Dana Moss, the Next Generation fellow at The Washington Institute, points out in the Christian Science Monitor that while the U.S. provides Morocco $110 million annually to address "drivers of youth disaffection," Washington lacks a policy for promoting human rights and political reform in Tunisia and Algeria. "In conjunction with European partners, a far more detailed and extensive program of scholarships, technical expertise assistance, civic education, English language programs, and other development programs should be offered ...

Kal at The Moor Next Door has an interesting analysis of Morocco's position towards Mauritania's coup, which it has taken a favorable attitude towards. Morocco's attempts to cultivate a positive relationship with the junta are an attempt, "...to cultivate a favorable disposition in the regime presently in place so that when the rest of the world does reconcile with the junta, which would ideally take place by way of ...

The Arabist writes that the coup in Mauritania is especially damaging to the country's democratic hopes as it was conducted by the same people involved in the 2005 coup as well as supporters of former President Ould Taya. He also says it will be impossible to justify this coup as protecting democracy as so much "symbolic capital" was spent on legitimizing the previous coup. On a related note, Kal at ...

GrandMasta Splash at Arabic Media Shack analyzes the recent New York Times article examining Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Splash says the Times article exaggerates the Al-Qaeda links as their tactics, such as killing foreigners, were part of the GIA's repertoire during its conflict with the Algerian government in the 1990s. Furthermore, according to Splash, the group's linking with Al-Qaeda is a sign of weakness as they were ...

Yesterday afternoon, the U.S. Institute of Peace hosted an event entitled "Rethinking Democracy Promotion in the Middle East," featuring Cairo-based writer and scholar Hugh Roberts, formerly of International Crisis Group, giving an analysis and critique of Western efforts to promote democracy in the Middle East, with suggestions for revamping the approach.  Roberts largely criticized the current approach to promoting democracy as ineffective, counterproductive intereference in the internal affairs of Middle Eastern ...

Jill Carroll of the Christian Science Monitor reports that US-funded democracy building projects in Tunisia, like a university newspaper produced by Tunisians and a program of roundtable discussions, are "complicated by popular anger over US policy" and consequently "some governments in the region are worried US efforts to stoke democratic reforms will destabilize their regimes."

Following on Marina Ottaway's editorial yesterday, the Daily Star today published an op-ed from Anouar Bouhkars examining secularism in North Africa, blaming secular political parties for their "organizational inefficacy and inability or unwillingness to lead meaningful tangible reforms" for their lack of success.

(left) Prince Hassan bin Talal speaks with former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali at the opening of the Amman conference. (right) Participants at the Jordan conference develop policy recommendations in small group discussions. Event Summary In spring 2007, the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) joined with Americans for Informed Democracy (AID) and four regional partners to convene conferences in Jordan, Egypt and Morocco, bringing together 152 young Americans and Middle ...