The authors' of this year's Arab Human Development Report call for the market to adapt to human needs, and for people to adapt to market needs, suggesting that this is one step to a win-win scenario for regional development.
Rima Khalaf Hunaidi, assistant undersecretary general and director, regional bureau for Arab States, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and lead author, Nader Fergany, will take the development challenges debate to the stage at the Dubai Strategy Forum from October 28-30 2002.
The report, published by the New York-based UNDP in July 2002, attempts to uncomplicate a portfolio of potentially complicated issues. It places a myriad of challenges into one of two ‘intertwined' sets that spotlight people as the real wealth and hope of the region.
The report calls these overriding challenges the pursuit of freedom from fear and the pursuit of freedom from want, suggesting that the real issue in the chase for freedom is that occupation freezes growth, prosperity and, ultimately, freedom itself. It suggests this is highlighted in economic terms by ‘hyperinflation, severe currency devaluations and curtailed foreign currency earnings' – all doing little or nothing to positively impact gross domestic product (GDP).
The UNDP report indicates that there is a real economic danger in the loss of human capital as people opt out for a better deal in international markets. It suggests that loss of intellect and resources compounds the challenges that face the region saying that people resources are as critical as capital resources in ensuring stability and the ability to compete in the world arena.
In addition, strong reference is made to the fact that many countries see home populations dominated by women, acknowledging that the utilization of woman's capabilities through political and economic participation remains the lowest in the world'. On the low side too, is that half of all adult females in the 22 countries comprising the Arab League are considered illiterate, unable to read and write even to the standard of an average 10 year old in the developed world.
However, some schools of thought suggest that Arab countries, least not the Gulf States, show proof that parts of the Arab world is more cash rich than others are developed. The realization is that while challenges in governance and economy prevail, it is the social challenges that provide in your face facts.
One such fact, is unemployment, expected to double in the Arab League nations in the next seven years or little hope for meaningful growth in the collective GDP, suggesting that by 2010 combined it will be less than that of Spain. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
