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cthomase

Libya Urges UN to Act to Protect Sovereign Wealth Fund - 1 views

abcnews.go.com/...sovereign-wealth-fund-38072711

politics Libya UN sanctions

shared by cthomase on 01 Apr 16 - No Cached
  • cthomase on 01 Apr 16
     
    Libya is pressing the United Nations Security Council to take urgent action to allow the managers of its sovereign wealth fund to move money between frozen accounts so the value can be protected and returns can be maximized.
ralqass

Saudi Arabia agrees plans to move away from oil profits - BBC News - 0 views

www.bbc.com/...world-middle-east-36131391

shared by ralqass on 26 Apr 16 - No Cached
  • ralqass on 26 Apr 16
     
    The Saudi cabinet approves plans to try to move the country away from its dependency on oil profits, including creating a giant sovereign wealth fund.
ralqass

Saudi Arabia approves ambitious plan to move economy beyond oil | World news | The Guar... - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...lan-to-move-economy-beyond-oil

shared by ralqass on 26 Apr 16 - No Cached
  • ralqass on 26 Apr 16
     
    15-year plan includes diversification, privatisation of state assets, tax increases and creating a $2tn sovereign wealth fund
allieggg

Islamists Aren't the Obstacle | Foreign Affairs - 0 views

www.foreignaffairs.com/...islamists-arent-the-obstacle

middle east democracy Islamists institutions egypt politics tunisia

shared by allieggg on 28 Sep 14 - No Cached
micklethwait liked it
  • A minority of the population -- 26 percent of Tunisians and 28 percent of Egyptians -- believes that Islam should play a large role in government.
  • Both secularists and Islamists associate democracy with economic prosperity
  • Islamist parties received considerable support in both countries' recent elections -- not only because there is a broad ideological affinity for Islamism among the population but also because of Islamist parties' effective campaigning.
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • When asked about the most important feature of a democracy, 69 percent of Egyptians and 32 percent of Tunisians put providing people with basic necessities or narrowing the gap between rich and poor at the top of their lists.
  • On a related note, Islamist parties have shown a remarkable ability to maintain their base.
  • Tunisia has fared better than Egypt so far in the post-Arab Spring transition, with less violence, fewer demonstrations, and greater political stability. This is in part because challenges are easier to confront in a country of only 11 million, 98 percent of whom are Sunni Muslim, compared to the more diverse and populous Egypt. But Tunisia's success is primarily a result of its stronger institutions, which provide a conduit for political debate.
  • Many onlookers claim that Egypt's more tumultuous post-revolution trajectory is because of the country's legacy of religiosity and Islamism.
  • Egyptians, in fact, are no more religious than Tunisians.
  • Egypt's institutions are weak and have been routinely undermined by entrenched interests. The countries' different geopolitical situations play a role here. Tunisia's minimal strategic importance means that foreign countries have less reason to intervene. But Egypt's proximity to Israel and the Palestinian territories, its 1979 peace treaty with Israel, and its role as an intermediary between Israel and Hamas make its political developments important to Israel and the United States. Consequently, Egypt is vulnerable to foreign interference, particularly to attempts to prop up its military. Furthermore, beyond serving as a pillar to Egypt's authoritarian regimes, the Egyptian military has significant business interests and accounts for ten to 30 percent of Egypt's gross domestic product.
  • Egypt's judicial branch, which is also more powerful than Tunisia's, has at times undermined democratic processes.
  • Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that the Islamist-dominated parliament and the Constituent Assembly it elected were unconstitutional, because Islamist parties contested seats intended for independent candidates. The move polarized the country and pushed the executive branch to take extreme measures.
  • Egyptian democracy is undermined by the inability of institutions to address citizens' demands and the impulse of powerful actors to interfere, not by the divide between Islamists and secularists. Institutions in Egypt fail to provide a meaningful forum for debate. As a result, violent street protesters and extremist sheiks are gaining power.
  • U.S. policy must support institutions rather than actors, and processes rather than outcomes, in order to help Egypt and Tunisia achieve their democratic potential.
  • allieggg on 28 Sep 14
     
    The Council on Foreign Relations published an article about democratization in the middle east and the major obstacles that are present in the process. While most assume Islamists and Islamic embedded institutions are the root of the delayed democratic transition, the problems are much bigger than that. While Islamist regimes do indeed stunt the growth of democratic progress in terms of creating a stable government, Arab countries struggle with economic and social factors as well. The Arab Spring Revolutions have caused economic and social degradation across the region, resulting in a road block of political leadership. Without a reliable and capable government structure, the states are unable to progress economically. However, in order to have a stable government, social and economic institutions must be in place to create this capitalist economy that they strive for. Because most wealth resides in oil, the revenue that the states bring in isn't distributed properly throughout society and is concentrated within few business elites. The article stresses that instead of foreign aid going into the hands of an unstable leader or regime, it should be invested in institutions in order to spur economic growth and eliminate corruption. Rather than focusing on the Islamist-secularist divide, the world should be working towards the strengthening of institutions to create a stable foundation for governance. 
kbrisba

Post-Revolutionary Tunisia in Economic Recession | Tunisialive - 0 views

www.tunisia-live.net/...xperiencing-economic-recession

shared by kbrisba on 20 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • kbrisba on 20 Feb 15
     
    In 2011 Tunisia experienced two quarters of decline in GDP. The size of the Tunisian economy decreased. Before 2011 the average growth of the Tunisian economy was between 4% to 5% per year. Immediate initiatives need to take place. An example of one would be banning strikes until the end of 2011, that would help reassure companies that are the main source of wealth and jobs creation.
amarsha5

Why Tunisians Are Protesting Again 5 Years After The Revolution - 0 views

www.huffingtonpost.com/...ed_us_56a4152ae4b0d8cc109a5ed4

tunisia unemployment economy security revolution

shared by amarsha5 on 11 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • amarsha5 on 11 Feb 16
     
    The Tunisian revolution is still ongoing, as unemployment rate hit 15% and stark wealth disparities countrywide. The country has taken a critical hit to its tourism revenues and foreign investment with recent terror attacks. The government is promising to boost economic growth in some areas.
stuartsayes

10 largest ports in the Middle East Ports - 0 views

www.arabiansupplychain.com/...1

middle east Mina Jebel Ali international business

shared by stuartsayes on 05 Mar 16 - No Cached
  • stuartsayes on 05 Mar 16
     
    This article presents the top 10 shipping ports in the Middle East by giving a description, pictures, and specifications of the ports. The history of each port corresponds to the great wealth that each port creates for the respective region and this site presents a general understanding of the ports' history.
jherna2a

Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com - 1 views

content.time.com/...0,8599,2028740,00.html

Yemen history politics war

shared by jherna2a on 02 Mar 16 - No Cached
  • jherna2a on 02 Mar 16
     
    Before the conflict and poverty that has been affecting the nation for years, Yemen was once a center of civilization and wealth. This article outlines the history of this tumultuous country from its beginnings as "Happy Arabia" (as the Romans used to call it) to a country divided.
wmulnea

How ISIS Is Wrecking Iraq's Biggest Industry - Business Insider - 0 views

www.businessinsider.com/-iraqs-biggest-industry-2014-9

shared by wmulnea on 02 Mar 15 - No Cached
  • The Islamic State has taken over several oil-producing areas in Iraq and Syria, raising fears that the group could leverage its hydrocarbon wealth to the point of economic self-sufficiency.
  • ISIS is indeed producing between 25,000 and 40,000 barrels of oil a day
  • about as much as Poland, Germany, or New Zealand.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • its oil is of poor quality, and ISIS is likely having trouble transporting it.
  • ISIS is only capable of moving its oil by truck, suggesting that the group hasn't mastered the use of northern Iraq's oil pipeline system.
  • Some experts have estimated that ISIS brings in up to $3 million in revenue each day.
  • Ben Lando of Iraq Oil Report told the Post that ISIS's daily revenue might actually be as low as $250,000 a day.
  • Iraqi fields "are so small and the crude of such poor quality that international companies did not bid to develop them
  • ISIS, which nearly seized a refinery outside of Baghdad in June, is interrupting the one industry that makes Iraq viable not just as an economy, but as a political unit as well.
  • In 2012, the International Energy Agency predicted a nearly 500% increase in Iraqi oil revenue by 2020, and concluded that revenue would double during that period even in a worst-case scenario:
  • its ability to disrupt Iraq's leading industry denies the country of much of its economic potential while degrading vital infrastructure.
allieggg

US weighs sanctions on Libyan factions to try to halt proxy war - 1 views

www.todayszaman.com/-to-halt-proxy-war_363768.html

UN libya militias armed groups war middle east proxy power vacuum sanctions US

shared by allieggg on 13 Nov 14 - No Cached
  • US sanctions would be separate from potential United Nations sanctions that aim to pressure Libyan factions and militias to take part in UN-backed political negotiations to be led by UN envoy Bernardino Leon.
  • The possibility of using UN sanctions to help bring about political talks has been aired publicly.
  • US officials declined to say who they might target with sanctions or why they felt it necessary to look at US. penalties separate from the United Nations. Nor would they detail what sanctions they would propose.
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • If applied, the United Nations sanctions would target individuals or groups involved in the fighting, rather than their foreign backers, and would freeze their assets as well as impose travel bans.
  • struggling for power and control of its oil wealth.
  • two potential reasons for unilateral US action.
  • United Nations moves slowly or not at all, US penalties could be imposed whenever Washington wished.
  • US sanctions could be especially worrisome to Khalifa Haftar, a former Libyan army general who fled to the United States after breaking ranks with Gaddafi and returned to launch a campaign against the Islamists in Benghazi.
  • Western officials believe the involvement of outside powers such as Egypt and the UAE is exacerbating the conflict and that the two countries are arming and funding the more secular forces.
  • Haftar, according to Western officials, has become the major proxy in Libya for Egypt,
  • UAE sees Egypt's leadership as a firewall against militants and has given Cairo financial and military support
  • Saudi Arabia, a supporter of Sisi, is sympathetic to the Egyptian and Emirati involvement in Libya but is not believed to have played any direct role,
  • Qatar and Turkey. Qatar, officials said, has given arms and money to Islamist militias while Turkey has offered moral support.
  • allieggg on 13 Nov 14
     
    The UN is pushing for sanctions to put pressure on Libyan factions and militias to take part in political negotiations. These sanctions would target individual groups rather than the foreign backers involved in the proxy war and would freeze their assets and impose travel bans. US officials have introduced the possibility of using their own sanctions separate from the UN for a few reasons: UN sanctions move slowly if not at all, Washington could impose them whenever they wish. The US places more emphasis on the importance on external actors in the conflict than domestic groups, explaining that these countries are actually intensifying the conflict. 
wmulnea

The new economics of oil: Sheikhs v shale | The Economist - 0 views

www.economist.com/...es-will-go-bust-market-will-be

shared by wmulnea on 23 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • The contest between the shalemen and the sheikhs has tipped the world from a shortage of oil to a surplus.
  • Big importing countries such as the euro area, India, Japan and Turkey are enjoying especially big windfalls. Since this money is likely to be spent rather than stashed in a sovereign-wealth fund, global GDP should rise.
  • There will, of course, be losers (see article). Oil-producing countries whose budgets depend on high prices are in particular trouble. The rouble tumbled this week as Russia’s prospects darkened further. Nigeria has been forced to raise interest rates and devalue the naira. Venezuela looks ever closer to defaulting on its debt
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  • But Saudi Arabia, in particular, seems mindful of the experience of the 1970s, when a big leap in the price prompted huge investments in new fields, leading to a decade-long glut.
  • wmulnea on 23 Feb 15
     
    This article suggests that increased shale oil production is changing the economy of oil, but at the same time Saudi Arabia is reluctant to slow OPEC production.
wmulnea

Is Libya on the brink of a new civil war? - Al Jazeera English - 0 views

www.aljazeera.com/...l-war-2013102183055736865.html

shared by wmulnea on 11 Apr 15 - No Cached
  • former rebel fighters who helped to oust Gaddafi are now jostling among themselves for power
  • The country is flooded with weapons
  • In the past year alone, more than 80 people, many of them high-ranking military and police figures, have been killed in eastern Libya.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Libya's Prime Minister Ali Zeidan
  • The country's prime minister recently called on western powers to help him stop the spread of what he calls 'militancy' in his country.
  • There are more than 225,000 Libyans registered in militias. They receive state salaries but often act outisde of government control, taking orders from local or political commanders.
  • Groups in Libya's eastern Cyrenaica region and in the southern Fezzan region have called for independence
  • In Cyrenaica, former rebel leader Ibrahim al-Jathran and his 20,000 men strong militia say they now run local affairs, with Jathran and his men controlling facilities that account for 60 percent of Libya's oil wealth.
mcooka

How the education system in Egypt works | A World At School - 0 views

www.aworldatschool.org/...pt-education-system-works-1699

education egypt school

shared by mcooka on 04 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • All levels of education are free within any government-run schools - there are great differences in educational attainment between the rich and the poor, also known as the “wealth gap”.
  • Generally speaking, there are two types of government schools: Arabic Schools and Experimental Language.
  • 75 students per class for some of them.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • Ordinary schools
  • Language schools 
  • Religious schools
  • nternational schools
  • n 2010, a total of 2,646,000 students were enrolled across all tertiary levels. They attended one of 23 public universities, including Al-Azhar University, the oldest continuously running university in the world. There are 19 private universities; 18 public institutes of higher education and 81 private higher institutes.
  • verall literacy rate in Egypt is 72%
  • 80.3% for males and 63.5% for females
  • educe gender disparity in education and to achieve the 2015 Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education
  • mcooka on 04 Feb 16
     
    This goes into the education systems in Egypt. This discusses the past times of children as well while they are in school. The education system is relatively free if attending a government-run school.
sambofoster

Empowering Women, Developing Society: Female Education in the Middle East and North Africa - 2 views

www.prb.org/...eMiddleEastandNorthAfrica.aspx

women education middle east

shared by sambofoster on 27 Jan 16 - No Cached
  • Selected Socioeconomic Indicators in the Middle East and North Africa
  • he United Nations has articulated the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which include goals for improved education, gender equality, and women's empowermen
  • The region's oil-based economy, which produced tremendous wealth in some MENA countries, reinforces the region's gender roles. In a number of MENA countries, the use of capital-intensive technologies that require few workers, along with relatively high wages for men, have precluded women's greater involvement in the labor force.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • In addition, the benefits of female education for women's empowerment and gender equality are broadly recognized:
  • While 53 percent of the women said that the decision should depend on the children's capabilities, 39 percent said that the son should go to the university, compared with only 8 percent who said that the daughter should go. The survey also found that mothers of children who had never attended school were more likely to cite the cost of education as a reason for not educating their daughters than for not educating their sons.
  • As women's educational attainment in MENA countries has increased, more women have moved into the job market. But women's participation in the labor force is still low: Only 20 percent of women ages 15 and older in MENA countries are in the labor force — the lowest level of any world region.
  • But those rates are lower than rates found outside the region. In France, for example, women make up 45 percent of the labor force; in Indonesia, which is home to the world's largest Muslim population, women make up 38 percent of the labor force.16
  • Women in MENA countries are twice as likely to be illiterate as men are and make up two-thirds of the region's illiterate adults. The gender gaps in education vary greatly across countries in the region but are generally wider in countries where overall literacy and school enrollment are lower. In Yemen, for example, the illiteracy rate among young women (54 percent) is triple that of young men (17 percent). But countries that make political and financial commitments to reducing illiteracy, as Jordan and Tunisia have, generally see significant improvements in reducing illiteracy and narrowing the gender gap (see Figure 6).
  • mcooka on 27 Jan 16
     
    Statistics on Middle Eastern education. The gender inequality in the education. Reasons the litteracy level is so low and analyzing why there are has been a recent curve up in education.
  • sambofoster on 04 Feb 16
     
    Education is a key part of strategies to improve individuals' well-being and societies' economic and social development.
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