On 15 May 2018, Tunisia and the European Union (EU) will hold an Association Council meeting where they are expected to adopt partnership priorities, the dedicated framework used since the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in 2015 in replacement of the former action plan. Since the last Association Council meeting in May 2017, some voices on both sides…
Economy
Instability in the South
The Arab uprisings of 2011 (and their national aftermaths) have led to a collapse of the regional order, thus transforming the Southern Mediterranean shores into a basin of persistent instability. The continuing volatility and conflicts in NATO’s southern neighborhood directly affect the security of the Alliance. Threats emanating from terrorist groups and the migration crisis are largely due to economic,…
Al-Sisi poised for empty victory in Egypt as signs of unrest grow across the region
“Egyptians are voting in presidential elections on March 26-28. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who grabbed power in 2013, is set to win another term by a landslide. Yet this is far from a sign of strength: opposition candidates have been silenced, and even pro-government media are being purged of the slightest undertone of dissent. Al-Sisi’s grip on power may appear firm,…
Borrowing Time: Rents and Reform in Saudi Arabia
One of the most ambitious, well-defined reform plans in the region for reigning in state obligations to citizens while boosting private-sector development is Saudi Vision 2030, a program of economic and social (but not political) change headlined by the Kingdom’s much-profiled Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. While the Kingdom does not presently face the breakdown in public order or empty…
Scaling-up the Inclusive Growth Agenda in the Arab Region
… 1. The Region Needs Inclusive Growth Now More Than Ever Since our last conference in Amman in 2014, countries in the region have placed job creation and inclusive growth at the heart of their reform agendas. There has been progress – though not enough. Many are clearly struggling with “how” to scale up reform implementation, and turn these priorities…
The Road to Higher and More Inclusive Growth in the Middle East and North Africa
Despite recent gains, regional growth remains too low and the benefits are shared by too few. Average incomes are stagnant, and poverty is rising in areas of conflict. Frustration runs high over the lack of job opportunities and access to affordable, high-quality public services. The call during the 2014 Amman Conference1 to generate robust growth, create jobs, provide equal opportunities,…
Le FMI pointe du doigt la montée des “frustrations”
…“Les citoyens de la région s’inquiètent du fait que les opportunités et l’accès aux services publics ne sont pas les mêmes pour tous”, note le FMI. D’après l’enquête “Arab Barometer”, effectuée pour la période 2012-2014 dans 12 pays dont l’Algérie, 70% des citoyens estiment que “les efforts gouvernementaux pour réduire l’écart entre les riches et les pauvres sont peu, voire…
The Arab Spring: to be continued
…Quite unexpectedly, during that poll, as many as 11.5% of the Tunisians said that their country was democratic against 14% saying that it was ruled by a dictator regime. The key problems were corruption and unemployment. The Tunisians did not believe their leaders – be they political or religious. Most of them said that their economy was worse than it…
Het succesnummer van de Tunesische revolutie is na zeven jaar grijsgedraaid
…Het gevoel dat Tunesië ‘verloren’ is, lijkt breed te worden gedeeld. En tegelijkertijd lijken er maar weinig mensen in te geloven dat ze daarin iets kunnen veranderen. Vooral onder jongeren is de wanhoop groot. Het academisch onderzoeksproject Arab Barometer peilde dat de helft van de jongeren tussen 18 en 24 jaar erover denkt te vertrekken. ‘Ik heb er zelf nooit…
Tunisia’s Revolution, Act 2
…The country’s duly elected prime minister, Youssef Chahed, even went to the streets to talk to demonstrators – a type of accountability hardly imagined elsewhere in the region. He pleaded for people to accept the necessary belt-tightening. Police appeared sympathetic to the cries of youths left jobless by a stagnant economy. And the media covered the public outburst without restraint….
Europa ligt maar beter wakker van Tunesië
…In het algemeen wordt Tunesië geroemd als tot nog toe enige succesvol democratisch experiment na de Arabische revoluties. Maar het wordt afwachten hoe de regering nu verder omgaat met de protesten – olie op het vuur of olie op de golven? Uit peilingen blijkt steeds weer dat de Tunesiërs niet tegen hun democratie zijn, maar wel een betere kwaliteit van…
Kiderült, hogy demokráciát csinálni nehéz
“2013 októberében megdöbbent politikusok érkeztek Tunisz egyik konferenciaközpontjába. Az érkező kormánypárti és ellenzéki politikusok közül senki nem számított arra, hogy ennyi kamera előtt kell besétálnia a terembe. Ahogy arra sem, hogy ez a nap alapjaiban határozza majd meg Tunézia sorsát. A médiafigyelem azért lepte meg – és zavarta – a politikusokat, mert a ceremónián egy megállapodást kellett aláírniuk. És ha…