Category Archives: Politics

Documenting #SyriaCrisis: Part 2- Organizations

Last week PITAPOLICY briefly discussed the need for documenting the #SyriaCrisis by distinguishing between individuals and organizations.  We argued that documenting narratives of Syrian civilians as individuals –rather than by political affiliations– is necessary to convey to Syrian outsiders.  At … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Analysis, Interests, PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics), Politics

Documenting #SyriaCrisis: Part 1- Individuals

Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.~Anne Frank, Author “The Diary of Anne Frank” We remember reading “the Diary of Anne Frank” as part of our required elementary school reading list.  For many of … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Interests, Politics

May The Force Be With You. #StockMarkets #Iran #Pakistan #UNResolution

Last week we discussed Egypt’s and Turkey’s stock market activity and promised that we would discuss the stock markets in other populous countries, like Iran and Pakistan, in the MENA region before the new year.  We are discussing Iran because … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Analysis, Interests, PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics), Politics

After today, EVERY DAY is #WorldRefugeeDay for 4.8 Million #SyrianRefugees

Each minute, 24 people around the world flee their home because of violence or persecution.~National Public Radio (USA) Today the UN recognizes World Refugee Day.  This is a day NOT to be celebrated because the world is witnessing the largest … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics), Politics

Panama Papers’ Leak Leads to Flood of Questions for these MENA Figures

The [Panama Papers] are: 11.5m documents were obtained by the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The ICIJ then worked with journalists from 107 media organisations in 76 countries, including UK newspaper … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Interests, Politics

Response to “Lessons for the GCC” About the European Union #Migration #Regulation

Senior Research Fellow Omar Al Ubaydli outlines the lessons that the Gulf Cooperation Council countries may learn from the United Kingdom’s experience with the European Union–specifically the migration and regulatory experiences.  He uses the Eurozone framework to compare and contrast … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Analysis, PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics), Politics

Were Economic Issues the Driving Force For Higher Voter Turnout in #IranElections2016?

What would you rather ponder: the first set of elections after almost four decades of sanctions…or a theory of why a so-called group–whose name will forever not be named in the header of this blog– is gaining more recruits?  Fine, … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Analysis, PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics), Politics

No kidding: GDP grows slower in war than during peacetime #SyriaCrisis #YemenCrisis #iraq

A study by Collier (1999) found that, during civil war, countries tended to grow around 2.2 percentage points more slowly than during peace. ~ World Bank No kidding: War costs money and GDP grows slower in war than during peacetime.  … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Analysis, PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics), Politics

Managing Socio-#Econ|omic Expectations #IranElections #ImplementationDAy

“We intend to re-open trade with all our neighbors…. and begin cooperation.”~President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Rouhani Earlier this month, 78.4 million Iranians saw the economic sanctions lifted, which were imposed in 1979 after Iran underwent a … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Analysis, Interests, Politics, Technology

Food Crisis in Syria Triggers a Drop in Syria’s Human Development Index

Happy New Year PITA-consumers! What are you all expecting for 2016 in business, intra-MENA trade, development goals, and political bargaining?  Whether you are an optimist, pessimist or cautiously optimistic, that list is probably long!  Before we ramble on and on … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Analysis, PIDE (Policy, International Development & Economics), Politics