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As of May 2011, annual remittances to the continent of Africa exceeded 40 billion US dollars. According to the World Bank, remittances to sub-Saharan Africa totaled 21.5 billion USD. “Cash backs” from emigrants to the Global South have become essential to local economies. In the case of Somalia, it began […]

Arab  Spring, Act I: the seduction of straightforward revolutions. In December 2010, Mohammed Bouazizi, a street vendor in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, set fire to himself to protest against his treatment by the authorities when he tried to get back the wares they had confiscated. . This self-immolation in the name […]

Are Western democracies a role model for the Arab world? That’s a big question, with several points to consider. One obstacle that must be addressed is what I’ll call activist fatigue. It’s something that has become increasingly evident in the United States over the last few years, and it could […]

Not too many years ago I used to commute regularly with three brothers, all of whom were students in one of the most reputable schools in the city. The eldest was completing his secondary school; the youngest had yet to be initiated into primary education whilst the third brother, sandwiched […]