
Drs. Steven Cook (l.) and Vali Nasr (r.) engage on the future of the Middle East
On June 6, 2016, the NCAFP hosted its Annual Meeting of Members, which was followed by a riveting panel discussion featuring Dr. Steven A. Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies, Council on Foreign Relations, and Dr. Vali S. Nasr, Dean, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University. The conversation was graciously moderated by Warren Hoge, formerly of the New York Times, and currently Senior Adviser for External Relations at the International Peace Institute.
The program spanned a wide geographic area as Drs. Cook and Nasr traversed the fullest extent of their regional expertise, covering the varying states of affairs in North Africa, Turkey, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran and the Levant. Dr. Nasr painted a broader regional outlook while discussing the relations of the nations of the Middle East with themselves and with the United States. Dr. Cook reported on his recent fieldwork in the region, where he spent time thoroughly examining the current situations in Tunisia, Egypt and Israel, specifically.
The sold-out program was met with great acclaim as a large number of NCAFP members and guests offered questions and comments to the panelists both during the event and subsequent reception.