The Middle East: A Difficult Transition
27–28 March 2014, Geneva, Switzerland
The region has gone through a period of historic change. Over the past three years we have seen a transformation of the political landscape, revolutions and counter-revolutions, all intertwined with regional and international interventions. The fixed picture of historical relationships has been reshaped by the rapprochement between the West and Iran. Over a full day, the round table will discuss many of the issues affecting the region, including democracy and military interventions, changing US policy and the readjustment of the balance of power in the region, and the role of the European Union in the region.
Al Sharq Forum aims to cultivate the values of participation, dialogue and democracy in the Arab countries, and to help build a stable political future together with economic prosperity. Through this round table, we seek to provide a platform for policymakers, strategists, intellectuals and civil society actors from the region, Europe and the United States to put forward different points of view and discuss the realities unfolding in the region. We hope that future dialogues will open ways to explore new solutions to issues related to the changing political paradigm in the region.
Agenda
Day one: 27 March 2014
- Arrival and registration of guests
Day two: 28 March 2014
- Welcome and introduction.
- Session one: The Arab Spring – what is the next step?
- Session two: The Middle East and strategic fluidity – 2013 was full of tactics and setbacks; will 2014 bring strategic directions for the region?
- Session three: Changing US policy and strategic confusion in the Middle East – how can US–Iranian negotiations define the new balance of power in the Middle East?
- Session four: Europe and the Middle East – a neighbourhood of confusion? Can Europe build a coherent strategy towards the Middle East?
- Closing session.
