""But in the UAE, think- tanks are finding themselves under pressure as the government tries to exert more control over public debate. Tarik Yousef, the founding dean of DSG, has resigned from his post and is to join Qatar’s Silatech, a foundation tackling Arab youth unemployment, according to a statement issued by one of Silatech’s board members . A Libyan from the rebel heartland of Benghazi, Mr Yousef has emerged as a leading voice of the diaspora, frequently commenting on the war in Libya. In a statement, DSG insists that “the relationship between DSG and Harvard is ongoing, with both parties exploring future prospects. Other DSG researchers have resigned in the wake of Mr Yousef amid concerns that the long-standing partnership with Harvard University is about to end. The Gulf Research Centre, a Dubai-based think- tank, has also found that it is no longer welcome to produce research, promote events and brief executives and visiting officials. Mr Sager discounts rumours that the government closed his centre because of alleged foreign funding or because of GRC’s outspoken criticism of a “major non-Arab state”, a veiled reference to Iran. “In the end, I believe our visibility and, specifically, independence were seen as key factors,” he told the Financial Times. The GRC continues to operate from offices outside the UAE.
Formed in 2000, the centre could not get its 10-year licence renewed last year. In October, the GRC was told verbally that no licence would be forthcoming “due to objections by the Dubai government to various aspects of the GRC’s work”. While its problems started before the Arab spring, its chairman, Abdulaziz Sager, says that recent regional events “did not improve our situation”."
PS Regarding the resignation of Tarik Yousef (and I did not hear that from him as I have not asked him), my UAE informants tell me that the government got upset when a UAE democracy advocate spoke at the school, for which Tarik serves as a dean. The lecture was not even put on the website of the school, which airs all public lectures.
