General government final consumption expenditure % of GDP Middle East & North Africa

The world is witnessing a tech cold war and decoupling between the U.S. and China, as new geopolitical fault lines emerge based on technology networks and the flow of information. This has critical implications for the Middle East as the region seeks to become an inflection point for the new digital order and a key arbiter in building the global digital architecture. MEI’s Center for Strategy and Emerging Technology studies how emerging technologies are impacting the region, analyzes the rise of new tech powers, and seeks to open up opportunities https://www.metadialog.com/government/ for new tech cooperation between the U.S. and leading regional actors. Events of the „Arab Spring“ such as the Tunisian Revolution may indicate a move towards democracy in some countries which may not be fully captured in the democracy index. In 2015, Tunisia became the first Arab country classified as free since the beginning of Lebanon’s civil war 40 years ago.[5]
Theories are diverse on the subject. Other explanations include the problem that most of the states in the region are rentier states, which experience the theorized resource curse.

The country’s future stability depends not just on support from the international system, but on regional trends and the capacity of Iraqi policymakers to move beyond parochialism. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 resulted in an electoral system (an Islamic Republic with a constitution), but the system has a limited democracy in practice. One of the main problems of Iran’s system is the consolidation of power in the hands of the Supreme Leader who is elected by Assembly of Experts for life (unless the Assembly of Experts decides to remove him which has never happened). Another main problem is the closed loop in the electoral system, the elected Assembly of Experts elect the Supreme Leader of Iran, who appoints the members of the Guardian Council, who in turn vet the candidates for all elections including the elections for Assembly of Experts.

E-Government Services in the Middle East: An Economy Booster

For years, poll after poll has highlighted the overwhelming Arab support for Palestine as the foremost Arab cause, and the growing hostility towards America, which is seen as a destabilising hegemonic force in the region. Before moving back to New York City, he worked for news outlets in South Africa, Jordan and Cambodia. Customize your subscription to our expert analysis, op-eds, live events, and special reports. As GCC governments and enterprises continue to evolve, they’ll be inclined to invest more in new capabilities and technologies as part of a long-term, holistic framework.

Our solutions, from strategy and policy through to execution, are human-led and tech-powered. These solutions are driving real-life results for our region as it goes through a period of massive and fast transformation. The HARASSmap initiative against sexual harassment discussed in the chapter is also accessible online.

Middle East government, politics and policy

While it is primarily spoken in Iran and some border areas in neighbouring countries, the country is one of the region’s largest and most populous. Other Western Iranic languages spoken in the region include Achomi, Daylami, Kurdish dialects, Semmani, Lurish, amongst many others. In the 20th century, the region’s significant stocks of crude oil gave it new strategic and economic importance. The Middle East lies at the juncture of Africa and Eurasia Middle East Government and of the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the birthplace and spiritual center of religions such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Manichaeism, Yezidi, Druze, Yarsan, and Mandeanism, and in Iran, Mithraism, Zoroastrianism, Manicheanism, and the Baháʼí Faith. Throughout its history the Middle East has been a major center of world affairs; a strategically, economically, politically, culturally, and religiously sensitive area.

This series examines new ways of understanding democratization and government in the Middle East. The varied and uneven processes of change, occurring in the Middle Eastern region, can no longer be read and interpreted solely through the prism of Euro-American transitology. Seeking to frame critical parameters in light of these new horizons, this series instigates reinterpretations of democracy and propagates formerly ‘subaltern,’ narratives of democratization. Reinvigorating discussion on how Arab and Middle Eastern peoples and societies seek good government, Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Democratization and Government provides tests and contests of old and new assumptions.

The International Center for Non-for-Profit Law also closely monitors associational life and protests in Egypt. For more objective sources of analysis, Libya Monitor provides a steady fount of business-related and financial information. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace also has a useful Libya portal with briefings and insights. Many of the data and insights discussed in this chapter come from the following research sources.

MEI offers language training through private and group courses in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Hebrew, and other regional languages at a variety of proficiency levels, all taught by professionally-trained, native speakers. This book offers a new interpretation of the rich narratives of Arab secularism, contending that secularism as a set of ideas and a social movement is destined to loom large on the political and legal horizon of most Arab states. Drawing on the history of post-independence Tunisia, the book studies the evolution of al-Nahḍah as a political party in Tunisia and its role in a protracted struggle to shape the post-authoritarian order along democratic lines. This book examines the processes of transition from authoritarian rule in Tunisia and Egypt between 2011 and 2014, arguing that differences between the two countries can be explained by the conduct of their respective political parties. The economic structure of Middle Eastern nations are different in the sense that while some nations are heavily dependent on export of only oil and oil-related products (such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait), others have a highly diverse economic base (such as Cyprus, Israel, Turkey and Egypt).

The podcast sheds light on the growing role that China is playing in the Middle East, and it will be of particular relevance to the US policy community. Stephen R. Grand flips the analytical script on the spate of notable books covering “How Democracies Die.” Democracies can corrode and crumble, but so can autocracies. Why are there no books being published about how kings and queens, emperors and caliphs, cease to rule—either because their throne is transformed into a more ceremonial post or because they lose power entirely?

They are keeping citizen-centered design at the heart of their e-government services and upskilling their workforces to be suitable for a dynamic future. By digitizing, governments can provide services that meet the demands and expectations of citizens and businesses, despite tight budgets and complex challenges such as inequality and instability. Not only are digital services and interactions preferred nowadays, but these can also empower and broaden engagement with the government.

The analogy with ISIL goes a long way to providing Israel with carte blanche to wage a “long and painful war” against Gaza. By August, the hackers had used a tool to scan for vulnerabilities, including the Log4j bug, on other machines on the network. Dick O’Brien, principal intelligence analyst on the Symantec Threat Hunter Team, told Recorded Future News that there were several new tools involved in the intrusion, including three new pieces of malware. As we continue working to renew our societies and institutions, many in Africa and the Middle East are still grappling with the devastating socio-economic consequences the pandemic brought.

• The end of ‘Merkelism’ and the formation of the new ‘traffic light coalition’ government in Berlin – consisting of the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party and the Free Democratic Party – signals the beginning of a new era for German foreign policy, including toward the Middle East.
• In her chapter on Iraq, Professor of International Affairs at George Washington University Judith S. Yaphe foreshadows the continuing internal sectarian and ethnic problems under Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
• As part of the government’s digital transformation program 2021–2025, a tender has been announced to study, design and implement a unified national portal for electronic services.
• Three main questions will dominate the next phase, regardless of when the conflict ends.

Now the state has collapsed, and the country is facing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, with two thirds of its population in dire need of food. In Syria, the current regime retains its grip on power, but the government has done little to direct resources to support the people. Twelve years of fighting has collapsed the infrastructure – leaving much of the population without access to clean water, health care and food – and the country is now facing a cholera outbreak. The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs leads U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa region through carefully administered diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance that advances the interests, safety, and economic prosperity of the American people. In cooperation with regional partners, we promote democratic values and foster a free, peaceful, and prosperous Middle East and North Africa.

Saudi Arabia

For Iran, a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah could weaken its main regional proxy and partner and degrade Tehran’s network of alliances. A perhaps less treacherous option would be an escalation in the Golan Heights, where the risk of a regional spillover is somewhat lower for all sides. The international community is faced with a radical Israeli government that is not interested in any compromise, an ineffective Palestinian leadership that has been further weakened by the current events, and a U.S. administration that is preoccupied with presidential elections next year. The social agenda is a top priority for Middle Eastern governments moving forward and is the hallmark of the change sweeping across the region. Employment, poverty, accessibility and regulatory/ judicial reform are issues that underpin this critical area.

Afrocentrists claim ancient Egypt was a predominantly black civilization, but this has been refuted by many Egyptians and their government. The N7 Initiative, a partnership between the Atlantic Council and Jeffrey M. Talpins Foundation, will convene government and nongovernmental subject-matter experts from Israel and Arab states to produce actionable recommendations to deliver tangible benefits to their peoples. You are leaving the website for the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy and entering a website for another of Carnegie’s global centers. The Moroccan public, meanwhile, has been far more vocal, taking to the streets in support of Palestinians and calling for an end to normalization with Israel.