In the past week, the world has kept a watchful eye on the Middle East, which has been rocked by protests with demonstrators calling for an end to the oppressive regimes.
The wave of protests, which began in Tunisia on 17 December, continued to spread to other parts of the Middle East, with riots rocking Algeria and Libya soon after. Last week, violence erupted in Egypt, with some parts of Jordan and Yemen experiencing the same revolts from its citizens.
This, according to analysts, was not a surprise. These countries share some fundamental characteristics such as poverty, severely aggravated by the economic crisis, and more or less brutal authoritarian regimes that have always monopolised the wealth.
Last week, Egyptians took to the streets in their thousands to protest against authoritarian leader President Hosni Mubarak, 82, calling on him to step down after 30 years in power. They say they are fed up after decades of poverty, repression, rigged elections, corruption, high unemployment and rampant abuse by police.
BuaNews spoke to political analysts about what these protests mean, why now and what the future looks like for that region.
Analysts believe that these uprisings against long serving autocratic regimes indicate two things; you cannot get away with oppression in the 21st century, and poverty is as real in the Middle East as anywhere in the world.
"The uprising speaks volumes of the need for democratic practises and states in the Middle East and the rest of Africa," says Bongani Maphosa, an analyst with the Africa Institute.
Mubarak, who had already chosen his son Gamal as his successor, has promised not stand for re-election in September. His statements sparked clashes between Egyptians who share different opinions on the president's decision, turning downtown Cairo into a battlefield.
Analysts believe that Mubarak is only buying time. Maphosa says Mubarak has fallen into the same trap of the contemporary leaderships who want to cling to power for their own personal benefits.
Reports indicate that Mubarak is already worth over $70 billion, which was accumulated through business partnerships with foreign investors and companies. Maphosa says Mubarak's estimated wealth is similar to other Middle Eastern leaders. He says there has been a lot of corruption in his regime and a stifling of public resources for personal gain.
"This is wealth that he has milked from the Egyptians over the years - not only him but his associates also. They have benefited corruptly from Egyptian states," says Maphosa, adding that now people have lost all faith in his government.
Another analyst, Oupa Makhalemele, who is with the Institute for Democracy in Africa (Idasa), says the fact that Mubarak is not voluntarily stepping down indicates that he wants to keep it [power] in the family.
"The fact that he is stepping down in September indicates that he is buying time, giving him and the few people that back him time to regroup," says Makhalemele.
The analysts view Mubarak's cabinet dismissal and swearing in of a new one as political manipulation. Both Maphosa and Makhalemele say more shuffles may follow, but they are unlikely to change the outcome of the current feeling of the Egyptians.
Having risked their lives to challenge the ruler, Egyptians don't seem prepared to agree to anything less than an end to his regime.
Maphosa says the most likely outcome will be Mubarak's departure in favour of a transitional government backed by the Egyptian military.
Many unions and countries, including the United States, have welcomed Mubarak's promise to step down, with calls for Egypt to immediately lift an emergency law and launch democratic reforms as soon as possible.
In a phone call to Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman, US Vice President Joe Biden renewed an appeal for "immediate" and "irreversible" political change, including a wider dialogue with the opposition, a White House statement said. He also called for Egypt to immediately rescind an emergency law, which is thought to give the government power to deny basic freedoms.
The Obama administration is understandably concerned about what would happen to the relationship between Egypt and Israel, if Mubarak were forced out, and to Egypt's role as a broker in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
President Mubarak has been a central figure in Middle East politics and a key Western ally since he took power in 1981. He also leads one of only two Arab countries to sign a peace treaty with Israel.
He has been the only Arab leader the Israelis trusted. Their biggest fear is that without him, their cold - but so far resilient - peace with Egypt will be in danger.
Makhalemele says these are legitimate fears because Mubarak plays a very critical role. He advises that that there should be clear guidelines of how the leadership there can fill the vacuum, should Mubarak leave.
"The transitional process must be carefully handled and be as inclusive as possible so that they can mediate and chart a way of how things will shape in the Middle East ,should Mubarak leave office," cautioned Makhalemele.
Both Maphosa and Makhalemele have criticised the African Union's rather quiet approach during the unrest, saying it speaks volumes. "The AU's quietness is a telling indication of the unresolved relationships and issues between the AU as a continental body and the Arabia nations," said Makhalemele.
Presidential elections, scheduled for September, are bound to be the next major turning point for Egypt. Over the next eight months, Egypt will be held hostage to events as three decades of suppressed political passion continues to boil to the surface.
Egyptians are now bracing themselves for all the changes that will follow in the next few months. Whether the changes they are calling for will happen, only time will tell.
