The Arab Reform Initiative was founded in 2005 by sixteen think tanks and research institutes from the Arab world, Europe and the United States. ARI is an independent research network with no ties to any specific country or any political agenda related to the region.
Since the founding in 2005, the ARI built a solid reputation in producing knowledge of the Arab region through in-depth research projects, engaging in collaborative work, building capacity of teams in different countries in data collection and survey research and developing a vast network of scholars, activists and practitioners who share the reform vision.
The Arab Reform Initiative's broad goal is to mobilize the Arab research capacity through fostering public discussion and deepening ongoing debate to develop an Arab home-grown program for democratic reform.
ARI engages a wide range of local civil society organizations and activists from political and social movements in various Arab countries then generates policy recommendations addressed to political leaders to advance reform.
The Arab awakening triggered a deep and irresistible movement of change in the region. It is bringing profound transformation in politics, governance, societies, state-society relations as well as in the overall strategic landscape of the entire region. It also represents a unique and decisive moment for Arab societies to shape their future.
In this new context, ARI is expanding its mission as a regional hub for democratic transformation and to serve the region's civil society in a more strategic and sustainable manner through supporting new or young organizations and individuals to develop their initiatives on the other hand.
ARI's approach is distinguished by working with local actors defining the relevant issues to be addressed at a given moment and the appropriate strategies to tackle them. ARI acts as a resource and an enabling partner for actors on the ground, enhancing their capacities and avoiding substituting itself to them.
ARI partners are 19 think tanks and research institutes from the Arab world, Europe and the United States, 3 individual members and 1 associate member. They are:
THE ARAB PARTNERS
INSTITUTES
Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Egypt. Partners in Development, Egypt Arab Forum for Alternatives, Egypt The Arab Reform Forum at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt. Center D’Etudes et de Recherches en Sciences Sociales (CERSS), Morocco. King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Saudi Arabia. The Center for Strategic and Future Studies, Kuwait. The Center for Sudanese Studies, Sudan. The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, Lebanon. The Palestinian Center for Political and Survey Research, Palestine. The Syrian League for Citizenship, Syria EtanaCenter, Syria The Gulf Research Center, Dubaï, UAE. The Yemeni Observatory for Human Rights, Yemen
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS
Abdelnasser al Jabi, Professor, Algiers University, Algeria Salah Eddin al Jourshi, President, Al Jaheth Cultural Forum, Tunisia Yezid Sayigh, Senior Associate, Carnegie Middle East Center, Lebanon
ASSOCIATE MEMBER
The Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research Baseera, Egypt
American and European Partners:
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), Athens, Greece. Center for European Reform, London, Great-Britain. US Middle East Project, New York, U.S.A The European Institute for Security Studies, based in Paris, France. Casa Árabe, in Madrid.
ARI is an Observer Member at EuroMeSCo.