) between 1993 and 2009. From 2006 to 2010, he was President of the International Association of Sociology AIS / ISA, and has been a member of the ERC (European Research Council) Scientific Council since 2014. He was co-Director with Georges Balandier of the journal Cahiers Internationaux de Sociologie from 1991 to 2011, and now heads the new SOCIO magazine (with Laetitia Atlani-Duault), which he created in 2013. His research has focused on the notion of conflict, terrorism and violence, racism, anti-Semitism, social movements, democracy and the phenomena of cultural difference. After having edited the serie "Voix et Regards" collection at Balland Publishing, he is now in charge of the serie "Le monde comme il va" at Editions Robert Laffont, and with Julien Ténédos for the serie "Interventions" at Editions de la MSH. His latest book is: "The Jews, the Muslims and the Republic", Editions Robert Laffont.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and Amnesty International Held a book launch and panel discussion Civil Resistance in the Arab Spring: Triumphs and Disasters with Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director, Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut Sir Adam Roberts, Senior Research Fellow in International Relations, Oxford University Mr. Edward Mortimer, Distinguished Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford University Ms. Elham Fakhro, PhD Candidate, St Antony’s College, Oxford University Ms. Helen Lackner, Specialist on social movements and development Dr. Michael J. Willis, King Mohammed VI Fellow in Moroccan and Mediterranean Studies, Oxford University The Arab Spring uprisings of 2011, and their often-tragic outcomes in the years since, raise some difficult questions. How unified, or diverse, were the phenomena covered by the term ‘the Arab Spring’? What are the best explanations of why they ran into difficulties in so many countries? Why in particular were peaceful demonstrations in Syria and Yemen followed by long wars? How did power politics, within and beyond the region, affect outcomes? Why was democratization so difficult to achieve in so many of these societies? Did the Arab Spring contribute unintentionally to a revival of authoritarian ideas and practices in the region and elsewhere? What lessons can be learned about the possibilities of political change, and the capacity of civil resistance to achieve it? Issam Fares Institute Director Tarek Mitri explores these issues with Adam Roberts (editor and part-author of Civil Resistance in the Arab Spring: Triumphs and Disasters), Edward Mortimer (co-author, with Chibli Mallat, of the opening chapter of this book) and other esteemed panelists. The book Civil Resistance in the Arab Spring: Triumphs and Disasters (by Adam Roberts et al. eds, Oxford University Press 2016) was available for sale during the event, in both English and Arabic.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, the Faculty of Health Sciences, the AUB4Refugees Initiative, the Institute for Global Prosperity at University College London, and the Centre for Lebanese Studies Held a lecture and panel discussion to mark the launch of the RELIEF Centre Inclusive Growth and Prosperity in Lebanon: What Does It Look Like, and How Do We Achieve It? with Professor Henrietta L. Moore, Director of the Institute for Global Prosperity, University College London Dr. Camillo Boano, Development Planning Unit, University College London Dr. Fouad Mohamed Fouad, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut Professor Diana Laurillard, Institute of Education, University College London Dr. Maha Shuayb, Centre for Lebanese Studies Chair & Moderator: Dr. Carmen Geha, Department of Political Studies and Public Administration, American University of Beirut For decades, governments have confused economic growth with prosperity. In recent years, the relationship between economic growth and the social, cultural and environmental prosperity of a country has come under scrutiny, and alternative paradigms have emerged. Prosperity and inclusive growth are gaining traction as new ideas which attempt to overcome the narrow focus on GDP. They represent new ways of organizing society that are more sustainable, related to local ideas of the good life, and more effective in directly improving the quality of people’s lives and the neighborhoods and cities where people live. About the RELIEF Centre The RELIEF Centre - a programme of research and education to improve the prosperity of urban communities in Lebanon - will launch at AUB on October 2nd. Led by Professor Henrietta L. Moore, director of the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity, the RELIEF Centre is a partnership between UCL, the American University of Beirut and the Centre for Lebanese Studies. Narrowing down its focus to Lebanon, the Centre will tackle one of the world’s most complex challenges: how to create sustainable prosperity for all in the context of large-scale displacement.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in collaboration with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Held a conference China’s Expanding Influence in the Middle East: Trade, Energy, Security, and Multipolarity with Welcoming words by Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and by Nils Wörmer, Head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Syria/Iraq Office Chair: Michael Winzer, Head of Office in Beijing, China, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Dr. Nadine Godehardt – German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin Dr. Christina Lin – Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies, University of California, Irvine Dr. Bingbing Wu – Institute of International and Strategic Studies, Beijing University, Beijing Chair: Rayan El-Amine, Assistant Director, Issam Fares Institute Dr. Alessandra Cappelletti – Research Center on Contemporary China, Milan Dr. Moritz Pieper – School of Arts and Media, University of Salford, Manchester Dr. Imad Mansour – Department of International Affairs, Qatar University, Doha The conference addressed, but not exclusively, the following questions: •How does China visualize its long-term strategy of “One Belt, One Road” in the Middle East, in terms of interplay between its economic approach and goals in a multipolar world? •How do the relations between Chinese Soft Power, its trade interests and its economic vision unfold? •What are the regional security interests that reflect Chinese military build-up in terms of strategic choices and policy on the ground? •What is the nature and limit of China’s engagement in the Middle East, of its bilateral relations to regional powers (Saudi Arabia, Iran) and the resulting implications for countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq? •What are the motors of Chinese strategic choices regarding the Syrian conflict, and how may these choices vary in the future?

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in collaboration with the World Bank Group Held a panel discussion The Toll of War: The Syrian Conflict Six Years On with Nasser Yassin, Director of Research, Issam Fares Institute, AUB Saroj Kumar Jha, Mashreq Regional Director, World Bank Harun Onder, Senior Economist, World Bank Maha Yahya, Director, Carnegie Middle East Center Following the launch of the World Bank report “The Toll of War”, this panel will assess the economic and social consequences of the Syrian conflict as of early 2017. The conflict has inflicted significant damage to the Syrian Arab Republic’s physical capital stock (7 percent housing stock destroyed and 20 percent partially damaged), led to large numbers of casualties and forced displacement (between 400,000 and 470,000 estimated deaths and more than half of Syria’s 2010 population forcibly displaced), while depressing and disrupting economic activity. From 2011 until the end of 2016, the cumulative losses in GDP have been estimated at $226 billion, about four times the Syrian GDP in 2010.

العدالة الجندرية والذكورة في أوقات النزاع جلسة نقاش رشا جرهوم، باحثة مشاركة في معهد عصام فارس وناشطة من اليمن فرح قبيسي، باحثة وناشطة من لبنان لانا خطّاب، استشارية مستقلة وباحثة من سوريا تدير الجلسة منار زعيتر، باحثة مشاركة في معهد عصام فارس وناشطة من لبنان في خضمّ ما تواجهه المنطقة العربية برمتها من صراعات تتدرج من التشنج السياسي الطفيف أو الحاد وصولاً إلى الخلافات المسلحة والدموية، وفي ظل التنامي المستمرّ لحالات التهجير والنزوح داخل البلد الواحد أو من بلد عربي إلى آخر، هناك العديد من الأسئلة التي تُطرح حيال وضع النساء وحقوقهن المختلفة في مناطق النزاع. يأتي هذا التساؤل بالتزامن مع انخراط أعداد كبيرة من الرجال في الحرب، أو اضطرارهم للهجرة بحثا عن عمل، أو تعرضهم للاختفاء. في بيئات يُعتبر الرجل فيها المُعيل الأساسي للعائلة في أغلب الأحيان وصاحب السيطرة الاجتماعية والاقتصادية، كيف يمكن للمرأة الاستمرار وحماية نفسها وحقوقها وعائلتها في ظلّ تركيبات جندرية قاسية لم تزدها الصراعات الحالية إلا توترا؟ في المقابل، كانت النساء حاضرات بقوة في مشهد الربيع العربي ولعبن دورًا في تحريك التطورات في أكثر من بلد، ولكن ماذا قدمت هذه الثورات من مكتسبات للمرأة العربية وكيف حمتها من أمواج التشدد الفكري والتغيرات الدراماتيكية الهائلة؟

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Media Studies at AUB Held a Lecture The Politics of Asylum Flows and Syrian Refugees in Turkey: A Question of Inclusion and Exclusion with Sebnem Koser Akcapar Associate Professor of Sociology, Koç University, Istanbul Since 2011, Turkey started to receive the first refugees from Syria fleeing the eruption of violence. Since then, the civil war escalated in Syria and Turkey has become the country hosting the highest number of refugees in the world, with 3 million Syrians, and half a million other nationalities mainly from Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran. There are three important factors that are usually overlooked in the flows of Syrian refugees. The first one is about the diversity of the Syrian refugee population in Turkey. They come from different socio-economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The second point has to do with their areas of settlement as 92 percent of all Syrians in Turkey live in urban centers. This literally means that in everyday life Syrian and Turkish nationals are in close contact with each other either in these neighborhoods they reside or in the workplaces. Yet, there are no proper integration regimes in place even after six years of living together. The third one is about their legal status. Although most of them are under temporary protection regime introduced in 2013, they are still not considered as ‘refugees’ due to Turkey’s upholding of the geographical limitation clause in the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees. Taking case studies from female-headed households and traditional families with multiple children, from single women to gays, this article will focus on different strategies adopted by Syrian refugees living in various cities in Turkey and the gendered perspective in forced migration. We will also discuss evident racism, exclusion, and social problems experienced in the urban areas. Sebnem Koser Akcapar is currently working as Associate Professor at the Sociology Department, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey. She is also the founding Director of Center for Asian Studies (KUASIA) at Koç University. After completing her PhD at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium on the role of social networks in facilitating irregular migrant flows and the survival strategies in transit countries, she moved to the USA where she worked as a post-doc visiting fellow for two years at the Institute for the Study of International Migration, Georgetown University.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and The Samir Kassir Foundation, in partnership with UNESCO Held a Panel Discussion Democracy and Human Rights in the Digital Age with Claudia Wagner, ICT4Peace, UK Jazem Halioui, Webradar, Tunisia Jonne Catshoek, Elva, The Netherlands Moderator: Ayman Mhanna, Samir Kassir Foundation, Lebanon The Samir Kassir Foundation’s SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom with the support of UNESCO, launched a year ago “tech4freedom.” This project aims at empowering Arab human rights and development organizations with relevant tech tools that can help advance their causes and objectives. Likewise, the rise in the Lebanese tech scene has been gaining momentum and many of the tech developers are keen to work for human rights and development causes. It was therefore important for the two traditionally separate fields to join their efforts together. The panel gathered international experts who are developing and using tech innovation to support free speech, humanitarian aid and development initiatives, combat terrorism, and promote democratic values.

Assessing Solar PV’s Potential in Lebanon Report Launch with Dr. Ali Ahmad, Program Director, Energy Policy and Security in the Middle East, Issam Fares Institute, AUB Mr. Ali H. Berjawi, Researcher, Energy Policy and Security in the Middle East, Issam Fares Institute, AUB Ms. Sarah Najem, Researcher, National Center for Remote Sensing, National Council for Scientific Research This working paper presents a holistic view of the potential of solar photovoltaic (PV) in Lebanon for both distributed rooftop systems and utility-scale projects. It covers the technical and policy analysis that answers questions on the required financial and land resources, potential locations, deployment and financing mechanisms. As part of the technical analysis, a detailed solar map was produced for Beirut, Lebanon’s capital city. This map acts as a stand-alone feature that is available online to help inform residents and policy-makers about the technical feasibility of solar PV in specific areas. The paper showed that Lebanese policy-makers underestimate the role that solar power could play to improve Lebanon’s energy security, lower its energy bill and the environmental impact of using fossil fuels for electricity generation. We showed that solar PV alone could at least cover the daily peak load. Further technological improvements and additional substantial reduction in PV module prices would actually make such prospects more promising. In terms of practical steps, this analysis proposes that Lebanon build a capacity of around 1,000 MW of solar PV. This capacity can be divided between large-scale solar farms and distributed (rooftop) solar PV, with the majority of production coming from solar farms.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and The Samir Kassir Foundation held a lecture and discussion The Global Rise of Populism, Trumpism, and the Decline of U.S. Leadership Richard Falk Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton University​ Moderator: Ayman Mhanna Director of the Samir Kassir Foundation The last decade has witnessed the rise of populist politics in many important states throughout the world. This has resulted in democratically elected autocrats, the most dangerous instance of which is the election of Donald Trump. Among the early effects on U.S. global leadership are the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the buildup of anti-Iran tensions in the Middle East. As disturbing as Trump is what might be called "Trumpism," a series of ultra-nationalist revolts against the failures of neoliberal globalization. Richard Falk is the Albert G. Milbank Professor of International Law Emeritus at Princeton University, where he taught for forty years (1961- 2001). He is currently Research Professor with the Global & International Studies Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Professor Falk has been the Special Rapporteur on occupied Palestine for the United Nations Human Rights Council since 2008. He has published more than 50 books in the fields of international law, politics, and UN affairs. His most recent books are: Achieving Human Rights (2009); a co-edited volume entitled Legality and Legitimacy in Global Affairs (2012); Global Parliament (with Andrew Strauss, 2011); Path to Zero: Dialogues on Nuclear Dangers (2012). Waiting for Rainbows (poems) (2015); Power Shift: On the New Global Order (2016); co-edited, Exploring Emergent Global Thresholds: Towards 2030 (2017); Palestine's Horizons: Toward a Just Peace (2017).

Spain: From 15M to the Institutions Isidro Lopez Spanish Parliamentarian for Podemos Discussant: Nayla Geagea Lawyer, Member of Beirut Madinati Spain has experienced in the last six years one of the most convulsive and exciting historical periods of its recent history. From the occupation of the plazas, following the example of the Arab spring, to the emergence of Podemos and the municipalista movement, and the presence of these two political expressions in the state institutions. As any other political crisis period, the pace of events has been extraordinarily fast. As a main example, it has been two years, since citizens’ candidatures won the local elections in both the main cities of the state, Madrid and Barcelona, and in a handful of its more important cities such as Zaragoza, Cadiz, La Coruña and Santiago de Compostela. It has also been two years since Podemos broke into regional parliaments. All this in a still crises-ridden country, with enormous unemployment levels and hugely dependent on finance and real state for its economic survivance. In this talk, Isidro Lopez will try to give both the historical review of the recent events and a full overview of the main conclusions up to this date. And this aim will lead us to a debate on the state and power, the social movements, the local and regional institutions and cities and the right to the city as the engine of this political cycle. Isidro López is currently Member of Parliament in the Madrid Regional Parliament for Podemos. López is trained as a sociologist and he worked as a researcher in the Spanish Observatory for Sustainability since its establishment in 2005 and until its closure in 2012. He was also a member of the militant researchers collective Observatorio Metropolitano of Madrid. He has authored several articles including, with Emmanuel Rodriguez, " Fin de Ciclo: financiarización, territorio y sociedad de propietarios en la onda larga del capitalismo hispano" (2010) and also with Emmanuel Rodriguez "The Spanish Model" in the New Left Review (2011). Nayla Geagea is a lawyer and researcher with more than ten years of experience and practice, with a focus on human rights, social protection of vulnerable groups, and international criminal justice. Since 2009, she has engaged in legal research and drafted legal briefs, memoranda, and draft laws encompassing a range of legal, social and economic issues that require substantial reforms. In 2011, she worked at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, The Netherlands, before returning to Lebanon to pursue her career. She has worked with multiple local and international organizations including research centers to develop public policies and advocate for legal reforms, in addition to supporting civic and political campaigns on the local and national level. Most recently, she was a founding and active member in Beirut Madinati. She graduated from the Lebanese University (Filière Francophone) with distinction, and holds a Master’s degree in International and Human Rights Law from the Faculty of Law at Paul Cezanne University based in Aix-en-Provence, France.

Panel Discussion with the Space & Society-research group at the University of Normandy-Caen ​Housing and the Struggle for Social (In)justice in the City: Comparative Perspectives from India, Brazil, Algeria and Lebanon

بالتعاون مع مؤسسة فريدريش إيبرت والمركز السوري لبحوث السياسات ندوة وإطلاق تقرير التصدع الاجتماعي في سوريا أثر النزاع على رأس المال الاجتماعي يشخص تقرير التصدع الاجتماعي أثر النزاع المسلح في سوريا على العلاقات الاجتماعية من خلال استخدام مفهوم رأس المال الاجتماعي مدخلًا لتحليل الثقة والتعاون والقيم المشتركة. ويطور البحث دليلًا مركبًا لقياس رأس المال الاجتماعي استنادًا إلى مسح ميداني متعدد الأغراض. ويساعد تحليل هذا الدليل عبر الزمن والمناطق وتفصيل مكوناته ودراسة محدداته في فهم حالة التصدع الاجتماعي في سوريا. كما يقترح التقرير سياسات بديلة لتجاوز الآثار الاجتماعية الكارثية للنزاع كلمة الافتتاح ناصر ياسين، مدير البحوث في معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية المحاضرون جاد الكريم جباعي، راميا إسماعيل، زكي محشي، باحثون في المركز السوري لبحوث السياسات المناقشون ساري حنفي، أستاذ ورئيس قسم علم الاجتماع والأنثروبولوجيا والدراسات الإعلامية في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت أديب نعمة، مستشار إقليمي في لجنة الأمم المتحدة الاقتصادية والاجتماعية لغرب آسيا - الإسكوا

توتر طائفي وإثني واقتصادي في سوريا: هل اللامركزية هي الحل؟ جلسة نقاش جهاد يازجي مؤسس ومحرر: التقرير السوري في حين يستمر الترابط بين مختلف المناطق في سوريا ويتواصل تمسك السوريين بفكرة الوحدة الوطنية، فإن البلاد تنقسم إلى مراكز متنافسة على السلطة. سوريا تعاني اليوم من انقسامات طائفية وإثنية وجغرافية حادة، ويعزز التفاوت في التنمية الاقتصادية التوترات بين مختلف المناطق في البلاد هل يمكن اعتبار اللامركزية خيارًا للمساهمة في الحد من التوترات بين السوريين والحفاظ على البلاد؟ جهاد يازجي هو مؤسس ومحرر "التقرير السوري"، موقع إلكتروني يغطي الشؤون الاقتصادية السورية منذ العام ٢٠٠١، كما أنه زميل زائر في المجلس الأوروبي للعلاقات الخارجية. وقد كتب على نطاق واسع في الاقتصاد السوري، وأجرى أبحاثًا وقدم استشارات لشركات ومؤسسات إقليمية وعالمية

Book Launch Democracy in Lebanon: Political Parties and the Struggle for Power since Syrian Withdrawal Abbas Assi Lecturer, Lebanese University Discussant: Maximilian Felsch, Assistant Professor, Haigazian University The year 2005 can be considered as a turning point in the political process of Lebanon. The withdrawal of Syrian forces and the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005 had dramatic implications at political and sectarian levels. The withdrawal of Syrian forces was widely seen as a moment of great opportunity, providing the country with a chance to mould its own destiny without foreign tutelage for the first time in many decades. However, these hopes did not materialize. The political and factional conflicts between sectarian parties, which erupted after 2005, have since then led to deep sectarian fragmentation, punctuated by episodes of sectarian violence, and encouraged foreign intervention. In his book, titled ‘Democracy in Lebanon: Political Parties and the Struggle for Power since Syrian Withdrawal’ (I.B. Tauris, 2016), Assi examines the obstacles that impeded the democratization process in the country. He argues that the intersection of inter- and intra-sectarian conflicts with external factors negatively influenced the behavior of political parties and increased their intransigence regarding the initiation of genuine democratic reforms. Abbas Assi holds a PhD in international relations from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, where he also taught international relations. Besides his latest book ‘Democracy in Lebanon: Political Parties and the Struggle for Power since Syrian Withdrawal, Assi has published several academic articles in journals such as Third World Quarterly and Global Discourse. He is also a regular contributor to Rai Al-Youm newspaper. His research interests focus on the domain of Middle East politics, in particular political parties and systems, democracy and democratization processes, and ethnic and sectarian conflicts in the Arab world. He is currently working as a lecturer at several Lebanese universities and previously worked as an associate director of studies at the Center for Arab Unity Studies in Beirut.

one-day conference in collaboration with Najdeh Association, Christian Aid, and American Friends Service Committee Double Burden: Palestinian Refugees from Syria

one-day conference in collaboration with Najdeh Association, Christian Aid, and American Friends Service Committee Double Burden: Palestinian Refugees from Syria

one-day conference in collaboration with Najdeh Association, Christian Aid, and American Friends Service Committee Double Burden: Palestinian Refugees from Syria

one-day conference in collaboration with Najdeh Association, Christian Aid, and American Friends Service Committee Double Burden: Palestinian Refugees from Syria

معهد عصام فارس، قاعة الأوديتوريوم الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت ﺑﺎلتعاون مع مؤسسة الدراسات الفلسطينية محاضرة الخليل على لائحة التراث العالمي في اليونسكو: أبجدية الاحتلال والتراث المقاوم ​النقيب جاد تابت، مهندس معماري

ورشة عمل لإطلاق تقرير بالتعاون مع شبكة المنظمات العربية غير الحكومية للتنمية راصد الحقوق الاقتصادية والاجتماعيّة في البلدان العربيّة للعام ٢٠١٦ حول التشغيل غير المهيكل

ورشة عمل لإطلاق تقرير بالتعاون مع شبكة المنظمات العربية غير الحكومية للتنمية راصد الحقوق الاقتصادية والاجتماعيّة في البلدان العربيّة للعام ٢٠١٦ حول التشغيل غير المهيكل

بالتعاون مع لجنة عمل اللاجئين الفلسطينيين في لبنان ومركز تعزيز العمل والحماية الاجتماعية :عمل اللاجئين/ات الفلسطينيين/ات في لبنان بين تعديلات قانونية تنتظر التطبيق ومهن حرة محظورة ​ السفير سمير الخوري، السيدة مارلين عطا الله، د. نهاد يزبك ضومط، والسيدة وفاء اليسير

جلسة نقاش لإطلاق تقارير بحثية بالشراكة مع معهد الأصفري للمجتمع المدني والمواطنة الحركة العمالية والنقابية والبحث عن العدالة الاجتماعية في العالم العربي

Lecture Resurgent Moscow in the Middle East: Interpreting Russia’s Strategy in Syria and Libya Yury Barmin,​ MENA Expert, Russian International Affairs Council

جلسة نقاش ​ العنف القانوني ضد النساء في لبنان: أبعاده في قوانين الجنسية والأحوال الشخصية والعمل المحامية ليلى عواضة - جمعية كفى الناشطة ناديا عيسى - رابطة المرأة العاملة في لبنان الناشطة كريمة شبّو - حملة جنسيتي حق لي ولأسرتي تدير الجلسة منار زعيترر -​ باحثة مشاركة في المعهد، محامية وناشطة

مسؤولية المجتمع الدولي في حماية المدنيين الفلسطينيين يلقيها الدكتور رياض منصور المراقب الدائم لفلسطين لدى الأمم المتحدة يضع مبدأ "حماية المدنيين"، بحسب إطاره النظري وإطاره في القانون الدولي كذلك، المسؤولية في الحماية على عاتق الدول التي يقع المدنيين ضمن منطقة سيادتها والأراضي الخاضعة لحكمها، رابطًا كل من القدرة على حماية المدنيين والرغبة في ذلك بسيادة هذه الدول. إلا أن هذا المبدأ بات يواجه العديد من العواقب النظرية، إذ يدور حوله جدل قانوني وسياسي وأخلاقي، كما تبقى هناك عوائق عملية متعلّقة بتطبيقه وبتحديد الجهات التي يتوجب عليها ذلك. ما هي الحال إذاً حين يكون المدنيون المتوجبة حمايتهم واقعين تحت احتلال؟ ما هي واجبات السلطات الإسرائيلية حيال المدنيين الفلسطينيين في المناطق المحتلة؟ سيتحدث السفير الفلسطيني لدى الأمم المتحدة الدكتور رياض منصور عن آليات وتحديات تأمين الحماية للمدنيين الفلسطينيين في الأراضي الفلسطينية المحتلة، شرقي القدس ضمنًا، وعن واجبات المجتمع الدولي حيال هؤلاء رياض منصور دبلوماسي فلسطيني، وهو المراقب الدائم لفلسطين لدى الأمم المتحدة منذ العام ٢٠٠٥. قبل تعيينه في منصب المراقب الدائم، شغل منصور منصب نائب المراقب الدائم لفلسطين لدى الأمم المتحدة بين عامي ١٩٨٣ و١٩٩٤. في العام ٢٠٠٥، عينه رئيس السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية محمود عباس خلفًا لناصر القدوة كمراقب دائم لفلسطين لدى الأمم المتحدة. وفي عهد منصور، تغيرت البعثة المراقبة الدائمة لفلسطين لدى الأمم المتحدة من "كيان بصفة مراقب" إلى "دولة مراقب غير عضو" في ٢٩ تشرين الثاني/نوڤمبر٢٠١٢. ومنذ العام ٢٠٠٢، يعمل منصور كأستاذ مشارك في قسم العلوم السياسية في جامعة سنترال فلوريدا. كما أنه قام بتدريس صفوف لبرامج الدراسات العليا في جامعة أكرون في ولاية أوهايو الأميركية، وهي الجامعة التي حصل منها على درجة الدكتوراه في آداب تقديم المشورة

Lecture and discussion with Amnesty International​ D​o Human Rights Really Matter in Times of Crisis? Salil Shetty, Secretary General, Amnesty International

National Dialogues on the Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon The national level dialogues on the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon aim to raise further awareness of the Agenda at the national level, bring together key stakeholders to exchange opinions and views regarding the Agenda, identify gaps and challenges in Agenda implementation, and to propose solutions to these challenges. The dialogues will also discuss the National Report, a comprehensive national assessment that reflects on the implementation of Agenda 2030 in Lebanon and on socio-economic reform initiatives. The dialogue will focus on select sustainable development goals 1: No poverty, 8: Decent work and economic growth, 10: Reduced inequalities, and 16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions. All dialogues will include a presentation from the National Report by Dr. Nasser Yassin of the Issam Fares Institute and members of the ANND team. Presentations will be followed by a discussion with key stakeholders.

National Dialogues on the Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon The national level dialogues on the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon aim to raise further awareness of the Agenda at the national level, bring together key stakeholders to exchange opinions and views regarding the Agenda, identify gaps and challenges in Agenda implementation, and to propose solutions to these challenges. The dialogues will also discuss the National Report, a comprehensive national assessment that reflects on the implementation of Agenda 2030 in Lebanon and on socio-economic reform initiatives. The dialogue will focus on select sustainable development goals 1: No poverty, 8: Decent work and economic growth, 10: Reduced inequalities, and 16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions. All dialogues will include a presentation from the National Report by Dr. Nasser Yassin of the Issam Fares Institute and members of the ANND team. Presentations will be followed by a discussion with key stakeholders.

National Dialogues on the Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon The national level dialogues on the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon aim to raise further awareness of the Agenda at the national level, bring together key stakeholders to exchange opinions and views regarding the Agenda, identify gaps and challenges in Agenda implementation, and to propose solutions to these challenges. The dialogues will also discuss the National Report, a comprehensive national assessment that reflects on the implementation of Agenda 2030 in Lebanon and on socio-economic reform initiatives. The dialogue will focus on select sustainable development goals 1: No poverty, 8: Decent work and economic growth, 10: Reduced inequalities, and 16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions. All dialogues will include a presentation from the National Report by Dr. Nasser Yassin of the Issam Fares Institute and members of the ANND team. Presentations will be followed by a discussion with key stakeholders.

National Dialogues on the Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon The national level dialogues on the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon aim to raise further awareness of the Agenda at the national level, bring together key stakeholders to exchange opinions and views regarding the Agenda, identify gaps and challenges in Agenda implementation, and to propose solutions to these challenges. The dialogues will also discuss the National Report, a comprehensive national assessment that reflects on the implementation of Agenda 2030 in Lebanon and on socio-economic reform initiatives. The dialogue will focus on select sustainable development goals 1: No poverty, 8: Decent work and economic growth, 10: Reduced inequalities, and 16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions. All dialogues will include a presentation from the National Report by Dr. Nasser Yassin of the Issam Fares Institute and members of the ANND team. Presentations will be followed by a discussion with key stakeholders.

Lecture and discussion The Making of a Terrorist: What Can Psychiatry Tell Us? Joseph El-Khoury Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, AUB A common public assumption is that violent acts committed by politically motivated individuals are at least in part the result of some diagnosable mental disorder or, failing that, an unidentified disease process. The casual use of clinical psychiatric terms in the media but also by government officials in their communication on terrorism-related matters seems to confirm the public impression. The hypothesis of a mental abnormality being a primary motivator can be appealing in political terms. Paradoxically the ‘normality’ of the concerned individuals is also highlighted to justify the failure to identify them as a threat before they act. In his presentation, Joseph El-Khoury will seek to analyze the application of psychiatric diagnosis in the context of terrorism, review the literature and apply it to case studies in the current geopolitical context. Joseph El-Khoury, MD, MRCPsych, is Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the American University of Beirut (AUB). After qualifying as a medical doctor in London in 2002 he trained at St George’s and Oxford, obtaining Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) in 2006. He holds a CCT in Adult and Substance Misuse Psychiatry. He currently directs the newly created Psychosis Recovery Outreach Program. He also acts as the Global Mental Health Scholar for the Arab region for a joint program by Columbia University and the World Health Organization on the revision of mental disorders classification (ICD).

محاضرة ​ الدور المتغير للمجتمع المدني في دول ما بعد الربيع العربي الدكتور سعد الدين إبراهيم، الأستاذ الفخري لعلم الاجتماع السياسي في الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة ومؤسس مركز ابن خلدون للدراسات الإنمائية

جلسة نقاش بالتعاون مع مشروع كيب: المعرفة قوة ما هي الخطوات المتخذة بشأن التحرش الجنسي؟ المشهد الحالي للسياسات العامة حول مناهضة التحرش الجنسي في لبنان النائب غسان مخيبر، الأستاذ وليد النقيب، الأستاذة منار زعيتر، الكولونيل جوزيف مسلم، القاضي أرليت تابت تندرج جلسة النقاش هذه ضمن مؤتمر "التمييز والتحرش الجنسي" الذي دار على يومين وهو من تنظيم مشروع "كيب: المعرفة قوة"

Life under the Rule of the “Islamic State” Organization According to its Members and “Slaves” ​ Nivine Afiouni, Reporter and Researcher

Lecture and discussion Making Sense of Crowd-Sensing Water Data Tobias Siegfried, Co-founder and CEO of hydrosolutions Ltd.

The Future of the "Islamic State" Provinces and Affiliates: Decline or Continued Impact after the Fall of the "Caliphate" in Iraq and Syria? ​ Conference at the American University of Beirut Organized by AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Welcoming Remarks: Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, American University of Beirut Nils Wörmer, Head of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Syria (KAS)/Iraq Office

The Future of the "Islamic State" Provinces and Affiliates: Decline or Continued Impact after the Fall of the "Caliphate" in Iraq and Syria? ​ Conference at the American University of Beirut Organized by AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Keynote speech Dr. Ole Schröder, Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of the Interior

The Future of the "Islamic State" Provinces and Affiliates: Decline or Continued Impact after the Fall of the "Caliphate" in Iraq and Syria? ​ Conference at the American University of Beirut Organized by AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Panel 1: The Islamic State’s Core: Syria and Iraq Chair: Ali Al-Mawlawi, Al-Bayan Center for Planning and Studies, Baghdad Overview of the Current Military Situation in Syria and Iraq Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, Middle East Forum, Philadelphia IS’s Administration of Offshoots and Branches Mara Revkin, Abdallah S. Kamel Center for the Study of Islamic Law and Civilization, Yale Law School, New Haven The Organization and its Ideology Dr. Guido Steinberg, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin

The Future of the "Islamic State" Provinces and Affiliates: Decline or Continued Impact after the Fall of the "Caliphate" in Iraq and Syria? ​ Conference at the American University of Beirut Organized by AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Panel 2: IS Threat to the Neighboring Countries Chair: Dr. Bashshar Haydar, American University of Beirut, Lebanon Why Did IS Fail in Lebanon? George Fakhry, University of Massachusetts, Boston IS Impact in Turkey Dr. Umut Koldaş, Near East Institute, Nicosia IS Activities on the Arabian Peninsula Dr. Abdullah bin Khaled a​l-Saud, International Centre for the Study of Radicalization, London

The Future of the "Islamic State" Provinces and Affiliates: Decline or Continued Impact after the Fall of the "Caliphate" in Iraq and Syria? ​ Conference at the American University of Beirut Organized by AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Panel 3: IS Footprint in Northern Africa Chair: Dr. Canan Atilgan, Head of KAS Regional Programme Political Dialog and Regional Integration South Mediterranean (PolDiMed), Tunis The Wilayat Sinai in Egypt Jasmine El-Gamal, Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, Atlantic Council, Washington D.C. The IS Libya Province Mohamed Eljarh, Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, Atlantic Council, Washington D.C.​ The Attractiveness of IS in Tunisia Dr. Emna Ben Arab, Tunisian Institute for Strategic Studies, Tunis

The Future of the "Islamic State" Provinces and Affiliates: Decline or Continued Impact after the Fall of the "Caliphate" in Iraq and Syria? ​ Conference at the American University of Beirut Organized by AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Panel 5: IS Affiliates in West Africa Chair: Tinko Weibezahl, Head of KAS Regional Programme Security and Political Dialogue Sub-Saharan Africa (SIPODI), Abidjan Boko Haram in Niger and Nigeria Maman Aminou Amadou Koundy, Magistrate, Niamey The ISGS in Mali Lt Col Souleymane Sangare, Military Engineer, Bamako IS’s Influence on the Future of West Africa and its Conflicts Yaya Bio Bawa, Institute for Security Studies, Addis Ababa