Forward Thinking's Fellows hosts Sir Jeremy Greenstock,12th July 2016

On the 12th July 2016, the Forward Thinking Fellows Programme hosted a roundtable with Forward Thinking advisor and former British Ambassador to the UN, Sir Jeremy Greenstock.Discussions explored the challenges facing a MENA region in transition, focusing in particular on the shift from repressive dictatorships to an inclusive and pluralist politics, made possible only through inclusive dialogue. The differential experiences of Tunisia, Egypt and Turkey were explored with regards to the role of the military and the space, or lack thereof, for dialogue leading to compromise in coalition.The crises in Libya, Syria and Iraq were also addressed, with questions raised about the role of intervention and the agenda of outside powers, particularly in the context of the release of the Chilcott Report. Conclusions on lessons learnt included the necessity, but inherent difficulty, of maintaining security through political change, and the importance of infrastructural support, economic policy and investment, if political change is to deliver.