11 February 202111:00am - 12:30pm (Malaysian Standard Time)Venue: IAIS Malaysia's Facebook Page

The rise of US President Joe Biden is described, by many, as a ‘historic moment’ for democracy and global human rights. Among the first executive orders signed by President Biden, hours after taking office, was the reversal of the Trump-era Muslim ban. Describing the policy as rooted in “xenophobia and religious animus”, Biden also repealed several policies on immigration deemed damaging and harmful. While these cornerstone actions forecast positive developments in terms of US foreign policies in the middle east and on Muslims in general, the Biden administration remains to be tested on several imperative issues. Among them is the long-overdue issue of Palestinian human rights, war and politics in the Gulf countries, Iran’s nuclear situation, and the humanitarian crisis currently affecting millions in Yemen, Syria, Libya, and Iraq.   The performance of President Biden and his administration in the upcoming months remains to be observed, especially on how it positions itself amid Trump’s controversial legacy in the middle east, and on US-Muslim relations in general.