Middle East Dossier

How do we explain the rise and fall of neo-Ottoman Turkey? Dr Serkan Yolaçan suggests shifting our focus from Erdogan to two ideologically distinct networks of the Anatolian Tigers and Fethullah Gülen in this lecture of the ME 101 series held on 16 October. 

The current tech revolution is different from previous ones, argues Professor Eugene Kandel, CEO of Start-up Nation Central and former head of Israel’s National Economic Council. Find out how small advanced economies like Singapore and Israel can deal with today's uncertainties and future challenges in this year's S R Nathan Distinguished Lecture held on 17 October.

A robust private sector is crucial to achieve broad-based economic growth in the Middle East, argues Ms Rana Karadsheh, Regional Industry Director, Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services, Asia Pacific for the International Finance Corporation (IFC). In this ME 101 lecture, Ms Karadsheh discusses key challenges and mitigation in the Middle East, as well as potential technological opportunities to improve competitiveness in the region.

With China projected to surpass the United States as Israel’s top source of foreign direct investment in the near future, Israel, a key US ally in the Middle East, will face high stakes and hard choices as relations between the two giants become increasingly contentious. In this lecture, Dr Mercy Kuo discusses the strategic relevance of Israel’s role in US–China relations.

The role of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Gulf has been a topic that has become increasing polarising. In this lecture, Dr Courtney Freer examines the specific functions and ideologies of Muslim Brotherhood affiliates in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, as well as the ways in which they differ from Brotherhood affiliates elsewhere.

Iran will hold legislative (2020) and presidential elections (2021) under heavy unilateral sanctions imposed by the US after withdrawing from the JCPOA. The processes will serve to measure the capacity of the current pragmatic-reformist governmental coalition to remain in power in the midst of heightened international, regional and domestic tensions, resulting from the latest developments in the Persian Gulf waters, and the demonstrations taking place in Iran after the elimination of fuel subsidies. The talk featured in this episode addresses the current factional scheme, the future prospects in face of the upcoming electoral processes, and the possible implications for Iranian foreign policy.

Beating the Odds Together is a book jointly published by the Middle East Institute at National University of Singapore and World Scientific Publishing to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Israel. Singapore's former Foreign Minister George Yeo, who wrote a chapter, officiated the book launch at The Arts House on 9 December. 

Beating the Odds Together is a book jointly published by the Middle East Institute at National University of Singapore and World Scientific Publishing to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Israel. Israel's ambassador to Singapore, His Excellency Sagi Karni, spoke at the book launch at The Arts House on 9 December. 

The fundamental shifts in the global environment have vast impact on how lessons from East Asia can be applied to the Middle East, says Guest of Honour, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Singapore's senior minister and coordinating minister for social policies, at the MEI Annual Conference on 15 January 2020.

Delivering the first keynote speech at MEI’s Annual Conference, HE Nabil Fahmy, former Egyptian foreign minister, argues that Middle Eastern states must overcome foreign interference in the Middle East by taking charge of their own future in order to resolve the troubled affairs of their countries. He also talks about the three key challenges which he foresees will pose a threat to the stability of the region in the coming years.