Latest in Opinion Highlight
Latest in Opinion
Activists expand labour and human rights campaign beyond Qatar
By James M. Dorsey Human rights groups and trade unions have stepped up pressure on Qatar to reform its restrictive labour system, and have expanded their campaign to include all six wealthy members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The activists hope that Qatar may move quicker on promised reforms, given that the integrity of …
Another way of ending FGM
By Dr César Chelala Female circumcision, also called female genital mutilation (FGM) is widely practiced in 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East. More than 125 million women have been subjected to different forms of genital mutilation across Africa and in areas of western and southern Asia, and 2 million women undergo the procedure annually. …
Innovation in Developing Economies
By Michael R Czinkota and Ilkka Ronkainen Innovation in developing economies is evolving rapidly, but can still improve in terms of marketing. Businesses in emerging economies can make profits and can positively affect the livelihoods of people. In the next generation, multinational corporations can expand to vast un- and underserved consumer groups in developing countries. Executives …
How does Egyptian culture influence its politics?
By Mohammed Nosseir Culture matters! And when it comes to Egyptian politics, it matters enormously. In the absence of a proper political structure, where the existing structure is often altered to better serve the ruler, culture plays an essential role in mobilising Egyptians. To better understand the dynamics of Egyptian politics, one must first understand …
A woman fights against oppression in India
By Dr Cesar Chelala One can fight oppression with violence or with education. Hema Konsotia, a 34-year-old Indian woman, has chosen the latter. She is helping to change a situation affecting an estimated 165 million Indian Dalits. Also known as the “untouchables”, Dalits are a mixed population of numerous caste groups found all over South Asia. …
How does Sisi control the reins?
Within the “1952” – or “army” – family, power is transferred from president to president when the regime arrives at a crisis. For this reason, a new president must confront the causes that led to the crisis without sacrificing the constants of the regime. In other words, the new president must be seen to redraw …
Gulf football diplomacy highlights regional divisions
By James M. Dorsey Wealthy Gulf states have invited Jordan and Morocco to compete in future Gulf Cups as part of a bid to strengthen their fragile six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at a time that they have at best papered over deep rifts within the group. The invitation follows an earlier stalled attempt to …
Encouraging signs for Egypt’s economy
By Oxford Business Group After years of uncertainty and turbulence, Egypt’s economy is beginning to show some signs of recovery, with a marked rise in business confidence helping to strengthen indicators in both capital markets and the broader economy. Emerging signs of growth are welcome not only for investors, but also for the government, following …
Moroccan refusal to host African Cup rooted in fear and prejudice
By James M. Dorsey Morocco’s refusal to host next month’s 2014 African Cup of Nations football tournament out of fear that it could import the Ebola virus from West Africa spotlights complex relations between the continent’s Arab and sub-Saharan nations as well as the non-transparent inner workings of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), a …
The Bank of 20XX
It started with the ATMs because they broke many banks’ assumption that their customers transacted all their bank business in their own branch.
Terror at sea: Doomyat
By Amr Khalifa The Mediterranean turned red last Wednesday. What we know is far less than we should: eight Egyptian sailors are missing, five are injured, reported the Egyptian army, in a battle with ‘terrorists’ off the coast of Mediterranean city Domyat [Damietta], best known for its furniture. With each passing day, professional analysts and …
Has a transfer of power within the 1952 family led to drastic changes?
Power transition within the 1952 family occurs if the regime’s crisis reaches an impasse and “change” must take place to overthrow the president and the group or oligarchy surrounding him. This leads to new regime officials appointed and some policy alterations. Perhaps we recall that, at the peak of a crisis leading to a power …
Volleyball federation sanctions Iran in new assertiveness on women’s sporting rights
By James M. Dorsey The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has warned Iran that it would be stripped of its right to host the 2015 Under-19 men’s world volleyball championship if it bans women from attending matches. The warning signals a new assertiveness driven by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to make adherence to human, gender, …
Has ISIS reached Sinai?
By Khaled Okasha Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis (ABM) officially announced their allegiance to ISIS and their recognition of Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi as the Amir of all Muslims this week, with both groups exchanging support via web pages affiliated with jihadist organisations. Forming an even more serious a concern, ISIS sent ABM a new target map to implement …
Study asserts that controversial Gulf labour regime reduces global inequality
By James M. Dorsey With the absence of labour rights in the Gulf under fire as a result of Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup, Gulf states are likely to take heart from a recent study that asserts that authoritarian regimes in the oil-rich Middle East and China have contributed more to …
Russia’s demographic and public health challenges
By Dr Cesar Chelala For the last two decades, demographics and its effect on Russian society and future development prospects have been at the centre of discussions on that country. There is now universal agreement that unless Russia solves this most serious problem, its status as a world power will be seriously compromised. Demographics has been called …
We’re losing the war on terror
By Wael Eskandar Last week numerous country representatives congratulated Egypt on its progress in improving human rights over the years in the latest Universal Periodic Review held by the United Nations. It was disheartening to hear such comments at a time of the most sizable regression in human rights in Egypt’s modern history. It was …
ABM, IS, and Egypt: Deadly game on
By Amr Khalifa Hours ago the security puzzle in Egypt became, potentially, more deadly and highly complex: Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis (ABM) pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS). Intelligence agencies, analysts, and security experts with an unwavering focus on the Egyptian milieu have wondered if this move would unfold. Today that turning point occurred and it …
Israeli ex-general critical of Netanyahu’s leadership
By Dr Cesar Chelala 106 former high-ranking Israeli members of the armed forces, police, and intelligence have called on Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make a strong move for peace with the Palestinians. In a letter to the prime minister, the army and police officers said that Netanyahu should seriously pursue peace with the Palestinians …
How are Egyptian politics manoeuvred and formed?
When the melody plays, you are obliged to sing along!
Sinai: Buffer zone of mistrust
By Amr Khalifa When your skin is submersed in the azure blue of Sinai’s waters, you would never imagine that trouble in the Sinai governorate lurks beyond the beach. Sinai, a piece of heaven on earth, known internationally for its superior diving and snorkelling, has become a hotbed of insurgency that has put the Cairo …
Sinai enters a new chapter
By Khaled Okasha The terrorist attack that took place in Karam Al-Qawadees , next to Sheikh Zuweid, will open a new chapter for the entirety of the Sinai Peninsula. Will 24 October represent the end of one era and the beginning of a new one marked by a process that is more violent and bolder …
How is power transferred within the ‘1952 family’?
Every dynasty across history is characterised and distinguished by certain attributes, and the ‘1952 family’ is no exception. One of the most important characteristics of any dynasty is the power-transferral method, and we will notice in this regard that in most dynasties throughout history there are mechanisms for transferring power from an emperor, king, or …
Sponsorship of FIFA: a new front in Gulf political rivalry
By James M. Dorsey Lurking in the background of world football body FIFA’s talks with Qatar Airways to replace its Dubai rival Emirates as a sponsor is the escalating hostility between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as a result of their divergent attitudes towards political Islam. Officially, Emirates’ decision to end its $200m relationship …
Thinking critically about Syria’s refugee crisis
By Matthew Timmerman Lebanon recently announced it will further curtail the flow of Syrian refugees across its border. With these refugees numbering half the size of the country’s indigenous population (by the government’s estimate), occupying 60% of the labour market, and the total cost of their accommodation estimated at $3bn – it’s a calculated decision …
Cairo: A problematic transport culture
By Josh Drake A friend of mine recounted an incident recently whereby their taxi driver, in the midst of a Cairo traffic jam, took a sharp unlawful turn down a one-way street in the wrong direction and then, at a low speed, hit an unsuspecting pedestrian who was walking along the centre of the road. …
School shootings and lone wolf attacks: What’s the difference?
By James M. Dorsey A recent school shooting in the US state of Washington and a lone wolf’s assault on the Canadian parliament in Ottawa are but two of the latest headline-grabbing incidents of home-grown violence. One had nothing to do with politics, the other is classified as a terrorist attack perpetrated by a jihadist …
Kurdish football team sparks Swedish FA ire over battle for Kobani
By James M. Dorsey When Ramazan Kizil established Dalkurd FF, one of Europe’s most successful immigrant football teams, in a remote town in northern Sweden, he dreamt of one day raising the Swedish and the Kurdish flag alongside one another in a European championship. These days, Kizil’s goals are more immediate: aiding embattled Kurdish fighters …
Sisi’s plan: New print of the same edition?
We must begin with the questions that concluded my last article: Is Al-Sisi building a vision? Can we predict this vision based on his current positions? What are the resemblances between this vision and that of former president Gamal Abdel Nasser? Before we try to answer these questions, we must keep in mind Al-Sisi’s performance …
Egyptian campuses and football emerge as flashpoint in resistance to President Al-Sisi
By James M. Dorsey Football fans exploiting stadia as contested public space emerged more than three years ago as a key force in anti-government protests that toppled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and opposition to subsequent military rule. With stadia closed to spectators for much of the period since then, protesting students backed by militant football …