Speakers
Mehdi Hassan
Award-winning Journalist, Broadcaster, Author, and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Zeteo
Yasmin El-Gamal
Former Pentagon Middle East Advisor; Distinguished National Security Expert, Podcast Host, Middle East Analyst, Media Commentator and Mental Health Advocate
Nader Hashemi
Director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and an Associate Professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
Josh Paul
Co-Founder and Director, A New Policy; Former Director of Congressional and Public Affairs for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, US Department of State
Mona Yacoubian
Director and Senior Adviser of the Middle East Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Additional speakers to be announced
About the Conference
Arab Center Washington DC’s 10th Annual Conference will critically examine the policies of the second Trump administration toward the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and their implications for democracy, human rights, international law, and regional stability. The conference will situate these policies within broader global debates on authoritarianism, self-determination, and the rule of law, with attention to their impact on both local populations and international norms.
In the first six months of President Donald J. Trump’s second administration, US policy toward the MENA region has combined elements of continuity with striking departures. These include closer security and economic cooperation with authoritarian governments, recalibrated approaches to US force posture, developments in key bilateral relationships, shifts in US sanctions and aid policies, and evolving policies toward conflict zones. These developments raise pressing questions about the prospects for democratic governance, accountability for human rights violations, adherence to international humanitarian law, and the future of constructive US involvement in the region.
This half-day conference convenes leading scholars, policy experts, and prominent voices on MENA politics to assess the administration’s early decisions, explore their legal and normative dimensions, and develop informed, realistic policy recommendations. The conference also marks Arab Center Washington DC’s 10th anniversary, and to commemorate this milestone, the program will feature a special anniversary luncheon with a cultural program and awards ceremony honoring contributions to academic scholarship, advancements in media and information, and the promotion of democracy and human rights in the Arab world.
Featured image credit: Flickr/The White House
