The Royal Society of Edinburgh Joint event with the European Movement in Scotland and supported by the European

Commission Office in Scotland and the Centre for Advanced Study of the Arab World Europe and the Arab World Conference
Tuesday 27 November 2012 Report by Matthew Shelley

The Arab World is undergoing major political and social upheaval at the same time, Europe faces a far-reaching economic crisis. The conference examined the relationships between the regions and how Europe can promote stability, peace and prosperity in Arab countries. The speakers were His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan, Professor Yasir Suleiman of Cambridge Universitys Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Christian Berger of the European External Action Service, Andrew Claret of the Anna Lindh Foundation, Dr Malik Dahlan from the Institution Quraysh for Law and Society and Tarek El Sherbini of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The welcome was provided by Sir David Edward, outgoing RSE International Committee Convener. Overview Professor Suleiman said the relationship between Europe and the Arab World is an ancient one, with many bloody encounters at one end of the spectrum and peaceful, productive ones at the other. Today, the memories of warfare and colonialism outweigh those of rich cultural exchange. The conference, he said, was designed to help tilt perceptions towards the positive end of the spectrum. Arab and European attitudes are not helped by over-simplistic attitudes. Many Arabs conflate Europe and other powers, such as the USA, and simply see them as the West. Likewise, Europeans tend to see Arabs and Muslims as one and the same, when there are many Arab Christians. According to Professor Suleiman, there has been a range of initiatives from the EU in the past three decades responding to changes in the southern and eastern Mediterranean. These have had three goals: 1) Prosperity economic co-operation, access to oil and gas, trade plus economic and technical aid. Tied in with these are European worries about mass migration and combating Islamic terrorism. 2) Stability democratic governance, respect for human rights, the rule of law, freedom of expression, association and assembly, along with free media, independent judiciaries, political pluralism and a strong civil society. 3) Peace solving conflicts, chiefly those between the Arabs and Israel. Good intentions have been undermined by security fears, which have led Europe to tolerate tyrannical regimes. There was often a bogus idea that Arabs had little interest in democratic freedoms a notion destroyed by the Arab Spring. European economic protectionism has also undermined the pursuit of prosperity.

The Arab Spring has placed a moral responsibility on Europe to live up to its convictions and support Arab people in their drive for freedom and democracy. It is a golden opportunity to dispel the notion that Europe speaks one way and acts another. Nonetheless, democratisation ends the certainties offered by tyrannical regimes. Europe must learn a new kind of politics dealing with forces such as the Muslim Brotherhood which it has previously demonised. The progress of the Arab Spring is uneven and Europe also needs to consider its relationships with surviving old regimes. Professor Suleiman said: The challenge for Europe is how to fill the trinity of prosperity, stability and peace with new meanings, both conceptual and practical, to deal with a newly-emerging order in the Arab World. He said the conference goals were to: 1) Identify and examine common challenges faced by Europe and the Arab World. 2) Facilitate relationship building between experts from academia, civil society and state institutions. 3) Provide the basis for a focused action plan and concrete follow-up initiatives. The aims would be addressed under three headings: 1) Civil society 2) Structures of government 3) Sustainable and equitable economic development Session 1 Christian Berger European External Action Service Director for North Africa, Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, Iran and Iraq Europe can be a powerful actor in the world, but it is currently dissipating its energies by being introspective, as it struggles with internal issues and fails to unite on external ones. He predicted that the EU would appear weak as it split in the forthcoming UN vote on giving observer status to Palestine [vote took place on 29 November see BBC Q&A http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13701636]. Mr Berger compared this to the EUs highly effective role when member states united over the issue of settlements in the Occupied Territories. North Africa and the Middle East have presented security challenges and have been places of rapid geopolitical change since long before the Arab Spring. There has been the spread of terrorist groups, the emergence of Turkey, the nuclear ambitions of Iran, and the Iraq War. The Arab uprisings have accelerated change and brought new challenges including the possibility that the conflict in Syria could destabilise the whole region. The EU has used sanctions and diplomacy to try to achieve peace in Syria and is providing aid for refugees. Mr Berger expressed hope that the work done to create a more united Syrian opposition may yield results. The recent violence in Gaza and Israel has demonstrated the importance of finding a solution to the Arab/Israeli conflict the EU backs a two-state solution. The instability in the Sahel region is another area of concern, with the rapid spread of weapons and

armed groups. In places such as northern Mali, the EU is working with governments to stem the consequent illegal traffic of weapons, drugs and people. The Arab Spring has brought hope that people can achieve freedom. It has also brought the chance for dignity, which Mr Berger described as having three facets: 1) Political the redefinition of the relationship between state and individual. Something similar happened in Europe with the revolutions of 1848. 2) Social and economic better lives, opportunities and education. 3) National Arabs seek their own national dignities and national dignity for Palestinians. Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have had free elections and significant reform is underway in countries such as Jordan. The EU has imposed sanctions on dictators during periods of struggle and given support to build new state and civil society structures in times of transition. The policy is more for more, meaning if a country can absorb more help, then the EU should provide it. Despite its own internal issues, Europe is committed to improved arrangements on trade and the movement of people. Many issues are regional and are being addressed at that level, with the EU working in conjunction with organisations such as the League of Arab States which played a leading role in Libya and is loosely involved in Syria. European foreign ministers have just agreed a work programme with the Arab League which covers many areas, from energy and culture to law and electoral processes. Mr Berger said that progress in the Arab World is likely to have setbacks, just as it had in Europe. Despite the revolutions of 1848, much of Europe was only democratised in 1948, and other parts not until 1989, with the collapse of communism. In Europe, the EU reacted positively to change by supporting progressive and humanitarian forces and seeking to integrate newly democratic states. With the Lisbon Treaty in place and the establishment of the European External Action Service, the EU is able to play a greater role in North Africa and the Middle East. This is valuable in terms of building and strengthening the institutions and infrastructure needed by stable, pluralistic and democratic societies. The EU needs to look at what it can offer democratised Arab states. Options might include a broader European economic space or new customs arrangements. Whatever the case, the EU is committed to being a long-term partner for Arab peoples freedom, dignity and economic prosperity. Mr Berger then took questions from the audience. Professor David Breeze asked what could be done to combat European ideas of Arabs being other or even bogeymen. Mr Berger said that Europe needs to recognise that there are fewer differences between peoples aspirations than it imagines. Asked about Europe and the Palestinians, Mr Berger said Europe has given assistance to the Palestinian Authority, which has allowed progress towards recognition of statehood. The commitment is to recognise statehood when appropriate the difficulty being disagreements over timing. On supporting access to education and financing social development, Mr Berger said that these are areas where the EU is active, but which will suffer due to budget cuts. Mr Berger was asked if oil explained why Europe swiftly intervened in Libya but not in Syria. He responded that Russian and Chinese concerns about regime change had to be taken into account. Also, the Libyan opposition had been coherent from an early stage whereas it has, until recently, been fragmented in Syria.

Session 2 His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan Bin Talal The post-World War I attempts to create a settlement in what is often called the Middle East have failed. New thinking is needed which recognises the pluralism of Western Asia and North Africa as a diverse region incorporating Arab Muslim and non-Arab Muslim nations, such as Israel. Commenting on progress towards greater freedoms in the Arab World, Prince El Hassan said that in 2009 he chaired the Arab Thought Forum, which welcomed participants from many countries to discuss the compatibility of democracy and Islam. A number of them are now in power and some are bringing change. Prince El Hassan criticised Western views of the pace of change: I did rather smart at the European Councils report on how Jordan is not fulfilling the promises of reform the promises started in 2009 before the Arab Spring process and the reality is that the street protests actually delayed the process of reform that was being envisaged by the leadership not only of Jordan but of the Arab World. The reforms were to bring about integrated rather than piecemeal change. The Arab Spring has brought some progress, but Prince El Hassan said the attitudes of some from the West have been disquieting. He was visited by a leading European ambassador who said we have done it in Tunis, we have done it in Libya, we have done it in Egypt. This, said the prince, missed the whole point that it was Arabs had brought change for themselves. Despite positive developments in some countries, Prince El Hassan believes the Arab World faces many dangers and that the momentum is towards mutually assured destruction, when the goal should be mutually assured survival. The region is caught between two right wing realities which threaten the advance of reform. The first is that the Gulf oil states are not keen on change and their Western allies are reluctant to push them. The second reality is that the current Israeli government is only interested in the traditional lament of we are surrounded by enemies an argument he hoped had been disposed of some time ago. The Prince highlighted Irans nuclear status as an area of concern and expressed regret at the US cancellation of a planned Helsinki Process meeting. He added that during a visit to Tehran, for a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement, he made some unpopular statements on nuclear issues, but rather than being dismissed they sparked serious discussion. Prince El Hassan described Syria as being the centre of a proxy war between rich and ignorant protagonists on the so-called Sunni side (though their interest is political not religious) against forces aligned with Iran who want to maintain an axis of power between Iraq, Iran, Syria and Lebanon. At the same time, there is a growing struggle for water resources. This, the Prince fears, has the potential to bring regional nuclear war. While the search for democratisation, human rights and dignity are of fundamental importance, Europe has put economic interests first. The West has benefited from huge military contracts with Arab countries, when what is needed is a plan for the equitable sharing of water blue peace.

Europe, according to the Prince, often fails to understand the nature of the challenges facing the Arab World for example, the impact on stability of 26 million refugees and displaced people. He called on the USA to look towards the Arab World in a spirit of partnership and for moves towards a CSCME (Conference for Security and Co-operation in the Middle East). The Prince advocated an end to local axes of power and a move towards a Benelux solution of intra-independence you may be a small country or you may be a large country, but you recognise my right to express an opinion. In addition, he called for the establishment of a regional bank for reconstruction and development that would make use of some of the regions wealth to put a smile on the face of every Somali child, and every child for that matter, whether Muslim or nonMuslim. This would help pull the rug from under the feet of extremists who point to the ungenerosity of the regions rulers to argue that they are unfit to rule. Beyond this, Prince El Hassan argued that paternalistic generosity is not the answer to the regions needs; a social charter is required to empower all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, faith or gender. This must be accompanied by rights-based measures to address the needs of all people. The region faces challenges from two sources, extremism and oil. Neither benefits the ordinary people, or the children, of the Arab World. Prince El Hassan said that all our efforts must be to secure their future and to ensure that human dignity is the way forward. Prince El Hassan then took questions from the audience. Asked if there was a need to promote greater understanding through education at all levels, the Prince said it is sad that more is not done to celebrate the material culture and intellectual contributions that North Africa and West Asia have made to the world. One sign of progress is that students from the West are learning Arabic and developing an understanding not just of the spoken word but also the idiom. Giles Cunningham asked what the Prince believed will happen to Syria. He suggested that if the regime loses Damascus, it will retrench in the north of the country, which is home to a Kurdish population that is regarded as a potential threat by Turkey. Ultimately, a negotiated settlement is essential.

Sessions 35 The next sessions saw speakers deliver three short talks. The audience then separated for roundtable discussions and the results were fed back to the entire conference. 3. Civil Society Andreu Claret Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Foundation, based in Alexandria Western approaches to the Arab World are evolving positively a few years ago, a conference of this kind would have started with religion not civil society. This is partly the result of the new perceptions generated by the Arab Spring and the appreciation of the diversity and complexity of these societies. Civil society has been critical in the development of many European countries, from the emergence of Spain from dictatorship to the downfall of communism in the east. Social movements have also proved crucial in toppling autocratic regimes in Arab countries.

But there are differences between European and Arab civil society. Arab civil society tends to be weaker and is divided on religious lines. It also suffers through the lack of democratic tradition, which makes it better at opposing things than proposing solutions. For effective civil society to develop, organisations must arise to champion social issues of every kind from jobs to traffic or planning. This can only happen where partnerships with the administration can be built with authority. For example Alexandria has no mayor, and has no elected city council, meaning the channels for debate and changes are limited. Situations and traditions differ between countries, and change is deeper rooted in some than others, so the prospects for strong civil society vary. However, Mr Claret said, they can only ever thrive given certain preconditions. These are freedom of association and movement, the consolidation of democratic culture and the capacity to overcome the divisions between secular and religious-orientated organisations. Finally, European governments and civil society organisations should provide support and build partnerships with European no-gos. Geraldine Prince asked if twinning still has value. Mr Claret said that where the relationships have depth they are excellent, and suggested that Edinburgh could contribute much to the development of Alexandria. Prince El Hassan offered, in his capacity as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Alexandria Library, to help the building of a new partnership with Edinburgh and asked for a position paper to be produced. Roundtable discussion One of the prime concerns was whether civil society could be an effective force for the equitable distribution of water resources, especially between Israel and the Palestinians. It emerged that there are already discussions between Israelis and Palestinians and Jordanians at civil society level, aimed at tackling the problem. The group looked at whether Arab civil society (with particular reference to the status of women) has the strength to influence those in power. There was a recognition that women were very much at the fore of Arab Spring uprisings and that in some countries women are taking a prominent role in setting a new agenda. Looking to the future, it was suggested that one of the most important measures of the success of the Arab Spring will be the extent to which it advances the position of women. Turning to what Europe could learn from Arab civil society, it was agreed that the use of social media has offered valuable lessons in how to link and mobilise people. Questions remain, however, on how social media can be used to involve people in building open and plural democracies rather than being seen just as a tool of opposition. Discussion took place on whether an Islamic underpinning of Arab civil society and its organisations made them fundamentally different to those in Europe. Research by the Anna Lindh Foundation suggests that the aims and values of Arab and European citizens are quite similar; however, their mutual perceptions are distorted by deeplyrooted stereotypes. Religion is more significant in some Arab countries than others, but all have a broad and complex range of outlooks. Religion is of immense importance in the Middle East, not only for Muslims, but also for most of the Christian minorities. An initiative such as Young Arab Voices, carried out by the Anna Lindh Foundation and the British Council shows how effectively people can be brought together from across religious divides to learn from and understand each other. It was asserted that European views of Arab societies are becoming more sophisticated and that colonial stereotypes are fading.

 The value of cultural exchanges and sister city arrangements was explored in depth. The view was expressed that exchanges should be used to allow people to find out more about each other and to share experiences, when intercultural dialogue is conceived as bringing people together for sharing answers to common challenges.

4. Structures of Government Dr Malik Dahlan Principal and Chief Lawyer, the Institution Quraysh for Law and Policy Dr Dahlan speculated that the Middle Easts redefinition as West Asia may reflect a disappointment with relations with Europe, and be a source of new hope about the possibilities from new partnerships in Asia. Like Europe a century ago, the Arab countries are in turmoil and face towering questions of legitimacy. Also like Europe, Those who stood to benefit were weary, those who suffered stood restless, empires anxious humanity needed a self-definition in a new age. In the aftermath of World War II, he added, Europe needed firm commitment to good governance and the rule of law. This is what the Arab World needs now. Dr Dahlan argued that the rule of law is the essence of a free and fair society without this most basic of guarantees, nothing can prosper. He quoted former Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord Wolfe, as saying that it is the rule of law which prevents democracy from descending into elected dictatorship and added that the last few weeks in Egypt underlined this reality. Political Islam has dominated the post-revolutionary Arab political environment. Together with many other factors, this is bringing intensive struggles for legitimacy and authority. What is clear is that without the rule of law, it will be difficult to achieve prosperity, stability and peace. Dr Dahlan asserted that this is achievable, as there is no contradiction between Islamic governance and the rule of law. Dr Dahlan discussed the value of a region-wide approach to governance and the tackling of endemic social and economic problems. At the same time, he acknowledged that the past is littered with failed examples of schemes for Arab co-operation. A key factor would be flexibility (helping avoid problems such as those faced by the Eurozone) and openness to non-regional involvement by countries such as China and the US. Such a structure, he believes, would ease the fraught problems of forging links with Israel. But it is only once the rule of law is established that the foundations will be in place for progress towards prosperity, stability and peace. International relations are also vital and it may be that the Arab World cannot wait for Europe to resolve its internal problems and will have to look eastward for partnerships instead. Roundtable discussion Europes motives for seeking stability in the Arab World came under scrutiny, with questions asked about whether it is being neo-colonial. Discussion also took place on whether the desire for democratic governance is simply based on the idea that everyone should behave like Europe. The hope was expressed that Europe has a genuine desire to share experience. It was said that the Arab Spring is, for many, as important as the fall of the Berlin Wall and that those who fought hardest were the young. This raises the question of whether

the revolutions are now being stolen from the young and whether supposedly democratic mechanisms are now being used to deny the revolutionaries the freedoms and opportunities for which they struggled. There was discussion about the urgent desire among many young Arabs to be free from the oppression, both of tyrannical laws and of social structures, that prevents their access to education and economic opportunity. Their struggle is often for the chance to realise their own potential. For those involved in the recent uprisings, the central political concern is frequently the illegitimacy of tyrannical regimes. It was recognised that the institutions of democracy are not enough to guarantee freedom Hitler won power through the ballot box. Nor is there only one valid form of democratic freedom monarchies can co-exist with elected government. The rule of law, defined as life under known laws which are impartially administered, was seen as a foundation stone of freedom that must be in place for Arab countries to achieve democracy, peace and stability. However, the law itself must be legitimate, and protect minorities as well as majorities. If the West genuinely wants to help, it was agreed, the first step must be to listen to what Arab peoples want.

5. Sustainable and Equitable Economic Development Tarek El Sherbini Senior Banker, Acting Director for Jordan and Egypt, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). While the EBRD was created to help former Soviet Bloc economies make the transition to democracy and market economies, Mr El Sherbini said that four years ago he started an initiative to spread its activities to the Arab World. The Arab Spring gave the idea a major political push. The EU currently identifies Jordan, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia as countries in transition. The EBRD aims to help countries achieve their goals in promoting sustainable and equitable growth. According to Mr El Sherbini, this is a challenge that no country has truly met. Governments tend to focus on growth of any kind rather than on equitable distribution, and the world has had experience of the stultifying effect of communist attempts at imposed redistribution. A hybrid strategy of growth and equality is key. In the Arab countries where revolutions broke out in 2011, there had been a long build up of economic disparities. In Tunisia, this was between coast and interior; in Egypt, between the north, south and Sinai and also between upper and lower social classes. Prosperity went to the already wealthy, leaving the poor worse off than before. The high price of education reinforced social division. The situation was unsustainable. Prosperity, argued Mr El Sherbini, can only be won through productivity and competitiveness. Debt-fuelled growth will also fail. Sustainable prosperity demands longterm investment. Growth also needs to be balanced across sectors, rather than dependent on natural resources or tourism. Corruption must be tackled top down, because it diverts wealth to the rich and puts off investors. If there is one thing the Arab Spring should bring, it is the reduction and eventual elimination of the corruption that has plagued many countries in the Arab World. Education has to be reformed and must meet market needs, providing for students according to their ability and training them for roles the economy needs. Geographical inequalities also need to be addressed.

International organisations and donors can help build equitable and sustainable growth. Advice and assistance on policy and regulation is of value, as is training and mentoring. Investment and donor aid need to be targeted for effectiveness this means supporting critical areas such as SMEs and infrastructure. Sustainable and equitable growth are now a necessity, not an option the more time that passes, the more upheaval will take place. Prince El Hassan followed Mr El Sherbinis talk by advocating the need for a regional cohesion fund and a social charter. He referred to earlier failed proposals for a fund intended to allow 24 nations to build their economies and provide opportunities for their citizens imagine how many lives would have been saved and how many revolutions would have been less bloody, if they had to be bloody at all. He envisaged three sources of funding to build a more equitable and sustainable future Europe, the emerging powers such as China and the Gulf oil states. Roundtable discussion The EU, it was suggested, may be well suited as a development partner for the Arab World, as it combines the resources, expertise and skills of all its members. Concern was expressed about whether the Arab World is a useful concept, given the size, complexity and diversity of the region. Europe faces a challenge of overcoming Arab scepticism about its commitment as a partner and there is a sense that it has made many promises which have gone unfulfilled. There was agreement that economic development is predicated on education and there is a huge problem that this is not equitably delivered in any Arab country. With little state-funded tertiary education, universities are the province of the rich. University education is needed that provides for economic need and, in some countries, attitudes need to be changed, so that different careers and professions become more respected. Economic support needs to be accompanied by advice and support, with an emphasis on developing SMEs (perhaps small business guarantee schemes) large companies have the capacity to find their own way. It was noted that after unrest there are three waves of investment. The first provides emergency support, the second is from institutions such as the IMF to help with stabilisation. It is the third, from private sources, which is now essential to Arab countries. Such investors are risk averse and need to be sure of long-term stability.

Conclusions Professor Suleiman provided a summing up of the conference, saying it had achieved much. He said that Europe should not be frightened of involvement with the Arab World in case it is seen as neo-colonialism. It is reasonable, he added, for European and Arab countries to view each other with enlightened self-interest. Europe is an actor in the world and must choose how to engage. It needs to recognise and support the political, social, economic and democratic dignity of the Arab peoples. There is a great deal of room for mutual benefit if the parties behave with common respect. Beyond dealing with peoples and nations, Europe must also built constructive relationships with regional bodies such as the Arab League, which is once again becoming a potent force.

European good intentions are not enough and there need to be new tools and instruments for change. One of the most important shifts that Europe can make is from policies that are reactive to ones that are proactive and get ahead of crises. Professor Suleiman said civil society is crucial to the future of the Arab World. It provides the opportunity for people to work with government, but also with each other. Importantly, there is enormous potential for civil society organisations from different Arab countries to collaborate with one another and with their European counterparts. Democracy is not simply political, but also cultural. But cultural democracy demands appropriate legal frameworks. There are signs that these are developing but it is a difficult birth. Civil society organisations need to move from being powers of opposition to becoming engines of progress the sources of positive ideas and plans for progress. And to make a real difference, and build stronger societies, groups of all kinds must open dialogues with others with opposing and different views. The rule of law is of great importance and is compatible with the spirit of Sharia, which is intended as a path of moral living. Professor Suleiman pointed to the value of work being undertaken to meld the values of Sharia with the rule of law. There is a need for financial and social capital to be invested over the long term, in order to achieve the great moral objectives of sustainable and equitable economic development. Education, knowledge and skills transfers can be a great help. But the Arab World also needs to develop higher education institutions with a new ethos, so they are places of trust and freedom where responsibility is delegated. Finally, the Professor said the conference had demonstrated the willingness that exists for co-operation between Europe and the Arab World. He said it is clear that opportunities for great progress are now opening up and that that they should be seized by Arabs and Europeans alike time is short and the window could soon close again. A Vote of Thanks to all the participants and sponsors was offered by John Brand, Chairman, European Movement in Scotland.

Opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of the RSE, nor of its Fellows The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotlands National Academy, is Scottish Charity No. SC000470