Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Egyptian state uses Islamic morals to stifle freedom of expression, which prevents them from fully embracing either conservatism or liberalism.
Morocco's Royal Institute for Strategic Studies has reported that the country's biggest challenges to economic growth stem from a lack of leadership, inconsistent policies, and poor governmental communication. Though the diagnosis is accurate, the proposed recommendations fail to address the root causes of these problems.
Ten years after succeeding his father to the Moroccan throne, King Mohammed VI has implemented significant economic and social reforms but has not yet delivered the kind of political change many hoped for when he took power.
The reforms established for Morocco's recent local elections have helped improve community management, but have not succeeded in limiting royal intervention in politics.
The current structure of U.S. aid to Egypt neither generates goodwill toward the United States nor alleviates poverty. U.S. economic aid would be much more effective if it encouraged microfinancing or invested in programs to clear Egypt’s northern coast of mines and distribute the land to poor farmers.
The United States and Egypt both have an interest in advancing the Arab–Israeli peace process and addressing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. But the bilateral relationship could deteriorate quickly if the Obama administration’s engagement effort increases Iran’s regional influence, threatening Egypt’s interests and its traditional role as a regional leader.
The Tunisian government has convinced the United States that Islamic extremism is such a serious threat that democratic reform in Tunisia would jeopardize counterterrorism efforts. This and a tarnished U.S. image in the region has allowed Tunisia to avoid serious pressure to introduce significant political reforms.
Washington needs to rethink its approach to North Africa. Algeria’s decades-long struggle against domestic terrorism and its current efforts to dismantle al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb make it a key source of counterterrorism expertise, and its strategic location and energy reserves deserve sustained U.S. attention.
Ending the Algerian-backed separatists’ fight for control of the Western Sahara is one of Morocco’s top priorities. Morocco supported the U.S.–led first Gulf War and offered to mediate the Arab–Israeli conflict in an attempt to persuade the United States—which maintains a long-held neutral position on control of the Western Sahara—to endorse Morocco’s claim to the area.
The Middle East greeted President Obama’s Cairo speech with enthusiasm, but many cautioned that words, though welcome and encouraging, must be matched by actions to mend the relationship. To explore the issues the Muslim world hopes the U.S. administration will address, the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut commissioned eight commentaries from prominent Arab writers and policy makers.