CAIRO: As a member of the UN Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Committee since September 2011, Magda Shahin, director of the Prince Alwaleed Center for American Studies and Research at The American University in Cairo (AUC), has recently returned from the advisory committee meeting held in New York, where discussions centered on how to help countries of the Arab Spring in their transitional phase. Shahin's aim is to advocate for Arab countries in transition, particularly Egypt, to benefit from the financial and logistical resources of the fund. “I hope to focus especially on the poor and excluded sectors of Arab societies, as these populations are the most vulnerable to the deleterious effects of economic instability in the wake of transition imposed by the Arab Spring," said Shahin. The peacebuilding fund provides assistance to activities, programs and organizations in countries that have experienced conflict during the last decade. The financial assistance may be used by conflict countries to rebuild projects targeting their own growth and development. Shahin and other members of the committee provide advice and oversight of fund allocations, as well as examine fund performance and financial reports to ensure that support is provided in a transparent and effective manner. “Through field trips organized by the fund," said Shahin, “we [committee members] meet with the various stakeholders in the recipient countries, including government representatives, civil society and nongovernmental organizations, to make sure that the fund's contributions reach the right people." The fund has recently provided assistance for an emergency finance project in Libya to enhance civilian capacity support for democracy to flourish. Similarly, in Yemen, where the presidential elections of February 2012 — the first in 33 years — marked a significant advancement in the nation's transfer of power, the fund is providing aid to support developmental activities that would further boost the government's democratic efforts. Shahin is working to do the same in Egypt. “Egypt can also benefit from the fund's resources," said Shahin. “Due to the sweeping alterations in Egyptians' perceptions of the fundamentals upon which their nation is based, much dialogue is needed in critical areas such as youth development, as well as gender empowerment and equality. There is also increased potential for discourse among political, religious and anthropological factions. Funds may be used to facilitate trust-building and reconciliation among stakeholders in order to reach consensus on key issues such as the constitution and transitional justice." With the dawn of the Arab Spring, the world's attention has been drawn to the Middle East. Emphasizing the critical role that the United Nations can play in the post-revolutionary era, Shahin noted, “As the peace-building architecture of the United Nations holds great potential to help countries make the transition from conflict to sustainable peace and development, it is certain that the United Nations will play a vital role in the region at this time," said Shahin. “The modern Middle East and North Africa can benefit greatly from the expertise of the United Nations in navigating the changing political landscape. This benefit is especially clear in light of UN Secretary-General Ki-moon's focus on post-conflict economic development, as it is only through economic growth and development that countries could avoid slipping back into conflict and hostilities." The benefit is mutual, since Arab countries will also be able to bring highly relevant experience to UN bodies that focus on political transition and post-conflict management. “The Middle East and North Africa region has experienced a paradigm shift in its politics, and, consequently, I expect its role in international politics to grow," said Shahin. The 10-member UN Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Committee is appointed by the UN secretary-general and is comprised of people who have experience administering international organizations from a variety of regions and fields. Having worked extensively at the United Nations in New York City and Geneva, and later as assistant minister of economic affairs in the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Egypt's ambassador to Greece, Shahin dealt with struggling economies and tackled issues related to peace, conflict and political strife.
