North Africa

The Public Sphere: Between Displacing the Individual Citizen and Mobilizing Supportive Crowds

By Amr Hamzawy

Through the second half of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty first, Egyptian citizens have begun peacefully injecting themselves into the public sphere, and its physical form, the “street” (this space also exists in an intangible form through public discussion, media outlets and some activities of civil society and political life). […]

The Egyptian Compassion Deficit

By Mohamed El Dahshan

Few people, even among their most ardent detractors, would argue with a straight face that Muslim Brotherhood supporters, with all their shortcomings, are being treated fairly right now: an apparent compassion deficit has meant that, despite apparent injustice, Egyptians are largely unlikely to find in themselves any understanding or favorability towards the Islamist group’s supporters. 

Tunisia’s New Political Impasse: Exploring the Challenges and Debating Solutions

Many observers and policymakers consider Tunisia as having the best chance among the Arab transition countries to successfully transition to a democracy. However, the country faces a new political crisis that threatens to delay (or possibly even derail) the adoption of a constitution. On November 22, the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle […]

The Morsi Alliance and the Red Line Drawn for Egypt’s Women

By Ahmed Kadry

As the National Alliance to Support Legitimacy (NASL), a coalition of parties and movements supporting ousted president Mohamed Morsi, continue to call for protests, they have done so under the guise of various banners.  On November 7, the alliance issued its 128thstatement calling for more protests, this time under the slogan of ‘Egyptian Women are […]

Tunisia’s Stalled Political Transition

By Duncan Pickard

The political transition in Tunisia has stalled. The country’s major political parties and labor unions agreed to a roadmap in October for reaching agreement on the transition’s remaining issues within four weeks.

Advancing the New US-Morocco Strategic Partnership

On the occasion of the meeting between His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Barack Obama, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted “Advancing the New US-Morocco Strategic Partnership Event,” a discussion with His Excellency Salaheddine Mezouar, minister of foreign affairs and cooperation of the Kingdom of Morocco, and other members of the Royal Delegation.

Military Trials for Civilians: Justice Denied

By Mai El-Sadany

With discussions up to the last minute, the fifty-member Constituent Assembly, tasked with re-writing Egypt’s Constitution, has made a final decision on one of the body’s most contentious issues: military trials for civilians.  On November 20, the Assembly voted in favor of maintaining military trials for civilians, despite the significant implications that such a decision […]

Point/Counterpoint: Is the Polisario a Legitimate Broker in Western Sahara?

By Mehrunisa Qayyum & Nabil Ouchagour

On the eve of Moroccan King Mohamed VI’s visit to the United States, observers of Moroccan-US relations are keeping a close eye on the first high-level visit between the two countries’ leaders since US President Barack Obama took office.

No Final Decision on US Plans to Train Libyan Military

By New York Times, Reuters, and AP

From Thom Shanker, New York Times:  The United States military is considering a mission to train Libyan security personnel with the goal of creating a force of 5,000 to 7,000 conventional soldiers and a separate, smaller unit for specialized counterterrorism missions

Lina Attalah on the Sisi Mania in Egypt

By MENASource

The hypernationalism that has taken hold in Egypt centers around the oft-touted Nasser-like saviour of a nation, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. One can hardly to walk the streets of Cairo without catching some glimpse of homage paid to the General in the form of chocolates, posters, or even provactive internet videos.