Rather than pursuing a programme of direct involvement, Britain should seek a low profile in Yemen and encourage other Arab states to use their ‘soft power’ to encourage political and economic reforms. Recent political developments in Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world, unthinkable even six months ago have resonated across the entire region. While the UK and the West may seek to encourage democratic reforms in other countries such as Yemen, Nima Khorrami Assl writes that a more active and engaging foreign policy in this area may in fact have the opposite effect to what is intended. The fall of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak has resonated across the Arab world, and in particular among young Middle Easterners, the majority of whom have lived under authoritarian rule for their entire lives. Underlying causes of unrest – inflation, unemployment, social injustice, and a lack of political liberty – are virtually present in all other Arab nations, and thus there is a growing concern among Arab and Western commentators alike about the possibility of another regime fall and the extent to which the current instability could be exploited by radical Islamists.
Credit: FCO (CC) Turkey, Saudi Arabia continue talks to lift visas | Diplomacy. The Turkish premier called on Sunday Saudi Arabian companies to make investments in Turkey. Speaking at the Jeddah Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the reforms carried out in Turkey as well as the country's active policies in the international arena contributed both to Turkey's and the region's prosperity. Erdogan said Turkey's national income had grown by more than 3 times in the last 8 years and reached 730 billion USD, while the country's exports had increased to 132 billion USD in 2008 and amounted to 114 billion USD during the global economic crisis. Pointing to the decline in inflation and interest rates as well, Erdogan said the improvement in economy had reflections in Turkey's transportation, energy, agriculture, public works, education, health, justice and security infrastructure, and the biggest investments of the history of the Republic had been carried out in the recent term.
Egyptian women protesters forced to take ‘virginity tests’ Follow the Arab World Protests Online. 2010–2011 Middle East and North Africa protests. The protests have shared some techniques of civil resistance in sustained campaigns involving strikes, demonstrations, marches, and rallies, as well as the effective use of social media[20][21] to organize, communicate, and raise awareness in the face of state attempts at repression and Internet censorship.[22][23] Many Arab Spring demonstrations have been met with violent responses from authorities,[24][25][26] as well as from pro-government militias and counter-demonstrators.
These attacks have been answered with violence from protestors in some cases.[27][28][29] A major slogan of the demonstrators in the Arab world has been Ash-sha`b yurid isqat an-nizam ("the people want to bring down the regime").[30] Etymology[edit] The term "Arab Spring" is an allusion to the Revolutions of 1848, which is sometimes referred to as "Springtime of the People", and the Prague Spring in 1968. Background[edit] Causes[edit] Recent history[edit] Overview[edit] Summary of conflicts by country[edit]