“Al Sharq Strategic Research shares the mission of its umbrella organization, Al Sharq Forum, which aims to consolidate the values of pluralism and justice while developing long-term strategies and programs that contribute to the political development, economic prosperity, and social cohesion for the people of the Al Sharq region and the world.”
Al Sharq Program on MENA Security
The collapse of the regional order has made the security failures of the Al Sharq Region ever more apparent. State failures, violent extremism,
Post-Oslo transformations in Palestinian Society
Since the 1993 Oslo Accords and the subsequent establishment of the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian society has witnessed major political,
Al Sharq program on Political Islam
Throughout the past four decades, researchers and analysts have written extensively on political Islam movements (PIMs) in an attempt to understand their ideology,

The Second Conference The Shifting Global Order and its Repercussions for Al Sharq Region

Etkinlik Bilgileri
The global order has been going through a significant transformative phase as a result of many drastic developments. The non-western global powers, China and Russia, are deepening their
Daha Fazla
Etkinlik Bilgileri
The global order has been going through a significant transformative phase as a result of many drastic developments. The non-western global powers, China and Russia, are deepening their clout in their zones of influence, albeit through different strategies. Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic-induced political and economic problems have been compounded by the Ukraine War. These dramatic changes are expected to yield a multipolar if not nonpolar, world order.
The intensified confrontation between global powers is reshaping regional politics in many ways. On the one hand, a number of countries in the Al Sharq region are in a quest to increase their influence and regional hegemony, capitalizing on the vacuum resulting from global powers’ competition. On the other hand, as world politics approaches a Cold War-like polarization, keeping an independent path has become very challenging for Al Sharq regional powers, which have become under mounting pressure to take sides in this confrontation.
Therefore, today more than ever, Al Sharq Region countries are in need of charting their future amidst many threats and ambiguities. In a region with remarkable geopolitical significance, maintaining political stability and economic development will not be an easy endeavor. Hence, Al Sharq Strategic Research invites experts, scholars, and policymakers to contribute to discussions on the themes seen below.
Zaman
3 (Cumartesi) 10:00 - 4 (Pazar) 17:30
Konum
Istanbul
Konuşmacılar
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Wadah Khanfar
Wadah Khanfar
President of The Al Sharq Forum
Wadah Khanfar is the President of the Al Sharq Forum and former Director General of the Al Jazeera Network. He is a board member of the International Crisis Group and Global Editors Network (GEN). Khanfar has been named as one of Foreign Policy’s Top 100 global thinkers of 2011 as well as one of Fast Company’s ‘Most Creative People in Business’ of the year.
President of The Al Sharq Forum
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Mohammad Affan
Mohammad Affan
Training Director at Al-Sharq Forum
Mohammad Affan is the Training Director at Al-Sharq Forum. A medical doctor by training, Affan obtained his MA degree in Political Science from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the American University of Cairo (2015). He also holds three post-graduate diplomas: One in “Civil Society and Human Rights”, from the Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences at Cairo University (2010), another one in Political Research and Studies from the Institute of Arab Research and Studies at the Arab League (2012), and the third diploma in Islamic Studies from the Higher Institute for Islamic Studies in Cairo (2012). Among his publications is his book titled: “Wahhabism and the Brotherhood: the conflict on the concept of the state and the legitimacy of power.” Affan is currently pursuing his PhD in the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the Exeter Univesity in the UK. His research interests include, Islamism, State-Theory, and Comparative MENA Studies.
Training Director at Al-Sharq Forum

22Eyl19:3020:00Iraq: Navigating The Road Ahead

Etkinlik Bilgileri
Webinar description: The violence and internal war among the Iraqi Shia have stopped for now, but the country’s political crisis has only deepened. Despite 11 months passing from its
Daha Fazla
Etkinlik Bilgileri
Webinar description:
The violence and internal war among the Iraqi Shia have stopped for now, but the country’s political crisis has only deepened. Despite 11 months passing from its early parliamentary elections, Iraq has yet to see a new cabinet. This is the longest government formation in Iraq history. Different analyses are being suggested on what are the different possible scenarios and outcomes of the current crisis. While it has problems of its own, another early election is seen as the most likely scenario. An early election is going to confront issues of voter fatigue and people being distrustful of democracy. There is also a scenario of the continuation of the current government under the leadership of Mustafa al-Kadhimi. In this panel, the speakers will share their take on the outlook for the near future in Iraq.
Speakers:
- Fanar Hadad, Assistant Professor, University of Copenhagen.
- Bilal Wahab, Senior Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy,
- Lahib Higel, Senior Iraq Analyst at Crisis Group
Moderator:
Kamaran Palani, Associate Fellow, Al Sharq Strategic Research
Date & Time:
Thursday
22 September 2022
16:30-18:00 (Baghdad & Istanbul time)
Location: Zoom
Zaman
(Perşembe) 19:30 - 20:00
Konum
Online - Zoom
Konuşmacılar
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Tarik Yousef
Tarik Yousef
Senior Fellow at Brookings Institution
Senior Fellow at Brookings Institution
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Carole Nakhle
Carole Nakhle
CEO of Crystol Energy
CEO of Crystol Energy

19Tem19:0020:30Economics of De-Escalation in the Middle East

Etkinlik Bilgileri
Panel description: The political scene of the Middle East has experienced important transformations in a short time frame. The Qatar blockade has been lifted, Turkey and UAE entered a
Daha Fazla
Etkinlik Bilgileri
Panel description:
The political scene of the Middle East has experienced important transformations in a short time frame. The Qatar blockade has been lifted, Turkey and UAE entered a swift rapprochement process and Gulf countries have started normalization talks with Iran. There are various explanations for this abrupt change. Focusing on economic explanations, some assert that governments have started to prioritize economic interests over ideology. This could be partly explained by the increasing cost of lingering conflicts. Another important factor is the increasing focus of the oil-rich countries on the attempts to diversify their economy. The push for diversification increases the stakes for economic cooperation and bilateral trade deals.
This workshop will explore the economics of the de-escalation process. It will address whether the economic factors are driving the new atmosphere of dialogue. Will this rapprochement process last? What will be the impact of higher fuel prices on the de-escalation incentives? How will the trade and economic cooperation in the region evolve and will it ease the diversification attempts of Gulf countries? How would a possible Iran nuclear deal affect the direction of the de-escalation process? This panel will delve into these questions and more.
Speakers:
Tarik Yousef: Senior Fellow at Brookings Institution
Carole Nakhle: CEO of Crystol Energy
Moderator:
Nurullah Gulec: Al Sharq Strategic Research
Zaman
(Salı) 19:00 - 20:30
Konum
Online - Zoom
Konuşmacılar
-
Tarik Yousef
Tarik Yousef
Senior Fellow at Brookings Institution
Senior Fellow at Brookings Institution
-
Carole Nakhle
Carole Nakhle
CEO of Crystol Energy
CEO of Crystol Energy