Conference « the future of think tanks in Maghreb »
The Amadeus Institute organized a conference dedicated to the future of think tanks in Maghreb on the 12th June 2009 in Morocco. Valuable speakers, coming from the entire Arab world discussed the topic. "Thinks tanks are reservoirs of ideas revealing economic and political changes for a country. Their very purpose is to contribute to prospective framing of policies"
The Amadeus Institute organized a conference dedicated to the future of think tanks in Maghreb on the 12th June 2009 in Morocco. Valuable speakers, coming from the entire Arab world discussed the topic,” Thinks tanks are reservoirs of ideas revealing economic and political changes for a country. Their very purpose is to contribute to prospective framing of policies,” said Amal Boubekeur, representative of the Beirut-based Carnegie Center. She added, “Main characteristic of a good think tank is its ability to self-reform and to adapt to a new political framework.” Boubekeur then concluded that “efficient structure must lay on a solid academic credibility; meanwhile using certain political flair”. Media coverage is not to be undermined in order to be influential on political and economic areas.
Jawad Kerdoudi, president of the Moroccan Institute of International Relations (IMRI), presented also some prospective views on think tank developments in Morocco and Maghreb in front of diplomats and researchers that joined the conference. Participants who intervened often spoke about the creation of a regional dynamic cooperation between think tanks in Maghreb. What was also mentioned in the multi language publications was that the bridging gaps between universities, civil societies and think tanks are necessary to improve the efficiency of North African think tanks.
The President of the Amadeus Institute underpinned that Amadeus was now growing as a professional structure nearing towards international standards. The Institute aims at put forward Moroccan, Africa, euro-Mediterranean as well as global geostrategic challenges and at producing operational recommendations on those strategic issues, indicating that the Amadeus Institute is especially working on the Moroccan middle class and energy efficiency.
- Amel Boubekeur, resident scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut
- Jaouad Kerdoudi, Chairman, IMRI (Institut Marocain des Relations Internationales)
