KIRSTEN FONTENROSE serves as the Director for the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, Atlantic Council. She joined the Atlantic Council in 2019 after spending twenty years working national security in the Middle East and Africa from positions within the US Department of State, Department of Defense, the White House, private industry, and the non-profit sector. Most recently she served as senior director for Gulf Affairs at the National Security Council.
The Coudert Institute is delighted to welcome Kirsten as a presenter with our 2020-2021 Speaker Series at which time she will
offer her unique insights and share her wisdom in regards to the direction US foreign policy toward the Middle East will take in the new administration.
How will we manage Iran? How will we deal with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia? How will we follow on Israel-UAE normalization? How will we compete with Russia and China in the Middle East? What is the future of our presence in Iraq? What will we do about Lebanon? About Libya? These inquiries are among the countless decisions which lie ahead for a new administration. Save the date for FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18 when we will (at a safe social distance) gather at The Sailfish Club of Florida to explore these timely questions with Ms. Fontenrose.
"I think the tangible thing was certainly the suspension of annexation... it’s a firm commitment by the Israeli government which gives you space for a two-state solution."
The above is excerpted from a recent conversation with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in the UAE, H.E. Anwar Gargash (pictured above). The dialogue was moderated by Kirsten. In this particular conversation she and Minister Gargash review the Abraham Accords recently signed by the UAE and Israel, making the UAE the first Arab country in the Gulf to recognize Israel. We are delighted to make this content available to you through this link.
The Atlantic Council’s work on Middle East security honors the legacy of Brent Scowcroft and his tireless efforts to build a new security architecture for the region. Their work in this area addresses the full range of security threats and challenges including the danger of interstate warfare, the role of terrorist groups and other nonstate actors, and the underlying security threats facing countries in the region. Learn more about Ms Fontenrose and the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, Atlantic Council by clicking HERE. See you next season!