Home » Publications » Briefing papers » The Report of The Amman Roundtable

The Report of The Amman Roundtable on Human Security in the Middle East

May 2004

The Amman Roundtable on Human Security in the Middle East was facilitated by Oxford Research Group and hosted by Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan. It brought together Middle Eastern and European citizens with experience in politics, business, the military, civil society, research, psychology, conflict resolution and reconstruction.

The Amman Roundtable met at a turning point for the region to address its challenges from the vantage point of civil society. Experience makes painfully clear that sustainable foundations for security and freedom can only be constructed by tackling geopolitical challenges from below and rooting policy in the experience, fears, needs and aspirations of ordinary citizens. The Middle East suffers from a deep crisis of legitimacy today. It can neither be addressed by governments alone, nor without their involvement. The peoples of the region are capable of developing their own solutions, and states and citizens around the world owe them solidarity and assistance.

In this report, The Amman Roundtable presents recommendations under the following headings:

• Work together for participation, civil society, reform and cooperation in the Middle East.
• Build a new Iraq in which state and politics serve the people.
• Involve all parties to tackle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

We address these recommendations in the first instance to governments deliberating on which paths to take, in the Arab League, in the G8 and NATO and individually. At this moment of opportunity and danger, leaders have the chance to set a framework for positive change. Civil society groupings and other local and regional actors likewise hold power to transform human security in the Middle East for the better. They deserve to be strengthened.