Questions have been raised about how the US under President Donald Trump will affect Arab regional politics and older and future alliances in the region. In order to tackle these questions, the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the Prince Alwaleed Centre for American Studies and Research at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington jointly organised a conference on Arab-US relations on 29-30 January in Cairo. The objective of the conference was to look for ways forward and offer guidelines for decision-makers on future actions in the region, offering concrete and creative suggestions on how to restore a solid Arab-American relationship that can serve both the United States and the Arab world in the years to come, according to the AUC. The two-day meeting was divided into five sessions covering topics such as future scenarios for US policy in Egypt and the Gulf; the rise and role of other global powers; trends and patterns in a changing Middle East; areas of cooperation; and the new US administration's implementation of a new Middle Eastern policy. Regarding Egypt, the conference addressed questions posed about the country's role as a regional actor, its common interests with the United States, and Egyptian-American strategic relations. Attending the event were leading experts from the Middle East, Asia, the United States and Europe, including former Egyptian foreign minister and dean of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at AUC Nabil Fahmi and former US ambassador and president of the Middle East Institute in Washington Wendy Chamberlin, who also inaugurated the conference. “The incoming US president will definitely bring in new scenarios, developments, opportunities and challenges,” Fahmi said. “This conference brings together prominent scholars, academics and practitioners to examine the dynamics of Arab-US relations in an emerging Middle East landscape. As events continue to unfold in these two different parts of the world, we hope to help set a future agenda that serves mutual interests,” he added. Director of the Prince Alwaleed Centre for American Studies and Research Magda Shahin agreed. “With the election of the new US administration, a new era is dawning for international affairs, which itself has implications for American relations with the Middle East and the Arab world,” she said. “Both AUC and the Middle East Institute in Washington believe that it is an auspicious opportunity to conduct an in-depth analysis and comprehensive dialogue on Arab-American relations in pursuit of a new agenda for the future. Our objective is to create a robust dialogue between American and Arab scholars and practitioners, and to devise practicable guidelines for future action that serve both the Arab world and the United States.” The event was the first of its kind in the Middle East since the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States on 20 January. The conference addressed topics relevant to Egypt, the region and the US in the light of the new American administration and the changing political and security landscape in the Middle East. The participants discussed ways to build trust between the new American administration and the Arab world. They also assessed the role of global and regional powers in the Middle East. Held in Cairo, the conference was a timely opportunity to examine Egypt-US relations under the new American administration and identify potential areas of cooperation between the two countries. “The conference is a valuable opportunity for experts from the US, Egypt and the Arab world to gather at this critical juncture, to assess the trajectory of US-Arab relations, to learn from the failures and successes of the past and to chart a path forward that reinforces stability, cooperation and prosperity,” Chamberlin said. Former Egyptian foreign minister and Arab League secretary-general Amr Moussa delivered the keynote speech at the conference, followed by addresses by former US ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner, former Egyptian ambassador to the US Mohamed Tawfik, Anwar Sadat professor for peace and development at the University of Maryland Shibley Telhami, vice president of MEI Paul Salem, and former Arab League ambassador to Paris and Rome and professor at the American University of Beirut Nassif Hitti. The speakers also included scholars and professors from prominent organisations and think tanks such as the US Brookings Institute, the Arab League, and the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. AUC trustees Hisham Al-Khazindar and Ziad Bahaaeddin and advisory trustee Frank Wisner also took part in the discussions. The conference concluded with recommendations on ways to strengthen Arab-US relations and achieve peaceful solutions to ongoing challenges in the region.
