The Hariri Center hosted its first regional conference, “Assessing the State of the Arab Transitions,” in Gammarth, Tunisia, bringing together nearly forty participants from across the region, and specifically the countries in transition: Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Syria, and Yemen. Participants included a current minister, several former ministers and central bank governors, current MPs and members of national dialogue committees, as well as political party leaders and civil society leaders. The conference consisted of ten sessions focusing on various aspects of the transitions, including constitution-drafting process, security sector reform, challenges and opportunities facing civil society organizations, the future of political Islam, and strategies to tackle unemployment and promote economic growth, among others.

Image: Aerial view of Marsa and Gammarth north of Tunis, 2008 (Photo: Flickr/Tab59/CC License)