Reforming the Arab League [Archives:2005/832/Opinion]
By Prof. Dr. Abdulaziz al-Tarb
For the Yemen Times
People concerned with the Arab's advancement vie each other in proposals targeting reform of the Arab League. Some of them rightly discern the fault, others don't know that the Arab League does no longer need certain propositions; some believe that the voting system is the major shortcoming and that the establishment of the Arab Tribunal is a vital necessity, etc.
All options are welcome. They are old-new. Some of them were included in respectable studies conducted two decades ago. However, it is fearful to find no response to the calls for reform and development. A Middle-eastern system may be imposed suddenly upon us.
The new broad system propagated in the wake of the occupation of Iraq must be conforming to promoters' values and goals. It will inevitably displace the current nationalist Arab system unless we reform regimes, people and ourselves and courageously cope with the Pre-Islamic calls aiming not only to disintegrate the Arab Homeland but also to return us to divide the nationalist body into tribal entities. One of the Arab TV channels devotes a weekly program for this end. Fortunately, its viewers are only those who share it the same aim.
In my opinion, many efforts have been exerted to reform the Arab League, in addition to a number of propositions, studies, and researches from Egypt, Yemen, Libya, etc.
I modestly believe that the Arab League should be given the freedom of movement and change. It should be provided with all means of support to crystallize opinions and visions.
The staff of the Arab League should be organized. They consider it their organization of and are extremely careful to make it succeed in accomplishing its tasks because it is they who operate it and are in the first place responsible for failure. They are the subject of daily censure of Arab media for the failure of the Arab nationalist system. He who does not organize himself is never able to organize others. They can excuse themselves from position but not from responsibility. Why don't we deal plainly with ourselves and adopt the following as an approach to reform? Why don't all of us give priority to the Arab interest over the country-centered one and work together as though we are the citizens of one country assigned to achieve Arab-serving goals.
This entails that we put aside the rate system of the League and give offices to the qualified people irrespective of their nationalities. The member states sought to elect the one fitting the position.
High-level positions are given to certain people to please specific countries and not to rejuvenate the League. Scarcely do we find that an official has made impressions at the end of his service. Moreover, such officials come into service either after they retire in their countries or shortly before retirement.
For the sake of the League's General Secretariat and to increase its efficiency, assistants of the Secretary General should be permanent General Secretariat's officers. This entails that the “ambassador” grade be given to the qualified persons and the Secretary General himself taking into account their efficiency and fair geographical distribution of the elected officers select the Secretary General's assistants.
These are the ones who will aid the Secretary General and it is recommended from a practical point of view that he knows them well and their areas of mastery.
Placing the right to selection in the hand of the Secretary General will make him the main responsible for the League's failure or success.
The conditions of the success of any multi-purpose mother organization include careful screening of its officers through equal honest competition who are to be trained and fairly evaluated annually, subject to reward and punishment. This will make people look up to positions in the League and will not disparage them.
Relevantly, it would be so useful to adopt the UNESCO's new system, which offers renewable two-year contracts for all employees, both senior and junior including the Secretary General's assistants. Such a system will prompt employees to do their work sincerely and improve themselves and their abilities, which should be the only criterion for holding office.
Efficiency in terms of training and unbiased evaluation should be enhanced by examining employees' files to maintain the qualified and gradually dismiss those who can't keep abreast with changes provided that they are fairly compensated and their services recognized.
It goes without saying that any organization will suffer malfunctions if it doesn't actively monitor recruitment, usage of human and financial resources, and place the proper person in the proper place and spend the allotted resources on their purposes. This is how to do justice to the employment's oath. Add to that, an officer should not hold one office for more than 4 years in order to prevent creation of centers of influence and self-inflation. Moving from one post to another should be after announcement and selection of the best.
Among the requirement of reform is member countries' non-interference in employment and promotion by either telephone or meetings to exert pressure on the General Secretariat. Undoubtedly, the member states will stop interfering when they see that everything is systematized and that all countries are treated equally both at the Arab League or any of its missions. In such a case, ministers of foreign affairs would forget that they have influence that they have to use when any of their compatriots is disfavored. Activating the League's Administrative Tribunal will create some sort of contentment and will save member states efforts which they from time to time, make to reform things.
Equally important is Arab League's equal treatment of diplomatic missions. Member countries should provide as much resources for their diplomatic missions as they provide their embassies to ensure comforting surroundings for the missions.
The current tough retirement system is related to development which does not enable a serviceman with a 30-year-service term to buy a flat in his home country or treat himself if he gets a serious disease.
The conditions that strengthen the League are not only the independence of its employees but also their feeling that the League protects them from pressures and whims, their having an independent active syndicate serving the interests of both of the individual and the institution.
With recent calls in the League in particular to empower Arab NGOs, the League should start with itself and let its employees establish a new association with powerful functions. It should bid farewell to the present association.
I think these observations are important especially after the conclusion of the Algeria Summit. A work team should be set up to study all propositions and suggestions and come out with an applicable vision to be submitted to the League's Council (foreign ministers) to decide on immediate action which is to be assessed at Khartoum Summit. Can this be done?!
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[archive-e:832-v:13-y:2005-d:2005-04-11-p:opinion]
