Egypt
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USIP leaders explain the effect that events around the world and here at home will have on the U.S., and the contributions the Institute can and does make during a time of tremendous challenge – and opportunity.
Though there will be no breakthroughs on Middle East peace over the coming American election year, U.S. leaders will need to summon the “political will and determination” to again take up the vexing quest for an Arab-Israeli peace settlement when political conditions in the region allow, former Secretary of State James A. Baker, III, told a conference at USIP on November 2, 2011.
Senator John McCain sees the Arab Spring as the most consequential event since the fall of the Ottoman Empire and for the U.S., a “moment when we must clearly define what we stand for, and not just what we are against.”
Latest from USIP on Egypt
- September 24, 2012 | Publication
Countries transitioning to democracy must change old models of organizing the police, armed services, and intelligence services, which typically were characterized by mistreatment of the public, for models that stress transparency, accountability, and citizen involvement. Yet each new government in the Middle East and North Africa must tailor its reforms carefully and patiently in order to avoid backlash among security services.
- July 10, 2012 | Publication
Based on Twitter and Facebook data gathered during the 2011 Arab revolutions, the authors of this Peaceworks report find that new media informed international audiences and mainstream media reporting, but they find less evidence that it played a direct role in organizing protests or allowing local audiences to share self-generated news directly with one another.
- July 9, 2012 | Course
Understand the causes of conflict and violent extremism in tribal Muslim societies and learn how to develop policies and programs in conflict resolution, governance, justice, security, and development that contribute to sustainable peace.
- July 2, 2012 | Publication
Read about USIP’s on-the-ground and region-specific work aimed at the prevention of conflict in North Africa, the Middle East, South and Northeast Asia, and our special project on atrocity prevention.
Overview
Since former President Mubarak caved to popular pressure and stepped down from power on February 11, 2011, Egypt has been struggling to define the terms of a new democratic order. Parliamentary elections held between November and January concluded with a win for the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, with the more religiously-conservative Al-Nour party taking the second largest share of seats. The agenda for the country’s political transition is an ambitious one in 2012, to include a further round of parliamentary elections, the drafting of a new constitution, and a presidential election in June. The currently-ruling military council has pledged to release power to a civilian government by the end of 2012, but many in Egypt question their intention to uphold this promise.
In this uncertain environment, challenges abound for Egyptians as they chart the transitional road ahead and adjust to their role in a more open society. As stakeholders jostle for power, interest groups work to have input into the political process, and the bleak economic picture threatens to get worse before it gets better, the potential for violent conflict across sectarian, ideological, and socio-economic fault-lines increases. USIP’s goal in Egypt is to engage with local stakeholders and work with contending groups as they seek to define practical solutions for promoting a peaceful transition in their country.
- The Arab Awakening
As the dramatic events of the Arab Spring turn to the more mundane yet vital work of governance, constitution writing and peacebuilding, USIP is on the ground, bringing its unique brand of action and expertise to the effort.
Work & Analysis
In the Field | January 2012
Egypt on the Eve of the Commemoration of the Uprising
On the eve of the one-year commemoration of Egypt’s uprising, U.S. Institute of Peace fellow Robin Wright spent ten days in Cairo interviewing the new spectrum of political players, from the protesters camping out at Tahrir Square to the new Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi Members of Parliament as well as former al-Jihad extremists released from decades in jail. | Read more
News Feature | January 2012
The Arab Awakening and its Aftermath: How to Shape the Path Ahead
A discussion at the Reserve Officers Association headquarters with USIP’s Steve Hadley and Carnegie’s Marwan Muasher. | Read more
On the Issues by Sheldon Himelfarb | January 4, 2012
Media and Peacebuilding: Trends in 2011 and Looking Ahead to 2012
Sheldon Himelfarb, the director of USIP's Center of Innovation: Media, Conflict, and Peacebuilding and the Center of Innovation: Science, Technology and Peacebuilding, discusses trends of 2011 and looks ahead to what's in store for the new year regarding conflict and new media technology. | Read more
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