On Zoom – register here. Washington is witnessing a strong push to elevate human rights in U.S. policy toward Saudi Arabia. Most notably, President-elect Joe Biden has said that the United States should “reassess” ties with the kingdom and hold Saudi Arabia accountable for human rights violations.

This POMED conference, which follows the October 2020 conference event “Mohammed bin Salman’s Saudi Arabia: A Critical Look,” will convene leading experts to make the case for why the United States should prioritize promoting human rights and countering authoritarianism in its relations with Saudi Arabia; on what issues the Biden administration should focus; and how the U.S. government, civil society, and private sector can stand up against Saudi repression.

Join POMED as we convene leading experts to make the case for why the United States should prioritize promoting human rights and countering authoritarianism in its relations with Saudi Arabia; on what issues the Biden administration should focus; and how the U.S. government, civil society, and private sector can stand up against Saudi repression.

Questions? Contact clare.ulmer@pomed.org.

Panel 1: 10:00 am – 11:00 am EST
Making the Case: Why The U.S.-Saudi Relationship Needs to Change

Panelists

Safa Al Ahmad
Acting Director, ALQST
Freelance Journalist and Filmmaker

Aaron David Miller
Senior Fellow,
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Sarah Leah Whitson
Executive Director,
Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)

Moderator

Deborah Amos
International Correspondent, NPR

Panel 2: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EST
The Path Forward: Priorities and Policies

Panelists

Rob Berschinski
Senior Vice President, Policy,
Human Rights First

Stephen McInerney
Executive Director,
Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED)

Annie Shiel
Senior Advisor for U.S. Policy and Advocacy,
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)

Moderator

Tamara Cofman Wittes
Senior Fellow, Center for Middle East Policy,
Brookings Institution

Fireside Chat: 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm EST
A View from the Hill

Matt Duss
Senior Foreign Policy Advisor
to Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

in conversation with

Elizabeth Hagedorn
Washington Correspondent,
Al-Monitor