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Libya in Transition: The Significance of U.N. Resolution 1973 and Democracy in the Middle East and North Africa

Date: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 / Time: 6:00am - 7:30am 

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The effort to establish justice, security, and the rule of law in Libya offers lessons for other Middle Eastern and North African countries seeking democratic rule. A panel of distinguished experts will discuss the establishment of democratic rule in Libya and the importance of the transition to democracy in the region.

At a time when people in the Middle East and North Africa are calling for democracy and human rights, the United Nations Security Council, inspired by the Responsibility to Protect principle, approved Resolution 1973 to protect Libya's civilian population against escalating violence. Subsequent actions by NATO and allied Arab country forces have helped bring about the fall of the Qaddafi regime and recognition of the revolutionary National Transitional Council as Libya's legitimate government. The efforts to establish justice, security, and the rule of the law in Libya offers lessons for other Middle Eastern and North African countries seeking democratic rule. 

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA) hosted an event to assess the effort to establish democratic rule in Libya, the role of the U.N. resolution in that effort, and the importance of the transition and resolution to democracy efforts throughout the region.

Speakers

  • Dean Pittman, panelist
    Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
    Bureau of International Organization Affairs
  • Laith Kubba, panelist
    Senior Director, Middle East and North Africa
    National Endowment for Democracy
  • Manal Omar, panelist
    Director of Iraq, Iran, and North Africa Programs
    United States Institute of Peace
  • Ted Piccone, panelist
    Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, Foreign Policy
    The Brookings Institution
  • Colette Rausch, moderator
    Director, Rule of Law Center
    United States Institute of Peace
  • Dick Rowson, introduction
    Board Member
    United Nations Association-National Capital Area

 

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