Middle East

Women in Venture Capital: “We don’t need to fix women—we need to fix the system,” says Middle East investment executive

By Stefanie Hausheer Ali

On July 14, 2021 the Atlantic Council’s empowerME Initiative held a workshop featuring a keynote fireside chat with Lazard Gulf Limited CEO Farah Foustok. Read the key takeaways.

Empower Syrians Not Warlords: Against the re-branding of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham

By Rahaf Aldoughli and Azzam Al Kassir

Currently, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s ambition for complete governance is only lacking external legitimacy. If HTS gains this, it will be to the detriment of civil society groups and Syrians who aspire toward human rights.

Second Berlin Conference on Libya: Where to from here?

By Karim Mezran and Hafed Al-Ghwell

Libya’s political system prior to the elections is preferred but not imperative. What is essential is giving the Libyans a strong voice on the outcome of their political system.

FAST THINKING: The geopolitics of Iran’s kidnapping plot

By Atlantic Council

How should the United States respond to a kidnapping plot on American soil? And what do the revelations mean for sensitive nuclear negotiations with Tehran? Our Iran experts are on the case.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon: What does its closure mean for Lebanon?

By Nicholas Blanford, David Daoud, Gissou Nia, Reem Salahi

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) is set to cease operations at the end of July due to lack of funds as Beirut sinks deeper into economic and political crisis. Atlantic Council experts react to what the closure means for Lebanon.

State of the Order: Assessing June 2021

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.