Podcasts about arabia foundation

A podcast by University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, DIE (German Development Institute), Center for Maghrebian Studies in Tunis. As the search for more reliable pathways for peace grows in our increasingly complex and polarised world, the social contract concept is drawing interest from policymakers and scholars focused on peacebuilding, as well as states and societies pursuing peaceful change. This podcast explores the role of social cohesion in social contracts, both as a driver and an indicator of their realisation. It investigates these issues through two Arab Spring countries – Tunisia and Yemen. While Arab Spring settings offered a wealth of possibilities for reimaging, reinventing and manifesting new and inclusive national social contracts, many are not on track to achieve anticipated outcomes desired by many within these societies. The discussion reflects upon the status of the social contract, the meaning of social cohesion, and the challenges and opportunities for the growth of social cohesion and forging or enriching inclusive and resilient social contracts in both contexts. Lessons for international cooperation are considered in this dynamic, rich discussion with specialists from the region and development aid community. Featuring:  Erin McCandless is an Associate Professor at the School of Governance at Witwatersrand University in South Africa, and directs a research and policy dialogue project on forging resilient social countries in countries transitioning from conflict and authoritarianism. A widely published scholar and policy advisor, she has over two decades of experience working on and in conflict affected settings, broadly on issues of peacebuilding, statebuilding, development and resilience - and their intersections. Her research currently is focused on forging resilient social contracts in countries affected by conflict, fragility and fraught transition. Professor McCandless is author of more than 100 publications, including three books, one entitled Polarization and Transformation in Zimbabwe: Social Movements, Strategy Dilemmas and Change, and several influential, policy-shifting United Nations reports. She is also co-founder and former Chief Editor of the Journal of Peacebuilding and Development.  www.erinmccandless.net, www.socialcontractsforpeace.org Bernhard Trautner is senior advisor to the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development since 2005: As Deputy Head Middle East Department 2012-15 and at research & evaluation dep't since 11/2020; He serves as Adjunct Professor at Tübingen University/Institute for Political Science since 2014. Bernhard was seconded as senior researcher at the project on ‘stabilization and development in MENA' at the German Development Institute 2015-20 and is still an associate researcher there.. https://www.die-gdi.de/en/bernhard-trautner/ Recent co-authorships include: “Reconstituting social contracts in conflict-affected MENA countries: Whither Iraq and Libya?” (w. Mark Furness) DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105085;  “Le contrat social: un outil d'analyse pour les pays de la région Moyen-Orient et Afrique du Nord (MENA), et au-delà” (w. Loewe, Markus & Zintl, T.) DOI: 10.23661/bp5.2020   Laryssa Chomiak is a political scientist, specializing on the comparative politics of the Middle East and North Africa, Director of the Centre d'Etudes Maghrebines a Tunis, and Associate Fellow at Chatham House in London.  She is the author of the forthcoming Archipelagos of Dissent: Protest and Politics in Tunisia.  Most recently, she was a visiting researcher at the German Development Institute's (DIE) Middle East Program in Bonn, has lectured at the University of Tunis, and worked on comparative African research programs on political violence, transitional justice and societal peace. Her work has appeared as book chapters and journal articles in Middle East Law and Governance, The Journal of North African Studies, Portal 9 and Middle East Report.   Dr. Chomiak has received research fellowships from the Fulbright Commission (Morocco), the International Research and Exchange Board (IREX/Ukraine) and The American Institute for Maghrib Studies (AIMS/Tunisia). She is a member of the advisory board of Middle East Law and Governance. Before her doctoral studies she worked at USAID's Bureau of Global Health in Washington, DC. Her opinion analyses and essays have appeared in the Washington Post and Christian Science Monitor, as well as for Middle East Institute.  Fatima Abo Alasrar is a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute. Before joining the Institute, Alasrar was a Senior Analyst at the Arabia Foundation in Washington DC, MENA Director for Cure Violence, Research Associate at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, a Mason Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, and an International Policy Fellow at the Open Society Foundation. From 2006-12, she worked as an advisor for the Embassy of Yemen in Washington, DC. Earlier in her career, Alasrar served as a program officer for the Department for International Development (DFID) in Yemen. Alasrar holds an MA in Public Administration from Harvard University, an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, and a BS in Architectural Engineering from Sanaa University in Yemen. Contributions to the Geneva Peace Week 2020 Digital Series do not necessarily represent the views of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, its partners, or the partners of Geneva Peace Week.

The United Nations Security Council endorsed the UN Secretary-General's call last month for warring parties in Yemen to immediately cease fighting and focus on reaching a peace agreement whilst countering the outbreak of the coronavirus. The coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, responded with a two week ceasefire which was renewed for another month. While the cross border hostilities de-escalated, the conflict fronts inside Yemen continued to boil. This event will reflect on the challenges and possibilities for a comprehensive and inclusive peace agreement in Yemen. The speakers will discuss lessons learned from previous peace talks and ceasefire initiatives. They will also shed light on the national and regional dynamics affecting the peace process in Yemen. This event is co-organised with the Peace Track Initiative, an organisation that works on localising and feminising the peace process by supporting inclusive peace processes. Their role in holding Track II consultations with women’s groups and the role of women peacemakers will also be explored. Fatima Al-Asrar is a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute. Before joining the Institute, Al-Asrar was a Senior Analyst at the Arabia Foundation in Washington DC, MENA Director for Cure Violence, Research Associate at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, a Mason Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, and an International Policy Fellow at the Open Society Foundation. From 2006-12, she worked as an advisor for the Embassy of Yemen in Washington, DC. Earlier in her career, Al-Asrar served as a program officer for the Department for International Development (DFID) in Yemen. Rasha Jarhum is Co-Founder and Director of the Peace Track Initiative hosted at the Human Rights Research and Education Centre, at the University of Ottawa. Jarhum was invited by the UN Special Envoy to Yemen as one of seven women to support the peace talks held in Kuwait in 2016, and has briefed the UN Security Council on Yemen and Women’s Rights to push for peace. She is an affiliated scholar with the American University of Beirut. She has more than 15 years of experience working to advocate for women's, children's and refugee rights. Join the conversation on Twitter using #LSEYemen

Marwa Baabbad, Head of ORG's International Projects, is joined by the Middle East Institute's Nadwa Al-Dawsari and Fatima Abo Alasrar to debunk five popular myths about the conflict in Yemen. Music by Bensound About the discussants Marwa Baabbad is Head of International Projects with ORG’s Strategic Peacebuilding Programme. She manages the project Yemen: Rethinking the Peace Process, working with Yemenis engaged in regional strategic thinking groups in Hadramaut and Marib governorates. She joined ORG in July 2018. Fatima Abo Alasrar is a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute. Before joining the Institute, Alasrar was a Senior Analyst at the Arabia Foundation in Washington DC, MENA Director for Cure Violence, Research Associate at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, a Mason Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, and an International Policy Fellow at the Open Society Foundation. From 2006-12, she worked as an advisor for the Embassy of Yemen in Washington, DC. Earlier in her career, Alasrar served as a program officer for the Department for International Development (DFID) in Yemen. Nadwa Al-Dawsari is a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute. Before joining the institute, she was the Yemen Country Director for Center for Civilians in Conflict, a Senior Non-resident Fellow at the Project on Middle East Democracy, and a founding Director of Partners Yemen, a local affiliate center of Partners Global. Earlier in her career, she worked as a senior program manager at the National Democratic Institute in Yemen, managing elections monitoring and tribal conflicts programs. Nadwa has over 20 years of field experience in Yemen. She conducted extensive research in Yemen, providing deeper insights into the internal dynamics of the conflict in the country. Her publications have been featured by the Middle East Institute, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), the Atlantic Council, Lawfare, Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED), the Washington Post, and the Center for Civilians in Conflict, among others.

The United Arab Emirates’ decision to draw down its troops in Yemen has led to cautious hope in the war-torn country. Fatima Abo Alasrar, senior analyst at the Arabia Foundation; Katherine Zimmerman, AEI research fellow and research manager for AEI’s Critical Threats Project; and Jerry Feierstein, MEI senior vice president and former U.S. ambassador to Yemen, join host Alistair Taylor to discuss what the drawdown means on the ground and what ramifications the move might have.

Fatima Alasrar is a Senior Analyst with the Arabia Foundation. Prior to joining the Arabia Foundation, Alasrar was the MENA director for Cure Violence, a research associate at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, a Mason fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, and an international policy fellow at the Open Society Foundations. From 2006-2012, she worked as an advisor for the Embassy of Yemen in Washington, DC and early in her career, served as a program officer for the Department for International Development (DFID) in Yemen. Nervana Mahmoud is a doctor and commentator on Middle East issues. Mahmoud started blogging and writing on Middle East issues after the Egyptian revolution in 2011, and has contributed to several outlets, including The Telegraph, Al-Monitor, Now Lebanon, Egypt’s Ahram and Daily News Egypt. In November 2013, she was featured as one of the BBC's 100 women of the year. She has also given several talks on Egypt, women’s rights and radicalism in various institutes, and has featured in many radio and TV interviews.

The Center for Global Policy’s Director of Governance in Muslim-Majority States program, Dr. Kamran Bokhari, sat down with Geneive Abdo to discuss the status of Iraq's majority Shia community in the aftermath of the collapse of the ISIS Caliphate. Ms. Abdo, a prominent Middle East expert, is currently Resident Scholar at the Arabia Foundation where she specializes in political Islam and Iranian geopolitics. She is also a lecturer at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University and the author of four books, including The New Sectarianism: The Arab Uprisings and the Rebirth of the Shi’a-Sunni Divide. Abdo says that the major political movement in Iraq is toward independence and getting foreign influence -- whether from the United States or Iran -- out of the country. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani is playing a role in that. However, other senior Iraqi clerics fear that Iran will try to push in when the elderly al-Sistani dies. Abdo says that al-Sistani’s successor likely will be a younger figure and someone who is forward-looking and capable of focusing on creating an independent Iraqi state. ISIS, also known as Daesh, had been pushed out of Iraq, but Abdo says there is “overwhelming evidence” that ISIS is making a comeback in Iraq. A Daesh resurgence in Iraq would empower the Iranian-supported Hashd al-Shaabi militias, though many Iraqi Shia do not want those militias to gain influence. Moreover, Abdo says that around 100,000 displaced Sunnis have not returned home after the ISIS occupation, and the Iraqi government has washed its hands of the situation. These disenfranchised Sunnis are ideal recruits for groups like ISIS, Abdo says. Though the country’s political situation is a delicate one, Abdo says she believes that Iraqis will unite in the face of ISIS to prevent the group from taking over as much of the country as before. She says she has a strong sense that Iraqis want to prevent further violence because they have lived with violence for 17 years.

The Saudi-led coalition has led a brutal air campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen since 2015. The result has been a tremendous humanitarian catastrophe, with 50,000 dead, millions on the brink of starvation, and a deadly outbreak of cholera in 2016. The dire situation has also been exacerbated by the continuation and intensification of two overlapping wars—the U.S. war against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State, and an intractable, multi-sided civil war. While the United States has demonstrated some desire to distance itself from the Yemen war, the Saudi-led coalition has intensified its battle over the port city of Hodeidah. Gregory Johnsen discusses the multiple overlapping conflicts in Yemen and the options for the United States to reduce the negative humanitarian and strategic consequences of the conflict there. Gregory Johnsen is a Yemen expert who served on the Yemen Panel of Experts for the UN Security Council from 2016 to 2018. He was a Fulbright fellow in Yemen and resident scholar at the Arabia Foundation, and holds a PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University. Johnsen is also the author of The Last Refuge: Yemen, Al-Qaeda, and America’s War in Arabia. Participants Gregory Johnsen, author and Yemen scholar Michael Wahid Hanna, The Century Foundation Thanassis Cambanis, The Century Foundation

Yemen, the site of the biggest humanitarian disaster in the world today, has seen several significant developments in recent weeks, including renewed calls for a cease-fire, UN intervention, and brokered peace talks. Fatima Alasrar, senior analyst at the Arabia Foundation, and MEI’s Gerald Feierstein join host Paul Salem to discuss the prospects for these latest moves.

Eric Nagourney, an international desk editor for the New York Times, explains the paper’s decision to publish harrowing photographs of malnourished Yemeni children. And Fatima Alasrar, a Yemeni and a senior analyst for the Arabia Foundation, explains why she thinks assigning blame for Yemen’s famine is complicated. We’ll be piloting What Next in public for the next several weeks. Tell us what you think: whatnext@slate.com. Follow us on Instagram for updates on the show, our weekend reading lists, and occasional posts about pita chips. Podcast production by Mary Wilson and Jayson De Leon. Engineering by Terence Bernardo. This episode is brought to you by Citrix. Start working smarter today at citrix.com/slate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Nagourney, an international desk editor for the New York Times, explains the paper’s decision to publish harrowing photographs of malnourished Yemeni children. And Fatima Alasrar, a Yemeni and a senior analyst for the Arabia Foundation, explains why she thinks assigning blame for Yemen’s famine is complicated. We’ll be piloting What Next in public for the next several weeks. Tell us what you think: whatnext@slate.com. Follow us on Instagram for updates on the show, our weekend reading lists, and occasional posts about pita chips. Podcast production by Mary Wilson and Jayson De Leon. Engineering by Terence Bernardo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 2011, Yemen has transitioned from the scene of a political crisis to one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world, but how U.S. policy affects the situation is the subject of little discussion. The United States provides intelligence and logistical support to the Saudi- and Emirati-led coalition fighting against Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, and the conflict implicates the future stability of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the U.S.’s longest standing ally in the region. To shed light on the complicated dynamic of the conflict, on October 25, the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution hosted a panel discussion on U.S. policy in Yemen, featuring Brookings senior fellows Daniel Byman and Bruce Riedel, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Dafna Rand, and Arabia Foundation senior analyst Fatima Abo Alasrar. They talked about the U.S.’s role in the conflict, the extent of the humanitarian crisis, and how the dire conditions on the ground can be alleviated.

With the Saudi-led coalition’s offensive operations against the strategic port and city of Hodeidah stalled, eyes are now on UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths as he attempts to negotiate a political resolution. Fatima al-Asrar, senior analyst at the Arabia Foundation, and Sama’a al-Hamdani, director of the Yemen Cultural Institute for Heritage and the Arts, join guest host Gerald Feierstein to assess the state of the four-year-old Yemen conflict and its impact on the Yemeni people.

Rachel Alexander from the Spokesman-Review on the tiny fraction of WA tobacco taxes that goes towards tobacco programs // Chris Sullivan's Chokepoint -- the Highway 509 leg of the Gateway Project // Geneive Abdo from the Arabia Foundation, who thinks Iran could be headed for an uprising // Colleen O'Brien's dose of kindness -- a Marysville police officer tries to replace the items a family lost in a burglary // Sports Insider Danny O'Neil on chewing tobacco's role in baseball // Steven Portnoy on the President's summit with Shinzo Abe/ Mike Pompeo's chances for confirmation

Doug Borthwick, Managing Director/Head:FX at Chapdelaine & Co, on currency strategy, dollar weakness, and why the Canadian dollar will rebound. Satish Jindel, President of SJ Consulting, dispels Trump’s claims about Amazon and USPS, and discusses the impact of tariffs on the transports and container ship industry. Dr. Ellen Wald, scholar at the Arabia Foundation, discusses oil markets and her new book, "Saudi, Inc," a history of Saudi Aramco and the family that controls the multi-trillion dollar enterprise. Rob Croce, Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies at Salient Partners, on asset allocation and risk parity strategy, as market volatility and negativity increases.

On July 25, Hudson Institute hosted a discussion on the problems facing Saudi Arabia both in the Gulf, and vis-a-vis the Trump administration.

On July 25, Hudson Institute hosted a discussion on the problems facing Saudi Arabia both in the Gulf, and vis-a-vis the Trump administration.