Lebanon: Model for New wave of Arab Spring

On February 20, 2021 the School of International Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University, together with the Russian Middle East Association within the framework of the permanent online seminar «Contemporary area studies», organized the third meeting dedicated to the 10th anniversary of Arab Spring with a director of Institute of strategic and communication studies in Lebanon Imad Rizk. The topic was: «Lebanon: Model for New wave of Arab Spring».

The seminar was moderated by A. Baklanov – Professor, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Studies Section of the School of International Regional Studies, Faculty of World Economy and World Politics, HSE University. 

Imad Rizk started his speech from the reasons of demonstration related to the «Arab Spring». The speaker has mentioned the following: social, economic and political problems that started to affect to the States of MENA. Imad Rizk has also noted the political crisis and stressed that now it is occurring a competition between Turkish, Egypt, Europe and Lebanon. 

The attention in speaker’s presentation was also given to the role of the USA and its new Administration. Imad Rizk stressed, that the new administration of the USA will support demonstration to change the behavior of region. Furthermore, the experts assumed that American would invest in a Muslim brotherhood. 

One more important issue that is connected with the second wave of «Arab Spring» is a Gas War. As the expert said, Lebanon as an indicator can show the new wave of «Arab Spring». Moreover, this Gas War will be used to geography and demography settlements in the nearest future. 

On the question session Imad Rizk stressed that he expected a new involvement of Russia to bring balance to the region in case if Lebanon cannot do it itself.

Also there was discussed a question related to the future of Lebanon Government. As it was stated, is speaker’s speech, now there is a 25% internal crisis and 75% of external crisis. The main question that was indicated is the issue about future policy of Lebanon whether it will be pro-American or pro-Iranian/pro-Iraqi.

 The link to the video: https://youtu.be/zfirLPZgGBg