Former Economy and Trade Minister for Qatar discusses the impact of the Arab Spring in his new book
In The Arab Spring and the Gulf States, Mohamed A. J. Althani, a former minister in the Qatari government, analyses the domestically important areas of demography, security, provision of food and water, and the political and economic systems of the Arab countries at the centre of the turmoil that has spread throughout the region, from Tunisia and Egypt to Libya and Syria, since early 2011.
The most important issue for people in the Gulf region is whether their country is heading in the right direction for its system of governance to become durable and sustainable, fully supported by its people and capable of being defended from internal and external threats. Sheikh Mohamed A. J. Al Thani as the Qatari Minister for Economy and Trade from 2004 to 2006.
As the Arab spring’s unprecedented popular uprisings with their demands for freedom and an end to tyranny continue to grip the attention of the world, the author’s inside-track knowledge of the Arab ruling elites has acquired a new and compelling urgency. To ensure a stable and prosperous future for their countries, Arab leaders should learn from recent events and accept the need to change. The goal should be greater freedom, greater democracy, greater private sector involvement in the economy, and effective protection of people’s rights under the law.
An excerpt from Sheikh Mohamed A. J. Althani’s book The Arab Spring and the Gulf States
‘Arab men and women need to believe that they are born free and will remain free to think, live, choose the life they like and say what they like – and will be rewarded for hard work within an effective institutional system that meets their expectations and protects their rights. If this does not happen, I do not see a stable future ahead….’
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