Author Archives: Mehrunisa

About Mehrunisa

Mehrunisa Qayyum is the founder of PITAPOLICY Consulting & Blog. PITAPOLICY Blog is listed on Muftah.Org. As @PITAPOLICY she tweets about politics, interests, technology and analysis in the "pita-consuming" region and contributes to the Huffington Post Blog, A Better People, and Triple Pundit. Regarding international affairs and trade issues, she worked at the United States’ Government Accountability Office for four years. Prior to that, she earned her MPP and Certificate in Contemporary Arab Studies from Georgetown University and a BA in both Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations and Public Policy from the University of Chicago. Her recent writing experiences include analytical pieces on civil society, transparency & governance, human rights, political economy of Syria, and social media forums' impact. She enjoys watching the Colbert Report in her free time.

Pivoting from Dispossession: Arab American’s Entrepreneurial Path

Dear Pita-consumers: Happy 2015!  We want to start the year off right with some positivity and inspiration.  Thankfully, one of our earliest PITAPALS, Asma Jaber, an Arab-American, has inspired this first week’s posting with her vision and explanation of establishing … Continue reading

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Beji Caid Essebsi Wins Tunisia’s First Presidential Election–

After Sunday’s elections, Beji Caid Essebsi of the Nida Tounis Party won Tunisia’s first free presidential race and beat his opponent, Moncef Marzouki.  Essebsi won with 55.68 percent of the vote. Congrats and good luck to Essebsi.  He is going … Continue reading

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Which Country Earned ‘Most Improved Nation’ in 2010 for #HumanDev? #OmanSymposium

Dear Pitaconsumers, Which country earned ‘Most Improved Nation’ in the 2010 Human Development Report?  The country whose major art display reflects on how trade ties go as far back as linking Mesopotamia’s civilization with the Indus civilization.  And who also … Continue reading

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

Round 2 of Tunisia’s Presidential Election: December 28th, 2014

Sometimes, we wish the U.S. offered as many presidential candidates on the final ballot– like some Arab countries demonstrated in the last four years.  We are not kidding or being facetious.  Why?  Tunisian voters aren’t yet stuck with the two-party … Continue reading

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Middle East Institute 68th Annual Conference: “Navigating the Storm” #MiddleEast

“What’s happening in the region is renegotiation of social contracts.”~ Randa Slim, Director for Initiative for Track 2 Dialogues at Middle East Institute This bodes true for countries that are in the middle of transitioning power… and can be argued … Continue reading

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

Tunisia Elections: Historic Process, or Event?

What makes Tunisia’s elections historic: its process or ‘E-day’?  The Tunisian elections witnessed some historic developments.  We are not just talking about the election event moment, but the overall process.  The election event moment was when The Nidaa Tounes Party, … Continue reading

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USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives Celebrates 20th Anniversary

  Office of Transition Initiatives is often referred to the first line of development in #USAID. OTI is an incubator”.~USAID’s New Deputy Administrator,  General Lenhardt Washington, DC- On October 20th, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Transition Initiatives … Continue reading

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

PITAPOLICY Proposes That Hajj 2015 Must Be “Year of Development”

Although Saudi Arabia tries to cap visa quotas per country, and refuses entry for those without accommodations, thousands of pilgrims from neighboring countries enter into Saudi Arabia at unchecked entry points. Last year, 15,000 illegal pilgrims were caught.  This year … Continue reading

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

Speech by The Secretary General of the League of Arab States on Peace & Security in Iraq

Speech by H.E Dr. Nabil Elaraby, The Secretary General of the League of Arab States at the “International Conference on Peace and Security in Iraq”.  Delivered in Paris, France on September 15, 2014. Excellency, Mr. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign … Continue reading

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#SocialGoodSummit Day 2 Summary: PITA POINTS #2030Now // نقاط على “PITAPOINTS” السنوي الخامس اجتماعية جيدة قمة

Arabic Translation الانتهاء من القمة السنوية الخامسة اجتماعية جيدة قمته لمدة يومين في نيويورك، و ، حسنا، كنا سعداء أن ثلاثة على الأقل من المتحدثين جاء من الشرق الأوسط : انوشه انصاري ، بسام عرامين ، و أحمد هنداوي . … Continue reading

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