Author Archives: NCUSAR

Founded in 1983, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (NCUSAR) is a non-profit, non-governmental, educational organization dedicated to improving American awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the Arab world.

Postponement Announcement: February 16 Conference on “U.S.-Libya Relations”

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National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations

and

National Council on U.S. Libya Relations

EVENT POSTPONEMENT – “Libya-U.S. Relations 2017”

Due to events and circumstances beyond the organizers’ and sponsors’ control, the conference on “Libya-U.S. Relations 2017: New Vision, Hope, and Opportunities,” originally scheduled for February 16, 2017, has been postponed.

As a result of Executive Order 13769 of January 27, 2017, which bans Libyan travelers from entering the United States, it will not be feasible for the full complement of speakers, sponsors, and guests to be in Washington, D.C., for the event as originally planned. In the interest of maximizing conference participants’ benefit in exploring current and future political, security, oil and gas, healthcare, and infrastructure investment issues in Libya – as well as the future of U.S.-Libya relations – a new date for the conference will be announced soon.

Thank you for your patience as the conference organizers and sponsors work to set a new date for the event. Many have recognized the importance of this conference and there appears to be political will to enable it to succeed. Conference organizers and sponsors hope to have an update on the conference status within the next two weeks.

If you have already registered for the conference, your registration will be applied to the new conference date. Refunds are available but individuals are encouraged to await developments regarding conference rescheduling before making a refund request.

Should you have any further questions, please contact Ms. Rihab Elhaj at relhaj@ncuslr.org or Dr. Hani Shennib at hshennib@mail.com.

“Libya-U.S. Relations 2017: New Vision, Hope, and Opportunities” **Conference Postponed**

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and

Invite you to attend a full-day conference:

Libya-U.S. Relations 2017
New Vision, Hope, and Opportunities

Date TBD*

*Due to events and circumstances beyond the organizers’ and sponsors’ control, the conference on “Libya-U.S. Relations 2017: New Vision, Hope, and Opportunities,” originally scheduled for February 16, 2017, has been postponed. A new date for the conference will be announced soon.

Pavilion Room
Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center
Washington, DC

Featured Speakers Include:

“Oil & Gas in Libya: from Trepidations to Exhilaration?” “What Went Wrong in Libya: Reflections from the Top” “What Went Wrong in Libya: Reflections from the Top”
Mr. Mustafa Sanalla
Chairman of the National Oil Corporation (Libya)		 H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Jebril
Former Prime Minister of Libya		 H.E. Ali Zeidan
Former Prime Minister of Libya

 

“Private-Public Joint Enterprises and Investment in Libya” “Fate of the U.N. Sponsored Agreement in Libya” “The Humanitarian and Health Crisis in Libya: Magnitude and Needed Measures”
Fawzi Farkash
Chairman, Libya Investment Authority		 Jonathan Winer
Special Envoy for Libya, U.S. Department of State		 Dr. Syed Jaffar Hussain
Representative & Head of Mission, World Health Organization for Libya, U.N. Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Libya

 

“The Trump Administration Perspective on Libya: Considerations and Expectations” “Mapping Investments in Libya: Opportunities and Challenges” “The Central Bank of Libya: Walking a Fine Line”
Dr. Walid Phares
Foreign Policy Advisor to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Campaign 2016, author, consultant and commentator on Middle Eastern affairs and global terrorism		 Mohamed Mohamed Ben Yousef
General Manager, Libyan Foreign Bank		 Ali Hebri
Governor, Central Bank of Libya

 

“Economic and Security Implications of Libyan Instability on its Neighbors” “Social Capital & Nation Building in Libya: A Bottom Up Approach and Role of Women” “Congress and Libya: How Will Future Policy on Libya be Shaped?”
Dr. Gawdat Bahgat
Professor of National Security Affairs, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University		 Zahra Langhi
Chairperson, Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace		 Mr. Christopher Blanchard
Middle East Analyst, Congressional Research Service

 

“Chasing ISIS and its Allies Across Libya: How to Secure the Country” “Rebuilding the Libyan Economy & Investment Opportunities” (MODERATOR) “How Significant is Libyan Oil & Gas to Loco-regional and Global Security?”
Col. Wolfgang Pusztai
Chairman of the Advisory Board, National Council on U.S. Libya Relations, and Former Defense Attaché, Austrian Ministry of Defense		 The Hon. David Mack
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, U.S. Department of State		 Dr. Paul Sullivan
Professor of Economics, National Defense University, and Senior International Affairs Fellow, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations

Along with other distinguished specialists. Full agenda announced soon.

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Twenty-First Annual Oman Cultural Immersion Program — February 22 – March 8, 2017

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Applications Now Being Accepted for the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’

Twenty-First Annual Oman Cultural Immersion Program

February 22 – March 8, 2017

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations is pleased to offer, through its Joseph J. Malone Fellowship in Arab and Islamic Studies Program, the Twenty-First Annual Oman Cultural Immersion study visit to the Sultanate of Oman, February 24 – March 8, 2017. Fellows are required to participate in and complete a pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C. to be held on February 22-23. This unique opportunity will provide a privileged first hand exposure to one of the Arab world’s most demographically, geographically, and socially diverse countries.

The National Council is currently accepting applications to participate in this study visit. APPLY NOW!

MALONE FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION

American professionals in academia, government, the military, non-governmental organizations, business, religious institutions, the media, civic associations, as well as the fine arts, humanities, and the social sciences are invited to apply.

The Twenty-First Annual Oman Cultural Immersion study visit will provide participants an educational experience that few Westerners and even fewer Americans have had. The program is choreographed to provide Malone Fellows an unparalleled diverse exposure to Oman — one of the most historically and culturally rich of all Arab and Islamic societies. Until relatively recent times, the Sultanate languished in its status as one of the most forgotten corners of all Arabia. Anyone in doubt about the extraordinary opportunity that being able to visit Oman in this manner presents need only consult any of the several National Geographic Magazine features on the country in the past two decades.

End Pictures: inlaid Islamic niches at the Grand Mosque in Oman’s Capital Territory; Middle Pictures: Bedouin Omani girls in the Sharqiyyah Sands.

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NCUSAR’s Summer 2017 Washington, DC Internship Program – Applications Due February 24

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Washington, DC Summer Internship Program
May 30 – August 4, 2017

NCUSAR Washington, DC Summer Internship Program

[Download PDF Brochure]

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ Washington, DC Summer Internship Program offers undergraduate and graduate students a ten-week professional, academic, and career opportunity internship in the nation’s capital. The program features a demanding mix of professional involvement, intellectual challenge, career exploration, and cultural encounters designed to provide interns with a rich and varied experience during their time in Washington.

  • Professional work experience: Interns are placed with one of over a dozen Near East and Arab world-related organizations in Washington, D.C., where they are expected to work 35-40 hours per week under the direct supervision of their host organizations.
  • Academic seminars: Interns take part in twice-weekly seminar sessions designed to provide them with greater depth of knowledge about the Arab world, to underscore the cultural, economic, and political diversity of Arab states, and to explore the intricacies of Arab-U.S. relations. There will be a particular emphasis, though not exclusively, on Arabia and the Gulf.
  • Site visits: Interns receive a behind-the-scenes look at many of the central institutions of federal government, national security policymaking, international diplomacy, and international business.

NCUSAR Washington, DC Summer Internship Program

About the Program

The National Council’s Summer Internship Program offers professional work experiences combined with twice-weekly evening seminars that bring academic experts and experienced foreign policy practitioners to meet with the interns in candid off-the-record discussions and dynamic question-and-answer sessions. Its objectives are:

  1. to provide a realistic Washington, D.C. work experience that will pave the way to career development;
  2. to offer interns firsthand exposure to the foreign policy analysis and advocacy processes in Washington, D.C.;
  3. to incorporate a strong academic component focusing on U.S. political, economic, and cultural relations with Arabia and the Gulf region;
  4. to help participants begin the process of career networking by introducing them to working professionals in government, business, journalism, and NGOs; and,
  5. to highlight the wide range of career opportunities awaiting those who aspire to work in the field of U.S.-Arab relations, as well as to provide counseling on graduate school and fellowship application processes.

As complements to the program, interns will also be exposed to D.C. in a less formal manner via films, cultural events, embassy and museum visits, off-the-record conversations with former diplomats, group dinners, and suggestions for exploring the sights and sounds of Washington, D.C. This allows students to not only experience working in the city, but also encourages them to appreciate the experience of living in a diverse urban environment, and to take advantage of the exciting cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities available in the nation’s capital.

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Listen to the 2016 Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

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Complete audio recordings from the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ 2016 Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, “The Next U.S. Presidency and U.S.-Arab Relations: Probabilities, Possibilities, Potential Pitfalls,” are now available from the Council. Listen to and download each session below, or visit the National Council’s podcast feed through iTunes or FeedBurner to access recordings from the conference along with other Council programs.

2016 Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

Visit the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations in iTunes.