The Arab World and Latin America: economic and political relations in the 21st century
October 26, 2016 at 11:34 am | Published in:
Asia & Americas,
Middle East,
Palestine,
Review - Books,
Reviews
Book Editor(s) :
Fehmy Saddy
Published Date :
March 2016
Publisher :
I.B.Tauris
Hardcover :
336 pages
ISBN-13 :
978-1784532352
Ramona Wadi
@walzerscent
October 26, 2016 at 11:34 am
30
SHARES
Complexity and contrasts form the premise of “The Arab World and Latin America: economic and political relations in the 21st century” (I B Tauris, 2016). Both regions have been subjected to forms of colonial domination, yet different trajectories have been pursued, outlining discrepancies particularly in relation to economics as a derivative of power.
The collection of essays in this book illustrates a comprehensive approach to economics which is not limited to the usual perfunctory observations. By expounding upon issues such as education, culture, history and international relations, the reader gains additional insight, allowing for an understanding of the economic process as an inclusion of all political and social aspects, and how these influence the outcomes when it comes to trade agreements, investments and planning.
In the preface, editor Fehmy Saddy points out the primary difference between the regions in terms of economics and power. Latin American countries have pursued relations with Arab countries through autonomous decision-making, something which is much less visible from the other end of the spectrum. Indeed, it is here that the first ramifications of colonialism are rendered visible; colonial domination was a factor that brought both regions together in past decades through the establishment of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). However, Latin America managed to defy US imperialist subjugation in several areas pertaining to international relations. While a consistent approach was not always applied – US influence to strengthen Israel at the expense of Palestinians was initially heeded by the region – as the War on Terror metaphor expanded to include Iraq, Latin America asserted its stance in the international arena with more clarity.
Arab dependence upon the West, meanwhile, particularly in the Gulf countries, has produced a complacent approach to economics which exacerbated the limitations of Arab states’ geographical environment. In fact, food security is one of the topics discussed in intricate detail in the book, showing that a lack of planning and strategy continues to plague these countries, in stark contrast to Brazil, for example, which is considered a country to emulate as regards agriculture.
Focusing first on the economic integration of South America, attention then turned towards alternative trading partners, thus weaning off the previous dependency upon the US. In 2012, the Lima Declaration called for cooperation between both regions, at a time when the political stage was influenced heavily by foreign interference in Arab countries as well as Israel’s increasingly aggressive stance towards Gaza in particular. Latin America was more vociferous than the Arab world in its condemnation of Israel’s atrocities, with Cuba at the helm.
A considerable portion of the book focuses upon Brazil, which is home to the largest Arab community in South America. Celso Amorim’s description of Brazil’s influence in the international arena portrays a country that garnered favour among Arab countries due to its “balanced postures at the UN”. Brazil’s foreign policy was changed by former president Lula da Silva, who sought to alter the prevailing concept of power and control. As quoted by Amorim, Lula had declared: “Developing countries must convince themselves that it is in their power to transform the economic-commercial geography of the world, without confrontation, though very firmly.” The stance, however, was not void of contradictions. Lula also travelled to Israel to assure the colonial entity of “the traditional bonds of friendship between Brazil and Israel.”
A contribution by Cecilia Baeza and Elena Lazarou discusses how “cultural and educational cooperation is at the roots of inter-regionalism.” The chapter, which focuses upon the importance of regional identity-building and reciprocal awareness, particularly in culture and education, shows that initiatives to strengthen common bonds is lacking, thus also hindering reciprocity and stifling many possibilities due to shunning the importance of bridging the gaps between economics, politics and society.
The lack of reciprocity, particularly on behalf of Arab countries, is a trend that is evident throughout the book. Although there has been an increase in trade between both regions, it is still insignificant in comparison to global trading activity. Arezki Daoud highlights two main limitations in this regard when it comes to energy cooperation: the fact that both regions have developed petroleum industries while also having an absence of initiatives when it comes to overcoming cultural and educational barriers.
It is clear from all of the chapters that the Arab world should invest further in sustaining trade with Latin America, given that the latter is, geographically, better equipped to sustain itself. A discussion regarding water scarcity and food security in the Arab world once again brings Brazil into the limelight, due to the country having the largest resource of renewable water in the world per year and also the resilience of the Brazilian economy due to the country’s comprehensive approach to agriculture, not to mention its vast mineral deposits and land area.
Brazil has also incorporated agriculture into its consciousness by altering the perception into a sustainable endeavour supported by the government and state institutions, including universities. On the other hand, the disdain for agriculture embodied by Arab countries has prevailed, making the attempts at agrarian reform in the aftermath of the Second World War a mere political ploy. Saddy contrasts the attitudes of both Brazil and the Arab world in a manner that portrays the latter as isolating itself in its reluctance to change its perception, despite the fact that it is the region that is most likely to face a crisis of food security. The suggestion that Saddy makes in this regard is a structuring of education programmes on food security across the entire social spectrum, from history and sciences to technology and marketing. Such an approach would also eliminate the divide between politics and society, making economics more tangible and inclusive of participation.
While at first glance this book might seem a slightly daunting read, its wealth of information is analysed skilfully to provide not only insights, but also informed, alternative perceptions. Its focus would have benefited from more examples of Latin America’s dealings with Israel and how reliance upon Israeli surveillance technology fits into the wider framework of relations between both regions. In a book replete with political contrasts, the existence of Israel as a non-Arab colonial entity in the Middle East could have served to portray both regions’ interests in upholding relations with Israel and at what cost. This could have led us to another reason as to why the Arab world continues to sabotage its independence and, as far as Latin America is concerned, shed light upon the prevailing political stance of upholding a largely anti-colonial stance, albeit with reservations.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/2...-and-political-relations-in-the-21st-century/
The Untold Stories of Arabs in the Americas
Wednesday, December 21, 2016 - 08:00
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.panoramas.pitt.edu%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Fjuicebox_medium%2Fpublic%2Farticles%2Fimages.jpg%3Fitok%3DYhdC3IAQ&hash=2d9a169a983d633146cba98abf9279fc)
There have long been Muslim and Arab populations in Latin America, but few people are aware of the sheer number of Arab descendants in the region. In fact, Latin America has the largest number of Arabs outside of the Middle East, with anywhere between 17 to 30 million people.1 In order to gain a full picture of this aspect the region’s demographics, one must first look back to the time of Columbus’ first voyage to the new world in 1492. In the same year, the Moors, as the Muslim communities were called, were defeated in Spain and Christianity ruled once again. In 1478 the Inquisition was officially launched with the goal of reestablishing and maintaining Catholic Orthodoxy in Spain. In 1499, Archbishop Francisco Jimenez de Cisneros broke with the policy of gradual conversions and began to violently persecute the Moors by instituting forced conversions and the burning of Arabic manuscripts. When the Muslims revolted against the loss of their freedoms, Cisneros took away their freedom of religion entirely. Though the Moors were forced to convert to Christianity, there was still a movement to retain Islamic and Arabic culture. After several failed attempts by the Spanish to force the Moors to fully assimilate, King Philip III expelled most of them. The majority are believed to have gone to Northern Africa, but some made their way to Spanish colonies in Latin America.2
At the beginning of the 20th century, a new wave of Arab Christians and Jews fled the Ottoman empire from what is now Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. Some left seeking refuge from the conscription laws, others left during and after World War I to escape food shortages. The chaos continued through World War II and more Arabs immigrated to the Americas for their own safety
[3]. Latin American governments largely accepted this influx due to the influence of 19th century intellectuals who believed that the immigrants could be used to work in the factories and fields. The exact numbers of immigrants remain unclear, but some say anywhere between 250,000 and 300,000 people came to Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. Other nations such as Chile and Colombia received up to 10,000 Syrian immigrants before World War I
[4]. Still other Arab immigrants attempted to go to the United States and were surprised to find that they had been delivered to Latin America
[5].
Many Arab immigrants struggled to assimilate into Hispanic culture at first, due to religious and cultural discrimination. Some Latin American governments were either unable or unwilling to provide all of the necessary resources for easy assimilation into a new country and culture. Because of this lack of institutional support, and as a way of assimilating while preserving their cultural traditions, the Arab immigrants formed their own communities to support each other. These collectives assisted each other in every aspect of society from cultural preservation clubs and business organizations to charitable and religious groups. This not only provided a sense of community, but also a way to learn and preserve languages. Originally, Spanish and Portuguese were taught to new immigrants, but as time went on, the communities transitioned to teaching Arabic. Beyond language assistance, these communities also provided resources to newcomers that helped them become successful in their new nation. Even medical care was provided by these local communities, as well as small loans and food to fill in the resource gaps not provided by the state
[6].
Many of these communities have stood the test of time and continue to play important roles in the lives of Arab-Latinos in the 21st century. Their goals have transitioned away from integrating new immigrants to preserving Arab history and culture. The members are mostly Latin American-born citizens that trace their ancestry to the Middle East, particularly the Levant
[7]. These communities are one reason that Arab culture can be found throughout many Latin American countries. One example of this cultural spread is the Palestinian community in Chile, which is so strong that it has its own soccer team, called Palestino. In Brazil, there is a popular Arab fast-food chain called Habib’s that sells Middle Eastern cuisine
[8].
These communities have given modern day Latinos of Arab descent valuable connections and networking opportunities. Some of the largest communities have become very influential in their prospective cities such as the Centro Libanés in Mexico City which had President Felipe Calderón as a guest speaker. Argentina has one of the largest cohesive network of Arabs due to the “Confederación de Entidades Argentino Arabes” which connects over 160 different Arab community groups in the country. These groups and connections have been said to be one reason that so many Latin American-Arabs have had so much success. Many presidents have been of Arab descent throughout Latin America, such as Julio Cesar Turbay Ayallah (Colombia), Carlos Menem (Argentina), Antonio Saca (El Salvador), Jacobo Majluta Azar (Dominican Republic), and Abdala Bucaram and Jamil Mahuad (both of Ecuador)
[9]. There have been a number of successful Latin American- Arabs in other fields as well, such as Carlos Slim Helu, reportedly the fourth wealthiest man in the world
[10] and Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of Nissan and Renault. Even international superstars Salma Hayek and Shakira are of Arab descent.
Arabs in Latin America are a perfect example of a large group of immigrants that has successfully integrated into a new culture. This does not mean that anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiment has completely faded or that Arab immigrants do not still struggle in defining their identity in Latin America. Nevertheless, over a hundred years after the first major wave of Arab immigrants, those of Arab descent are living peacefully throughout Latin America. One of the clearest signs of integration is that they typically do not refer to themselves as Syrian or Lebanese, but rather as Mexican or Argentine. Through their communities, they have been able to retain their history and culture while also becoming a part of a new national identity. The long history of Arab immigration to the Americas has not always been smooth, but it may be a good example for the rest of the world.
References:
[1] Saliba, J. (2016, February 16). The Arabs to Our South: The Arab Diaspora in Latin America ... Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
http://www.aaiusa.org/the_arab_diaspora_in_latin_america
[2] Konrad, M. (2013, May 18). The Expulsion of the Moors. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2013/05/the_expulsion_of_the_moo...
[3] Viva Los Turcos: Latin America and the Arab connection ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
http://www.latinolife.co.uk/node/207
[4] Muglia, C. (2015, September 30). Latin America & the Arab World: One Hundred Years of Migration. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
https://lebanesestudies.news.chass.ncsu.edu/2015/09/30/latin-america-the...
[5] Saliba, J. (2016, February 16). The Arabs to Our South: The Arab Diaspora in Latin America ... Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
http://www.aaiusa.org/the_arab_diaspora_in_latin_america
[6] Muglia, C. (2015, September 30). Latin America & the Arab World: One Hundred Years of Migration. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
https://lebanesestudies.news.chass.ncsu.edu/2015/09/30/latin-america-the...
[7] Muglia, C. (2015, September 30). Latin America & the Arab World: One Hundred Years of Migration. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
https://lebanesestudies.news.chass.ncsu.edu/2015/09/30/latin-america-the...
[8] Viva Los Turcos: Latin America and the Arab connection ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
http://www.latinolife.co.uk/node/207
[9] Viva Los Turcos: Latin America and the Arab connection ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
http://www.latinolife.co.uk/node/207
[10] Carlos Slim Helu & Family. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from
http://www.forbes.com/profile/carlos-slim-helu/
http://www.panoramas.pitt.edu/economy-and-development/untold-stories-arabs-americas
How Latin America Met the Arab World: Toward a Political Economy of Arab–Latin American Relations
Abstract
Recent years have borne witness to an unprecedented expansion of political and economic ties between Latin America and the Arab world. Concurrently, a growing number of mostly Latin American scholars has sought to analyze the history, present state, and future prospects of these relations. This chapter systematically reviews this literature and delineates its contributions to our understanding of this emerging research area. Based on this analysis and several friendly critiques of this body of literature, this chapter argues that to advance our understanding of Arab–Latin American relations, scholars should adopt a political–economy approach that is able to shed light on the mix of political and economic interests that will continue to serve as the impetus for this rising axis of relations.
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/978-1-137-59939-1_2
Event: Lessons from MENA and Latin America Regions
Low Carbon Renewable Energy: Lessons from MENA and Latin America Regions
Event Description
November 10th, 2016
The success of the Paris Agreement is dependent on both the effective implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions, and the increasing ambition of contributions in line with the need for decarbonization of the global economy. Toward this end, countries of the Latin American and the Middle East and North African regions have achieved significant deployment of renewable energy, and have ambitious goals for additional deployment. Such achievements have provided these countries with experience in the large-scale deployment of renewable energy. This experience can inform the pathways forward and implementation approaches being adopted as these countries pursue their ambitious goals for additional deployment. Sharing this experience is of great importance as countries continue to look to renewable energy as a means of achieving the necessary decarbonisation of energy systems.
This session will bring together government officials, deployment experts, and non-governmental organization partners, to discuss:
Renewable energy deployment as a viable, high-impact mitigation measures in pursuit of the goals of the Paris Agreement
Pathways forward for increasing mitigation deployment for countries in Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa regions, and how such pathways can be applied in different development contexts
How international collaborations can scale-up their current efforts to support accelerated implementation that responds to the need for increased ambition and international cooperation
Agenda
15:00 – 16:30
Session 1 (60 minutes)
-Renewable energy deployment as a viable, high-impact mitigation measures in pursuit of the goals of the Paris Agreement
-Pathways forward for increasing mitigation deployment for countries in Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa regions, and how such pathways can be applied in different development contexts
-How international collaborations can scale-up their current efforts to support accelerated implementation that responds to the need for increased ambition and international cooperation
Discussion/Q&A Session (30 minutes)
Chair:
Ambassador Hasan Rahman, Executive Director, CARLAC
Speakers
Dr. Nathan Hultman, Director, Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland
Dr. Karim El Aynaoui, Managing Director, OCP Policy Center
H.E. Dr. Hakima El Haite, Minister of Environment, Government of Morocco (TBC)
HE Mr. Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Metab Al-Rumaihi, Minister of Municipality and Environment, Qatar
Mr. Adnan Amin, Director-General, IRENA (TBC)
Mrs. Tatiana Bruce da Silva, Researcher at the Center for Energy Studies, FGV Energia, Brazil
Mr. Felipe Gonçalves, Education and R&D Coordinator at the Center for Energy Studies, FGV Energia, Brazil
Dr. Andrea Lovato, Executive Director – Business Development, ACWA POWER
Simone Tagliapietra, Research Fellow, Bruegel – Senior Researcher Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei
http://carlac.net/event-lessons-from-mena-and-latin-america-regions.html