North Africa
Egypt Reportedly Withdraws from Arab NATO
Egypt has allegedly withdrawn from the U.S.-led Middle East Strategic Alliance. While Cairo’s recent move remains unofficial, it could have ramifications for the future development of the security bloc.
The Revival of Somalia’s Lost Era of Funk
Somalia had a vibrant, funky musical culture in the 1970s and ‘80s, but decades of civil war silenced it. Though the war continues, an impassioned few are reviving what could have been consigned to memory.
The Copts: Egypt’s Overlooked and Persecuted Christian Minority
Persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt is not new, but it has taken on a new momentum since the al-Sisi regime started cracking down on Islamist extremists six years ago.
Egypt’s Brutal Crackdown on Freedom of Speech Targets the Entertainment Industry
After Egyptian actors Khaled Abol Naga and Amr Waked publicly criticized President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s constitutional amendments and his tight grip on freedom of expression, the Egyptian Actors’ Union revoked their membership and accused the pair of "high treason" in what seems to signal a new target in the government’s ongoing campaign against dissent: entertainment industry unions.
Oum Kalthoum and the Poet Who Loved Her: A Book Review of “I Loved You for Your Voice”
“I Loved You for Your Voice,” by Selim Nassib, is a timeless, exquisite, and underappreciated novel inspired by the life of Oum Kalthoum as recounted by Ahmed Rami, the poet who composed the lyrics of her songs and who loved her in vain.
Will the Arab League Continue to Falter on the Palestinian Issue?
The eventual establishment of an independent Palestinian state appeared indisputable and inevitable when the Arab League wrote its charter in 1945. Over the past five decades, the organization’s support of the Palestinian cause had gradually diminished to reflect the increasingly normalized relations between Israel and countries in the Arab world. However, the League’s recent summit in Tunis reaffirmed the pan-Arab organization’s historic position advocating the cause.
EU Leaders Ignore Egyptian Executions, Align with Autocrat Al-Sisi
As the world harshly condemned the recent spike in Egypt’s executions of young Egyptians, EU leaders met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt to consolidate Euro-Arab cooperation.
Cuba’s Look to the Arab World
While Venezuela is bogged down with its internal political and economic crises and Washington hardens its stance against Cuba’s regime, Havana has essentially no choice but to seek new partners, prompting the island nation’s leadership to look to the Arab world.
An Africa Divided? Al-Sisi Assumes Chairmanship of the African Union
Cairo’s historically antagonistic relationship with the African Union (AU) has not deterred Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi from embracing his new role as chairman of the pan-African organization for 2019. While the international community is still unsure of what al-Sisi hopes to achieve in his new position, his chairmanship of the AU is likely to be just as contentious as his leadership of Egypt.
