North Africa

An Alternative History of the Egyptian Revolution

By Maged Atiya

It will soon be the third anniversary of the Egyptian revolution. There will be a flood of articles and opinions about where Egypt stands today, where it might be heading and the significance of various events. Blame will be assigned, pity will be sought, anger will be vented and in proper order events will overtake […]

Getting US Policy Right in Egypt: Where Does Democracy Promotion Fit?

Since the July 3 ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi, many have questioned whether efforts to transition to democracy in Egypt are working and whether democracy promotion should be part of US policy towards Egypt. On January 23, 2014, the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace […]

Hawthorne on Democracy Promotion in Egypt

By MENASource

In an Atlantic Council issue brief titled, “Getting Democracy Promotion Right in Egypt,” senior fellow for the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East Amy Hawthorne argues that democracy-building should remain an integral part of the US-Egyptian relationship.

Getting US Democracy Promotion Right in Egypt

By EgyptSource

The near-term prospects for democracy in Egypt are bleak and US influence there is limited, but the United States can still take steps to promote democratic change over the longer term, argues Atlantic Council Senior Fellow Amy Hawthorne in a new issue brief, “Getting Democracy Promotion Right in Egypt.”   

Libya: Facing Economic Collapse in 2014

By Mohsin Khan and Svetlana Milbert

Oil is the driving force of the Libya economy. Oil and gas production account for 65 percent of the country’s GDP, 96 percent of exports, and 98 percent of government revenues. As such, developments in the oil sector directly affect the overall economy and show up almost immediately in the growth of real GDP.

Egypt’s Presidential Elections: The Key Step in Egypt’s Roadmap [Part I]

By Nader Bakkar

With the announcement of the results of Egypt’s 2014 constitutional referendum, the curtains were brought down on the first stage of the July 3 roadmap. According to the consensus on the roadmap, Egyptians should now be readying for parliamentary elections. However, all indicators point to a change in the agreed upon sequence of events, in […]

Getting democracy promotion right in Egypt

By Amy Hawthorne

In a new Atlantic Council issue brief, “Getting Democracy Promotion Right in Egypt,” Amy Hawthorne contends that although the near-term prospects for democracy in Egypt are bleak, there is more the United States can do to promote democratic change over the longer term. Hawthorne, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for […]

Mezran and Pickard on Libya’s Constitution-Making Process

By MENASource

Libya’s future as a democracy hinges on the constitution-drafting process and the ability of the constituent assembly to consider and adequately address major political and security challenges. The Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center released an issue brief today, titled “Negotiating Libya’s Constitution,” authored by senior fellow Karim Mezran and nonresident fellow Duncan Pickard. The brief details […]