Project on Middle East Democracy

Project on Middle East Democracy
Founded 2006 (2006)[1]
Type 501(c)(3) non-profit[2]
Focus Supporting democratic reform in the Middle East and North Africa.
Location
Method Research and advocacy
Key people
 Stephen McInerney (Executive Director)
Website POMED website

The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to examining how genuine democracies can develop in the Middle East and how the United States can best support that process. Through dialogue, research, and advocacy, POMED works to strengthen the constituency for U.S. policies that peacefully support democratic reform in the Middle East.

History

In 2004, a small group of graduate students at Georgetown University began meeting regularly to discuss the need for a stronger voice in Washington in support of democratic principles in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The group was driven by a firm belief that the advancement of democratic values is not only in the interest of the region's citizens, but also very much in the strategic interests of the United States.

In 2006, this group formally established the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) to help fill gaps it had identified: to inform the Washington policy community on key political developments in the MENA region and the impact of U.S. policy on the prospects for genuine democratic change; to carry out sustained advocacy on behalf of greater U.S. support for democratic values; and to help broaden U.S. engagement beyond relationships with the region's governments and narrow set of traditional elites.

Since that time, POMED has also grown to help build the capacity of dozens of independent civil society organizations in the MENA region that wish to play the same role locally that POMED plays in Washington—of undertaking independent research and analysis, generating independent recommendations for policy, and carrying out advocacy to advance those recommendations.

Principles

POMED asserts:

  • Democracy is an inalienable right. Every political community has the right to govern itself democratically through free, fair, and open processes and institutions.
  • Democracy functions differently in every country in which it is practiced. This diversity is a central reason why democracy is a universal value and can be adopted successfully by any society. Each country’s citizens, through deliberative processes, have the right to determine the specific nature of their democracy.
  • America’s fundamental values call for the United States to support democracy. The United States was founded on the principles of democratic governance and freedom of expression, yet its policy towards the Middle East has often sacrificed democracy at the altar of other interests. To be true to its founding principles, the United States must consistently and credibly support democracy abroad.
  • Supporting democracy in the Middle East and North Africa is in the long-term interest of the United States. Continued support for the Middle East’s authoritarian status quo will jeopardize American national security and economic interests. While genuinely promoting democracy requires the courage to bear short-term risks, free and open political processes will ultimately reduce incentives to resort to violence.
  • The United States cannot be neutral on democracy in the Middle East. The billions of dollars the United States provides to Middle Eastern governments each year in military aid and economic assistance reflect America’s substantial and enduring interests in the region and preclude any pretense of neutrality on democracy. The United States must carefully examine the consequences of its actions on political reform.
  • The United States has the potential to make a positive impact on democratization in the Middle East. America has a credibility gap on democracy because it often tolerates authoritarian behavior by friendly regimes while calling for democracy and regime change in unfriendly ones. By consistently supporting democracy, the United States will begin to overcome this legacy and repair its credibility gap.
  • The United States must respect democratic outcomes. In the short term, free and fair elections may result in some governments that are less favorable to U.S. interests. Regardless, America must respect democratic processes. The long-term benefits of improved credibility and democracy outweigh the short-term costs.
  • Democracy cannot be imposed. Engagement through peaceful means, such as dialogue and diplomacy, is the only legitimate and effective way to promote democracy in the region. The United States can and will help but, ultimately, stable and secure democracies in the Middle East can only be built from within.[3]

Programs

Through Research, Advocacy, and Civil Society Partnerships, POMED works to strengthen support for genuine democratic development in the Middle East and North Africa.

Research: The research program produces original analysis of key issues and trends in democratic change, political reform, human rights, and authoritarianism in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa and of U.S. policy as it pertains to democratic development in the region. Research publications include Snapshots, Policy Briefs, Expert Q&A’s, Backgrounders, Reports, and Fact Sheets. Authors include POMED’s Nonresident Fellows, resident staff, and other experts based in the region, the United States, and Europe.[4]

Advocacy: The advocacy program directly engages a broad network of U.S. policymakers, while working closely with the coalition of activists and advocates who share a commitment to democracy and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa.[5]

Civil Society Partnerships: The civil society partnerships program aims to build the capacity of emerging regional policy centers through technical assistance trainings and regular guidance and mentorship. We work with nascent civil society organizations across the MENA region to strengthen advocacy and policy writing skills and promote improved institutional practices to help ensure organizational viability and impact.

Staff

The Project on Middle East Democracy consists of an ideologically diverse staff brought together by a shared desire for change in American foreign policy in order to facilitate the growth of democracy in the Middle East. POMED was formed by young professionals and practitioners with a wide range of professional backgrounds, including policy advocacy, legislative research, political campaigning, and international nonprofit work.

  • Stephen McInerney, Executive Director
  • Amy Hawthorne, Deputy Director for Research
  • Andrew Miller, Deputy Director for Policy
  • Arwa Shobaki, Deputy Director for Strategic Development
  • Hanan Abdul Hadi, Program Officer for Civil Society Partnerships
  • Todd Ruffner, Advocacy Officer
  • April Brady, Communications Coordinator
  • Tammem Mahjoub, Program Coordinator for Civil Society Partnerships
  • Rouia Briki, Program Associate for Civil Society Partnerships
  • Louisa Keeler, Advocacy Associate
  • Ahmed Rizk, Egypt Program Associate
  • Mustafa Siala, Finance and Operations Associate[6]

Board of Directors

Publications

References

  1. ↑ http://pomed.org/about/#our-history
  2. ↑ POMED,
  3. ↑ http://pomed.org/about/#principles/
  4. ↑ http://pomed.org/about/#_programs
  5. ↑ http://pomed.org/
  6. ↑ "Staff". Project on Middle East Democracy. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  7. ↑ "Board of Directors". Project on Middle East Democracy. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
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