The Global Eye : Adel Abdel Ghafar

Millions of Egyptians took to the streets in January 2011 chanting “‘ish, hurriyya, ‘adalah ijtima‘iyya,” or bread, freedom, and social justice. This simple chant captured protestors’ desire for a new Egypt defined by economic, political, and social change. Five years later, however, the attainment of those demands seems more elusive than ever. In the economic sphere, Egypt still faces the major challenge of high unemployment, particularly among educated youth. Why do so many of Egypt’s young university graduates struggle to find employment?

http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2016/07/27-unemployment-in-egypt-ghafar

Monday, 30 May 2016

The lost generation: Children in conflict zones (Adel Abdel Ghafar, Fraus Masri, Al Jazeera)

Increased funding could build temporary schools, revitalise the curriculum, and train more teachers to handle the influx of children, write Ghafar and Masri [Reuters]

A catastrophic by-product of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East is a lost generation of unschooled children. These children find themselves, through no fault of their own, not only displaced but lacking the opportunity for proper schooling and thus, denied a chance to learn and develop the necessary skills to become fully functional members of society. This lost generation is the tragedy of our time

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2016/05/lost-generation-children-conflict-zones-160523131951007.html

Thursday, 12 May 2016

Saudi Arabia's McKinsey reshuffle (Adel Abdel Ghafar, Brookings)

Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looks at a document as Saudi Arabia's cabinet agrees to implement a broad reform plan known as Vision 2030 in Riyadh, April 25, 2016. To match Insight SAUDI-PLAN/PRINCE Saudi Press Agency/Handout/File Photo via REUTERS

Saudi Arabians woke up over the weekend to a once-in-a-decade cabinet reshuffle. Octogenarian oil minister Ali al-Naimi, who has been in charge of the Kingdom’s energy policy since 1995, was replaced by Khaled al-Falih, who is to head the newly created Energy, Industry, and Natural Resources Ministry. Majed al-Qusaibi was named head of the newly created Commerce and Investment Ministry. Finally, Ahmed al-Kholifey was made governor of the Saudi Arabia’s Central Bank (SAMA). It may come as a surprise to many Saudis that the origin of this reshuffle—and indeed the Kingdom’s new economic direction—finds its impetus in a report by the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, commissioned by the Kingdom.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/05/11-saudi-arabia-cabinet-reshuffle-abdelghafar