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.

How to Grow U.S.-GCC Trade, Economic Cooperation, and Investment Opportunities?

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On September 21, 2021, the National Council convened an online program exploring “How to Grow U.S.-GCC Trade, Economic Cooperation, and Investment Opportunities?”

 

 

Joining the program were:

Featured Specialists:

  • Mr. H. Delano Roosevelt, U.S.-Saudi Business Council President and CEO; Former Middle East Council of American Chambers of Commerce Chairman.
  • Mr. Christopher Johnson, Middle East Council of American Chambers of Commerce Chairman; Attorney based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; KKR Saudi Limited Chairman.
  • Mr. Robert Hager, American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar Founding Chairman; Attorney based in Doha, Qatar.
  • Mr. Steve Lutes, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Middle East Affairs.
  • Ms. Sarah Karle, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Director of Middle East Affairs.
  • Ms. Liz Beneski, American Chamber of Commerce in Abu Dhabi Chief Executive Director.
  • Ms. Mary McGinnis, American Chamber of Commerce in Bahrain Executive Director.
  • Mr. Fred Shuaibi, American Business Council of Kuwait Board Member.

Moderator:

  • Mr. Mike Jones, Middle East Council of American Chambers of Commerce Washington, D.C. Representative; Capitol Capital Group, LLC Founding President.

Welcome and Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

“How to Grow U.S.-GCC Trade, Economic Cooperation, and Investment Opportunities?” podcast (.mp3)

Why Egypt Should Be Your Next Destination: A Conversation with H.E. Ghada Shalaby

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On September 9, 2021, the National Council convened an online program, “Why Egypt Should Be Your Next Destination,” to explore Egypt’s vibrant locales and the many renowned sites that showcase its rich cultural heritage.

 

 

Joining the program were:

Featured Specialist:

  • H.E. Ghada Shalaby, Egypt’s Vice Minister for Tourism Affairs at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Welcome:

  • H.E. Motaz Zahran, Ambassador of Egypt to the United States.

Moderator and Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO.

Energy Changes and Transitions: Why, What, Where, Who, How, and Uncertainties

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On August 19, 2021, the National Council convened an online program exploring “Energy Changes and Transitions: Why, What, Where, Who, How, and Uncertainties.”

 

 

Joining the program were:

Featured Specialist:

  • Dr. Paul Sullivan, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Distinguished International Affairs Fellow; King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies Senior Research Associate; Johns Hopkins University Adjunct Professor for Energy and Environmental Security.

Moderator:

  • Mr. David Des Roches, U.S. Department of Defense National Defense University Near East/South Asia Center for Strategic Studies Associate Professor; National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Senior International Affairs Fellow.

Welcome and Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

“Energy Changes and Transitions: Why, What, Where, Who, How, and Uncertainties” podcast (.mp3)

Iran and U.S. Strategy: Looking Beyond the JCPOA

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On July 20, 2021, the National Council convened an online program exploring “Iran and U.S. Strategy: Looking Beyond the JCPOA.”

 

 

Joining the program were:

Featured Specialist:

  • Dr. Anthony H. Cordesman, Center for Strategic and International Studies Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy; Consultant to the U.S. State Department, Defense Department, and intelligence community; Former Office of the Secretary of Defense Director of Intelligence Assessment.

Moderator:

  • Mr. David Des Roches, U.S. Department of Defense National Defense University Near East/South Asia Center for Strategic Studies Associate Professor; National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Senior International Affairs Fellow.

Welcome and Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

“Iran and U.S. Strategy: Looking Beyond the JCPOA” podcast (.mp3)

Focus on the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen

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On June 24, 2021, the National Council and Reconnaissance Research convened an online discussion, “Focus on the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen.”

 

 

Joining the program were:

Featured Specialists:

  • Mr. Timothy A. Lenderking, U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen (February 4, 2021 – Present); Former U.S. Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arabian Peninsula Affairs; Former U.S. Department of State Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  • Ms. Sarah Charles, U.S. Agency for International Development Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance Assistant to the Administrator; Former International Rescue Committee Senior Director for Policy and Advocacy; Former White House National Security Council Director for Humanitarian Affairs, and Director and Acting Senior Director for Strategic Planning.
  • Mr. David Gressly, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen (February 15, 2021 – Present); Former Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Protection and Operations for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Moderator:

  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member; Former U.S. Department of State Senior Military Advisor; Former U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Defense and Army Attaché; HyphenPoint LLC President.

Welcome and Context Providers:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO; Former Fulbright Fellow in the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (1969-1970); Official observer for four of Yemen’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
  • Mr. Abdulaziz M. Al-Anjeri, Reconnaissance Research Founder and CEO.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

“Focus on the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen: A Conversation with Tim Lenderking, Sarah Charles, and David Gressly” podcast (.mp3)

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Kicks Off Its One-Of-A-Kind Summer Educational and Career Exploration Program for Students

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Washington, D.C.: The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations‘ (“National Council”) Annual 10-week University Student Internship and Summer Scholars Program began on May 24, 2021. Keynoting the inaugural session – and serving as the lead lecturer and resource specialist for the duration of the program – was Dr. John Duke Anthony, the National Council’s Founding President and CEO.

Dr. Anthony provided background, context, and perspective regarding the National Council’s vision and educational mission. In addition, he highlighted the Council’s achievements over the course of its 38-year history. This year, 26 students from academic institutions around the globe are participating in the program. A special emphasis and benefit for the participants is the program’s emphasis on leadership development.

The National Council’s 2021 Summer Internship and Scholars Program is being administered entirely online. The rigorous, digitally-driven program and agenda provide a range of rich, beneficial, and career-enhancing opportunities for the participants. This Council initiative provides a fertile educational and training environment for the students. It is an invaluable experience for young leaders interested in pursuits devoted to bridging divides and enhancing the U.S.-Arab relationship.

Academic Seminar

A core component of the summer’s program is a twice-weekly academic seminar. This feature of the experience has the participants interacting with Dr. Anthony and National Council staff plus an array of internationally renowned scholars on the Arab region, the Middle East, and the Islamic world.

In keeping with previous years, the seminar’s substantive focus is mainly on Arabia and the Gulf. Each session examines one or more facets of this sub-region’s governments and politics in addition to its people’s respective needs, concerns, and continuing quests for modernization and development.

The seminar’s emphasis on reading and writing is an integral part of the curriculum. According to Dr. Anthony, “The goal of improving any facet of the Arab-U.S. relationship, and vice versa, cannot be achieved by accident or coincidence. Rather, the demonstration of various skills is required. Among them, three in particular are beneficial: (1) a mastery of the relevant issues, challenges, and opportunities; (2) a capacity to analyze critically; and (3) the talent for effective oral and written communication. One among the benefits that this seminar provides the students is an opportunity to practice and strengthen these skills.”

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Carolinas Committee on U.S.-Arab Relations Spring 2021 “NEWSLINES”

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The Carolinas Committee on U.S.-Arab Relations (CCUSAR), with Dr. Joe P. Dunn serving as Director, is an initiative of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations. Dr. Dunn is an alumnus of the Council’s Malone Fellowship in Arab and Islamic Studies Program, the coordinator of the Southeast Model Arab League conference, and the faculty advisor heading the Converse College Youth Leadership Development / Model Arab League program.

CCUSAR recently published its Spring 2021 “NEWSLINES” newsletter, available for download through the link below.

The issue features:

  • powerful illustrations and testimonials from participants in the National Council’s Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League, sharing how the program impacted them; along with
  • observations on how the Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League adapted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and also
  • a book review of Munther Isaac’s The Other Side of the Wall: A Palestinian Narrative of Lament and Hope.

DOWNLOAD “CCUSAR NEWSLINES (Spring 2021)” [PDF]

Exploring Oman: The Jewel of Arabia

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On April 22, 2021, the National Council convened an online program, “Exploring Oman: The Jewel of Arabia,” as a virtual visit to one of the most historically and culturally rich of all Arab and Islamic societies.

 

 

Joining the program were:

Featured Specialist:

  • Mr. Badar Al Yazeedi, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Cultural Affairs Fellow; Panorama Travels CEO; Oman Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee Member; Oman Tourism Awards Jury Member.

Discussant:

  • Professor Linda Pappas Funsch, Author of Oman Reborn: Balancing Tradition and Modernization; Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center Research Fellow; National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Malone Fellow and International Advisory Board Member.

Welcome and Context Provider:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO; Author, inter alia, of Historical and Cultural Dictionary of The Sultanate of Oman and The Emirates of Eastern Arabia and Arab States of The Lower Gulf: People, Politics, Petroleum.