Ambassador Edward M. Gabriel (ret.) July 12, 2019 The Arab Barometer for 2018-2019 has been published, “yielding fascinating insights into how Arabs feel about a wide range of issues” including corruption, economics, extremism, gender, governance, international relations, political institutions, religion, social justice, and youth. The Arab Barometer claims to be “the largest repository of publicly available data on the views of men and women in the MENA region,” with 50
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Jean R. AbiNader July 8, 2019 In an insightful analysis in The Arab Weekly, Francis Ghiles, prominent regional analyst and resident scholar at the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs, provided his assessment of the current state of the economies in the Maghreb. While he acknowledges that Morocco has the likelihood of “a brighter economic future than its three neighbors to the east,” he also mentions that “There is no underestimating
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Jean R. AbiNader July 1, 2019 The end of June saw a flurry of announcements and actions that solidify Morocco’s profile as a country determined to build a diverse and sustainable economy. From growing the infrastructure to regional relations, Moroccans can take pride in the steps taken since the country adopted more aggressive national development plans more than a decade ago. Morocco is in the top three on the continent
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Jean R. AbiNader June 25, 2019 Demographics and diversity are two constant challenges for Morocco’s economic growth strategy. With a strong cohort of youth under 35 looking for jobs and an economy that still relies on sectors with limited rates of employment, Morocco is always seeking to find ways to expand opportunities for youth, especially through skills training that prepares them to meet market needs. Recently, Fitch Ratings reaffirmed the
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Ambassador Edward M. Gabriel (ret.) May 23, 2019 Following the unexpected resignation of Horst Köhler as the UNSG’s Personal Envoy for the Western Sahara on May 22, chances to advance the Western Sahara dossier in the coming year seem seriously diminished. However, other factors may keep the Americans pushing the parties forward. John Bolton, the National Security Advisor, has been insistent that the UN peacekeeping mission, MINURSO, either make progress
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