Algeria and Sudan: New Waves of Democratic Change or Dashed Dreams?

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The Project on Middle Democracy (POMED) is pleased to invite you to join us in a discussion with distinguished speakers from Algeria and Sudan under the title: “Algeria and Sudan: New Waves of Democratic Change or Dashed Dreams?”

19 June 2019, 5pm

Majestic Hotel: 36, Avenue De Paris, Tunis

RSVP here.

 

Background

In both Algeria and Sudan, citizens are simultaneously excited and fearful as protest leaders chart the way forward through negotiations with the army. In both countries people are afraid of the repetition of the Egyptian or Libyan scenario. The outcome of the current negotiations will determine whether Algeria and Sudan start their way towards democracy or join the other failures of the region. Through this panel discussion, we will seek to examine this second wave of calls for democratic reform in the Arab world and analyze the lessons learned from the first wave of 2011 revolutions.

Speakers

  • Ezzaddean Elsafi: Program Officer, Economic Advancement Program at the Open Society Foundations MENA Program, expert on development and peace building in Sudan
  • Belkacem Boukherouf – Algeria: University lecturer and researcher at the University of Tizi Ouzou and human rights activist
  • Sarra Majdoub – Tunisia: Political scientist and independent researcher working on Sudan
  • Mohamed Lamine Aissani – Algeria: Development consultant on Algeria, civil society empowerment expert and Former capacity building coordinator for Amnesty International Middle East & North Africa
  • Mohamed Erwa – Sudan (invited): Human Rights, Migration, Conflict & Development professional

Moderator

Amine Ghali: Director of Al Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center (KADEM) working on issues of democracy, reform and transition in the Arab region.

 

**Event languages: Arabic with simultaneous translation into French**

 


السودان والجزائر: موجات تحول ديموقراطي أم أحلام مجهضة؟

التاريخ: 19 جوان/يونيو 2019، الخامسة بعد الزوال

المكان: نزل الماجستيك، 36 شارع باريس، تونس العاصمة

احجز هنا

تتشرّف منظمة مشروع الديمقراطية في الشرق الأوسط، بدعوتكم لحضور ندوة بعنوان ” السودان والجزائر: موجات تحول ديموقراطي أم أحلام مجهضة؟”، وذلك يوم الأربعاء 19 جوان – يونيو 2019 بنزل الماجستيك بتونس العاصمة ابتداء من الساعة الخامسة بعد الزوال

في كل من السودان والجزائر يرسم قادة الاحتجاجات خارطة الطريق من خلال لمفاوضات مع الجيش بينما يترقب المواطن نتيجة تلك المفاوضات في حماسة وخوف. هناك مخاوف واقعية من تكرار السيناريو المصري أو الليبي حيثُ أن نتيجة المفاوضات الحالية ستحدد ما إذا كانت الجزائر والسودان في طريقهما نحو الديمقراطية أو نحو الانضمام إلى الإخفاقات الأخرى بالمنطقة. نسعى من خلال هذا النقاش لتحليل هذه الموجة من دعوات الإصلاح الديمقراطي في العالم العربي واستفادتها من دروس الموجة الأولى من ثورات عام 2011

 

المتحدثون

عز الدين الصافي – مسؤول برامج، برنامج النهوض الاقتصادي في برنامج مؤسسة المجتمع المفتوح في الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا، خبير في التنمية وبناء السلام في السودان

بلقاسم بوخروف – الجزائر: محاضر جامعي وباحث في جامعة تيزي وزو وناشط في مجال حقوق الإنسان

سارة المجدوب: باحثة في العلوم السياسية ومتخصصة في الشأن السوداني

محمد لمين عيساني – الجزائر: مستشار تنمية وخبير في تمكين المجتمع المدني بالجزائر ومنسق سابق لبناء القدرات في منظمة العفو الدولية بمكتب الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا

محمد عروة – السودان: متخصص في مجالات حقوق الإنسان والهجرة والصراع والتنمية

 

يدير الحوار

أمين غالي: مدير مركز الكواكبي للتحولات الديمقراطية ويعمل على قضايا الديمقراطية والإصلاح والانتقال في المنطقة العربية

**مع ترجمة فورية من العربية إلى الفرنسية **

 


L’Algérie et le Soudan: nouvelles vagues de changements démocratiques ou rêves anéantis?

Le Project On Middle East Democracy (POMED) a le plaisir de vous inviter à participer à une discussion avec d’éminents intervenants algériens et soudanais sous le titre: «L’Algérie et le Soudan: nouvelles vagues de changements démocratiques ou rêves anéantis?». La discussion aura lieu le mercredi 19 juin 2019 à 17 heures à l’hôtel Majestic à Tunis.

Date: 19 juin 2019, 17h

Lieu: Hôtel Majestic: 36, avenue de Paris, Tunis

RSVP

Contexte

En Algérie et au Soudan, tandis que les leaders des manifestations pavent le chemin des négociations avec l’armée, les citoyens sont partagés entre enthousiasme et crainte. Dans les deux pays, la peur de la réplique du scénario égyptien ou libyen est présente. L’issue des négociations en cours déterminera si l’Algérie et le Soudan s’engageront sur la voie démocratique ou rejoindront les autres échecs de la région. À travers ce débat, nous chercherons à examiner cette deuxième vague d’appels aux réformes démocratiques dans le monde arabe et à analyser les enseignements tirés de la première vague des révolutions de 2011.

 

Intervenants

Ezzaddean Elsafi: Chargé de programme, Programme de développement économique de Open Society Foundation, expert en développement et consolidation de la paix au Soudan

Belkacem Boukherouf – Algérie: maître de conférences, chercheur à l’université de Tizi Ouzou et activiste des droits de l’homme

Sarra Majdoub – Tunisie: Politologue et chercheuse indépendante travaillant sur le Soudan

Mohamed Erwa – Soudan: Professionnel des droits de l’homme, de la migration, des conflits et du développement

Mohamed Lamine Aissani – Algérie: ancien campaigner à Amnesty International pour l’Algérie et consultant sur l’autonomisation de la société civile

 

Modérateur

Amine Ghali: Directeur du Centre de transition pour la démocratie Al Kawakibi (KADEM) chargé des questions de démocratie, de réforme et de transition dans la région arabe

 

** Langues de l’événement: arabe avec traduction simultanée en français **

Saudi Arabia’s Crackdown on Freedom of Expression: Targeting Women’s Rights Activists

One year ago, just as the Saudi government finally ended the ban on women driving, many activists who had campaigned against the ban and for women’s rights more generally were arrested. Among those detained were writer-activists Nouf Abdulaziz, Loujain Al-Hathloul, and Eman Al-Nafjan, who have been subjected to imprisonment, solitary confinement, and torture by the Saudi Arabian regime. On May 21, in New York City, PEN America will bestow on these three women the 2019 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award, given each year to writers imprisoned for their work. Friends and relatives will accept the award on their behalf, and then travel to Washington.

Please join PEN America and the Project on Middle East Democracy for a discussion of the Saudi government’s campaign to silence dissent and repress freedom of expression, including the detentions of Abdulaziz, Al-Hathloul, and Al-Nafjan.

 

Discussion 1: The detention of Loujain Al-Hathloul

WALID AL-HATHLOUL and LINA AL-HATHLOUL

Brother and sister of Saudi activist and social media commentator Loujain Al-Hathloul

Watch the discussion.

 


 

Discussion 2: The crackdown on freedom of expression and women’s rights activists

OMAIMA AL-NAJJAR

Saudi activist and blogger currently living as a political refugee in Italy

SAFA AL-AHMAD

Award-winning Saudi journalist and filmmaker who has directed and produced documentaries for PBS and BBC

Watch the discussion.

 


 

Both discussions will be moderated by

ROBIN WRIGHT

Contributing writer, The New Yorker;
Distinguished Fellow, Woodrow Wilson Center

 


 

Thursday, May 23, 2019

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

SEIU

1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW

Washington, D.C.

 

Saudi Arabia's Crackdown on Freedom of Expression: Targeting Women's Rights Activists

Algeria: What’s Happened? What’s Next

 

Thank you for joining the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) for a panel discussion featuring:

 

Rochdi Alloui

Independent Analyst on North Africa, Georgia State University

 

Alexis Arieff

Specialist in African Affairs, Congressional Research Service

 

Amel Boubekeur

(speaking by video from Algiers)

Research Fellow, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales

 

William Lawrence

Visiting Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University

 

Moderator:

 

Stephen McInerney
Executive Director, POMED


 

Monday, April 15
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

 

Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED)
1730 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Suite 617
Washington, DC 20036

 

 


Background

Since February, millions of Algerians have taken to the streets week after week for historic, peaceful mass protests against a fifth term for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and for democratic change. The popular pressure led to the postponement of the April 24 presidential elections and, on April 2, to Bouteflika’s resignation after 20 years in power. Abdelkader Bensalah, long a key ally of Bouteflika and since 2002 the Speaker of Algeria’s upper house of parliament, has been appointed interim president. This appointment is in line with Algeria’s constitution, but is contrary to protesters’ demand for a genuinely independent figure to oversee this transitional period. The next steps remain unclear and many Algerians worry that the regime will resist a democratic transition. Thank you for joining POMED to hear from a panel of Algeria experts who will analyze what led to the protests, what has happened so far, and what might happen next.

 

Algeria: What's Happened? What's Next