The Middle East Institute is pleased to welcome Dr. Karen Young as a senior fellow and director of its new Program on Economics and Energy in the Middle East, and Intissar Fakir as a senior fellow and director of its Program on North Africa and the Sahel.
Karen Young (full bio) previously served as a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where she focused on the political economy of the Middle East and the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council. She is the author of The Political Economy of Energy, Finance and Security in the United Arab Emirates: Between the Majilis and the Market (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014), and regularly teaches at the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute.
"Karen has worked extensively on regional economic issues, specializing in the Gulf energy sector, and brings a unique perspective and unparalleled expertise and depth to the issue," said MEI Senior Vice President Jerry Feierstein.
Intissar Fakir (full bio) was previously a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she was the editor-in-chief of the bilingual online journal, Sada, for eight years. She has implemented programs in support of political, economic, and social reform in the MENA region at a number of NGOs and she has consulted and advised governments and corporate entities in both the United States and Europe on Maghreb developments.
"Intissar has extensive experience and expertise in the North African and Sahel regions and is widely recognized and respected," said MEI President Paul Salem. "We are thrilled to have her join MEI and contribute to our work with her experience."
The programs on Economics and Energy and on North Africa and the Sahel will be formally launched in June with dedicated webpages on MEI’s website, a roster of non-resident scholars, and program advisory councils. Stay tuned for more information at www.mei.edu.