ESCWA proposes ways for Arab economic integration in the context of widespread regional poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and conflict.

Carnegie Middle East Center launched yesterday the ESCWA report entitled “Arab Integration: A 21st Century Development Imperative” during a celebration held at the Phoenicia Hotel with the participation of former PM Fuad Siniora, MP Bahia Hariri, in addition to the EU representative in Lebanon, Angelina Eichhorst and other participants who all stressed that the paths to Arab integration are no longer a luxury or optional but rather an urgent necessity at the level of the region.

According to the ESCWA report, simple mechanisms such decreasing transportation costs and increasing the size of labour exchange amongst Arab countries are likely to increase Arab gross national product by more than USD 750 billion within just a few years and will create more than 6 million new work opportunities.  The report also noted that one fifth of the Arab population lives under the poverty line and one third suffer from illiteracy.  Furthermore, Arab youth population suffers the highest rate of unemployment in the world and women have the lowest economic participation rate.  The report also indicated that malnutrition is rampant amongst 50 million Arabs and the number of children threatened to die from hunger reaches 500000 children in Yemen and one million in Somalia.  In addition, the report refers to the very high number of displaced people and fatal casualties in Syria, Iraq and other countries in the region.  The report pointed out to that after decades of development, the Arab region has not succeeded in diversifying its economies and today is less industrialized than what it was in the 1960s while its scientific production accounts for hardly 1% of global production.

The report provided a new analytical strategic vision of Arab integration and highlighted the major problems that undermine regional integration.  The report also focuses on past internal, external, regional and international failures.  The executive secretary at the ESCWA in Beirut, Rima Khalaf noted that the report rests on three pillars namely: 1) political cooperation among Arab countries that support democratic governance. 2) Deepening economic integration starting with implementing Arab integration activities leading to Arab economic unity that would work to achieve Arab countries’ economic prosperity and that of their citizens. And 3) educational and cultural reform to revive creativity and free mind sets from extremism and despotism.

Source: Al-Safir 19 June 2014