Peace Picks April 9th- April 12th

 

1. Lessons Learned from Iraq and How They Apply to North Africa

Date and Time: April 9, 10:00-11:30 am

Location: US Institute of Peace

2301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.

Speakers: Amb. William B. Taylor, Jr., John Nagl, Manal Omar

Description: Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) Stuart Bowen on March 6 released SIGIR’s final report for Congress, ‘Learning From Iraq,’ which details the accomplishments of the U.S. reconstruction efforts in Iraq. The report provides an ‘instructive picture of what was the largest stabilization and reconstruction operation ever undertaken by the United States (until recently overtaken by Afghanistan).’ Additionally, the report outlines seven lessons that the U.S. should implement to improve its approach to future stabilization and reconstruction operations. 

The event will highlight SIGIR’s experience in Iraq and examine the major problems it discovered, such as America’s ‘ad hoc’ approach, the effectiveness of oversight, funding challenges, and the larger issue of nation-building. Experts will explore how lessons learned from Iraq can be applied to other American-led efforts, such as those associated with emerging democracies. Please join us on April 9, 2013 from 10:00am to 11:30M for what promises to be a relevant and timely discussion.

Register for this event here: http://www.usip.org/events/lessons-learned-iraq-and-how-they-apply-north-africa

 

2. How the United States and Europe Can Cooperate in the Middle East

Date and Time: April 9, 6:00-7:30 pm

Location: Johns Hopkins SAIS – Rome Building

1619 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.

806

Speakers: Charles Ries

Description: Charles Ries, vice president, international and senior fellow at the RAND Corporation and a SAIS graduate, will discuss this topic.Note: A reception will immediately follow the event in Room 812, Rome Building.

Register for this event here: http://sais-jhu.edu/events/2013-04-09-180000-2013-04-09-193000/how-united-states-and-europe-can-cooperate-middle-east

 

3. Energy Developments in the Persian Gulf

Date and Time: April 10, 6:00-7:30 pm

Location: Lindner Family Commons, Room 602
1957 E Street, NW

Speakers: Bijan Khajehpour, Siamak Namazi, and Ambassador Edward Skip Gnehm (as Moderator).

Description: As Iraq reemerges as a major oil producer after years of domestic turmoil, Iran continues to develop its petroleum sector despite economic sanctions. Focusing on energy sectors in Iran and Iraq, the panelists will discuss the influence of energy developments on regional relations. They will also highlight important trends in regional oil production and consumption. Dr. Bijan Khajehpour is a managing and founding partner of Atieh International, a Vienna-based management consulting firm, and holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the International School of Management in Paris. Siamak Namazi is the general manager of Access Consulting Group, a Dubai-based private regional consultancy, and holds a MBA from the London Business School and a MS in Urban and Regional Planning from Rutgers University.

Register for this event here: https://docs.google.com/a/aucegypt.edu/forms/d/1rE8VLjnFI8ksIKmRARxmVyQYf_D2eQXXqjwI1f7HU5o/viewform

 

4. Iraq: Policy and National Security Challenges for the Future

Date and Time: April 11, 6:30-8:00 pm

Location: Mortara Center for International Affairs

Speakers: James F. Jeffrey, Kenneth Pollack, David Pollock, Mr. Ahmed Ali

Description: Ten years after the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq remains a geopolitically vital state in the midst of questionable challenges of political, security, and natural resource instability. Join top Iraqi experts Dr. Kenneth Pollack, Dr. David Pollock, and Mr. Ahmed Ali and the former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, James F. Jeffery, in assessing the challenges to Iraq’s future development, the challenges and opportunities Iraq continues to pose for US regional and national security interests, and exploring how Iraq fits into a broader regional picture with numerous other security challenges, from Iran to Syria.

Register for this event here: http://dc.linktank.com/event/iraq_policy_and_national_security_challenges_for_the_future#.UWLyRGBU05w

 

5. The Turkish American Alliance: Opportunities and Challenges

Date and Time: April 12, 9:30-11:00 am

Location: Foundation for Defense of Democracies

1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036

Suite 700

Speakers: Soner Cagaptay, Douglas J. Feith, Jonathan Schanzer, Gonul Tol

Description: How does Turkey’s Syria policy help the United States? How do Turkey’s financial ties to Iran and Hamas complicate the Turkish-American relationship? How seriously does Turkey take its counter-terror finance responsibilities? What does the recent rapprochement between Ankara and Jerusalem mean for future ties between these two US allies?

Please join FDD for a conversation with Soner Cagaptay of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Douglas
Feith former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy under the Bush Administration, Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Gönül Tol of the Middle East Institute’s Center for Turkish Studies.

Register for this event here: http://www.defenddemocracy.org/events/

 

 

Aya Fasih

AYA FASIH Email: Ayaefasih@aucegypt.edu Current Address: 4440 Willard Avenue, Apartment 1012, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Permanent Address: 21 Merghany Street, Helioplis, Cairo, Egypt. Cell phone: 2023519522 EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts, The American University in Cairo (AUC), Egypt. School of International Service, American University (AU), Washington DC. • Major: Political Science • Specializations: Middle East Politics and International Relations. • Minor: Economics • GPA: 3.523 • Expected Date of Graduation: June 2013 • Course work: Special Topics in the Middle East: Islamic Politics and Thought, Arab Political Thought, International Relations of the Middle East, US Foreign Policy towards the Middle East, Protest and Change in the Middle East, Comparative Politics of the Middle East, Israeli Politics and Society, United States Foreign Policy, Political Economy, International Relations, Foreign Policies of the Major Powers, Human Rights, Global Politics in the Twentieth Century, Comparative Politics, Economic Development, Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory, Labor Economics and Public Finance, International Organizations. International Baccalaureate Diploma and American Diploma, The American International School in Egypt, 2009 AWARDS • The American International School Award for International Baccalaureate Higher Level Economics of 2009 • Dean’s List of Honors, AUC Egypt. WORK EXPERIENCE Research Assistant, Middle East Institute, Washington D.C., USA. January 2013-Present. • Researched in collaboration with John Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Professor Dr. Daniel Serwer. • Edited and wrote for www.peacefare.net. • Reported on Middle East-related events in Washington D.C. Research Intern, Habitat International Coalition, Cairo, Egypt. February-May 2012. • Conducted extensive research on informal housing in the Greater Cairo Region (GCR). • Gathered data on the Egyptian government’s violations of land and housing rights in the GCR. • Conducted field research on the living conditions in Batn Al Baar through surveying the inhabitants of the slum area. Gathered information on the conditions of the infrastructure in Batn Al Baar trough contacting non-governmental organizations that work in the area and local inhabitants. • Presented a report assessing the current material and nonmaterial living conditions of the inhabitants. The report provided a set of recommendations on potential projects that HIC should initiate in the area. Research Intern, New America Foundation—Middle East Initiative, Washington D.C., USA. October-December 2011. • Researched current events in Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, Libya, and Palestine-Israel. • Reported information in articles and blogs posted on the Middle East Channel. • Followed and reported any decisions taken by the White House, Congress, and the foreign ministries of the USA and EU countries regarding the developments in the Middle East. Researcher, Corporate Social Responsibility Project by Marketeers Firm for the UNICEF, Cairo, Egypt. June-August 2011. • Conducted market research on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), initiatives in Egypt. • Contacted and gathered data from top executives in more than 30 firms and banks including Proctor and Gamble, Orascom Telecommunications, Pfizer, Henkel, FedEX, Duravit, CitiBank, CIB, and HSBC. • Analyzed the data and presented the results in an extensive report that was submitted to the UNICEF Egypt office. Assistant Correspondent, Fox News, Cairo, Egypt. January-February 2011. • Summarized and translated key articles in Egyptian state-owned and opposition newspapers on a daily basis. • Brainstormed and contributed to topics of interviews. • Recommended and Contacted Naguib Sawiris, The Chairman of Orascom Telecommunications, for an interview to discuss the impact of the Tahrir protests on the Egyptian economy and how the accomplishment of a democratic environment might impact the business prospects and Egyptian economy. • Recommended and Contacted Dr. Kamal Abouelmagd, An Egyptian Lawyer, Islamic Thinker and member of the “Council of the Wise”, for an interview on the constitutional amendments and the role of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egyptian politics post-Mubarak’s regime. • Contacted a member of the “Youth of Egypt” for an interview. Research Assistant, Tunrkey Group Interiors (TKG), Cairo, Egypt. June-September 2010. • Researched existing projects, and development initiatives in the Greater Cairo Region in the field of Low-Income Housing. • Wrote reports on the Market of Low-Income Housing in Egypt. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Editor and Senior Writer, AUC Times, AUC Egypt. February 2012-Present. • Edited articles published under the English Department of publication. • Wrote “Where Do We Go Now?”, “A Divided Muslim Brotherhood in Post-Revolution Egypt”, “Orientalizing the Arab Revolutions”, “Egypt’s Emerging Non-Islamist Parties: Ambiguities, Alliances, and Hope”, and “Post-Revolutionary Al-Azhar.” Campaigner, Abolfotoh Presidential Campaign 2012, Cairo, Egypt. April-June 2012. • Campaigned for the presidential candidate in the Heliopolis district of Cairo. Helped organize events in the district for the candidate. • Cooperated with Shayfenkom and Masrena organizations in documenting illegal acts during election dates. Organizer, Gessoor, Cairo, Egypt. January-March 2011. • Co-organized Cairo’s first town-hall meeting on February 20 2011. • Developed a platform for the interchange of ideas of Egyptian youth on reconstructing Egyptian society and economy in the post-revolution period. • Provided an unbiased medium of idea-exchange comprised of representatives of the opposition groups and parties, and non-governmental organizations. • Contacted the founder of the Egyptian Movement for Change, George Ishak, to be a member of Gessoor’s panel. COMPUTER AND LINGUISTIC ABILITIES • Fluent in both spoken and written English. • Fluent in both spoken and written Arabic. • Proficient use of Microsoft Office, Excel and excellent in Internet research. PERSONAL DATA • Date of Birth: September 11, 1991. • Place of Birth: Cairo, Egypt.

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