Civil society and transformation processes : Germany´s transformation partnerships with Tunisia and Egypt

Abstract

A good two years ago now we looked on fascinated and moved as revolutions unfolded in a number of countries in the Arab world. I remember well the crowds of courageous demonstrators in Cairo and Tunis who challenged the old order and risked their lives for a brighter future that would bring greater freedom, justice, participation and new economic opportunities. It was the young people especially who felt cheated of their future by corruption, nepotism, misguided social and education policies, sluggish economic growth and associated high youth unemployment. That’s why they took to the streets. In countries like Tunisia, where almost half the population are under 25, these problems stoked up huge discontent. So when street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself on 17 December 2010, this set the whole country aflame. Happily the ousting of the old regime in Tunisia was by and large peaceful. But as the assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid demonstrates, the risk of escalating violence is by no means over.