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 On October 4, 2011, representatives from the Middle East and North Africa gathered in the European Parliament for an expert discussion titled “Does the Arab Spring devour its children? The prospects for peaceful and democratic transition in North Africa.” Panelists Khalil Al-Anani, Muhannad Al-Hassani, Arslan Chikhaoui, Ramla Jaber, Mehdi Lahlou, and Sarah Wafa hailed from Egypt, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Libya respectively.
Co-chaired by Greens/EFA group co-spokesperson for foreign affairs in the European Parliament, Franziska Brantner MEP and Christian-Peter Hanelt, Senior Europe and Middle East expert, Bertelsmann Stiftung, panelists first began by discussing the positive trends and challenges in their respective countries and went on to put forward suggestions as to what the EU could do to to support peaceful transitions to democracy.
Although panelists expressed serious concern that the process of change that had been set in motion would not in fact result in the intended outcome of more stable, prosperous and free countries, they were cautiously optimistic that the will of the people will overcome elements that threaten the transition to democracy.
Panelists expect the EU to take a strong stand in support of the pro-democracy movements and called for the EU to develop and implement a comprehensive and holistic regional policy, while at the same time taking into account the distinctly different needs of different countries. Further, they suggested that the EU give greater weight to the long-term future of the countries, rather than the short-term interest of any given regime.
To read more about this event, please click here.
 Ana Gomes, MEP (Portugal), European Parliament rapporteur for Libya, visited the country from September 18-22, 2011. During the 5-day visit to Tripoli, Zawia, the Nafusa mountain towns of Yefren and Gilaa, and Misurata, Gomes met with representatives from the National Liberation Army, National Transition Council, youth and women activists, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Libya, Ian Martin, along with many others.
In her subsequent report, Gomes reviews her proram along with her major observations and conclusions.
Urging an urgent response, Gomes states that "the EU must not lose time in stepping up its own capacities in Libya in order to play a meaningful role in the transition."
She warns of an emerging power struggle between conservative and secular forces and calls upon Europeans to "get involved, as requested by Libyans, in articulation with the UN and other partners, to help strengthen secular and modernising forces."
Click here to read Gomes' full report from her trip to Libya.
 The report of the UN Secretary-General Preventive Diplomacy: Delivering Results was released this August. This report, fittingly dedicated to former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of his death, "examines the opportunities and the challenges the United Nations and its partners currently face in conducting preventive diplomacy in a changing political and security landscape."
The report was subsequently brought before the UN Security Council (UNSC) for a high-level debate on September 22, 2011. Chaired by Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, the debate brought together six Heads of State and seven Foreign Ministers.
The debate, much like the report, served to underline what has already been proclaimed so many times before: prevention is better than reaction. This truism however has not necessarily been translated into effective preventive policy. In his remarks to the UNSC, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pledged to make preventive diplomacy a "fundamental priority" in his second term. He has been somewhat successful at keeping a spotlight on the issue, as mediation has been the focus of General Assembly debates, along with the 66th UN Day on October 24. But the question remains whether Ban will be able to muster the necessary political and public support to effectively embed a ‘culture of prevention’ in the UN architecture.
To read more about these discussions on preventive diplomacy at the UN, click here.
 On September 13-14, 2011, the fourth Abu Dhabi Process dialogue took place in Islamabad. Facilitated by EWI and hosted by the National Assembly of Pakistan, the meeting brought together Afghan and Pakistani parliamentarians to discuss relations between their countries. The purpose of the dialogue is to seek more parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.
With the generous support of the Abu Dhabi government, EWI has facilitated a dialogue between Afghan and Pakistani leaders for the past two years in order to promote trust building between them.
Three main recommendations came out of the meetings:
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Enhance parliamentary oversight over both governments to ensure a commitment to the dialogue and to further all aspects of the developing relationship;
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Strengthen border management to facilitate cross-border mobility and to combat militancy and organized crime;
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Intensify reconciliation processes within both countries and synchronize national efforts for reconciliation with regional countries and with the international community."
To read the final joint declaration, please click here. More information on the EastWest Institute's Abu Dhabi Process is available here.
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If you are interested in receiving more information, please don't hesitate to contact the PN Secretariat
