World – ECSSR 11th Annual ConferenceCurrent transformations and their potential role in realizing change in the Arab world [Archives:2006/931/Reportage]
March 23 2006
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The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) concluded its 11th annual conference held at the Center's premises between 12th and 14th March 2006.
The Conference was held under the patronage of H.H. General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and the President of the ECSSR, and under the supervision of His Excellency Dr. Jamal Sanad Al-Suwaidi, Director-General of ECSSR.
The conference has been organized at this particular stage in response to growing pressures aimed at effecting change in a number of spheres-political, economic and social- at a time when several emerging transformations in the Middle East region are leaving their impact on all Arab countries. Policy-makers, analysts, researchers and academics from around the world gathered here yesterday to examine political developments and the nature of reform in Arab countries.
His Excellency Abdel Rahman bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), delivered the inaugural speech, while His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, delivered the keynote address, reflecting his vision on the role of education in development and its contribution for boosting the current process of transformation in the Arab world
The gathering addressed the changes and developments affecting the Arab countries during a period of global reorganization and assessed their impact on the future of the region, whether with regard to internal development or foreign relations with all the countries of the world. This conference was held at a critical juncture in the development of Arab society- a point at which Arab countries can either choose to continue along the path of progress by implementing fundamental and far-reaching reforms, or allow the process that has commenced across the Arab world to freeze. “It is time for a region-wide reassessment of the current transformations being witnessed by Arab countries and an investigating of their potential role in ringing about a qualitative change in the region.” Said ECSSR director Dr. Al-Suwaidi in the welcome speech addressing the gathering.
Topics and main themes of the conference
The conference identified four main factors that have helped to forge the transformations discussed in this conference:
1. The impact of globalization and its “affiliates.” As represented by the processes of economic and cultural integration has been obvious. The effects of the rapid spread of information and ideas through greater access to technology should not be underestimated.
2. The recent changes in political leadership within the Arab world and the resulting impact on political trends in the region.
3. The third important factor is closely linked to the second, and it concerns the changing nature of politics in the Arab World, sparked by multiple factors. In many countries of the region, Islamism is on the increase, usually in the form of opposition to the ruling government.
4. The influence of the United States, especially since its declared post 9/11 policy of introducing democracy and political reform in the Middle East.
The speakers and participants at the conference discussed topics covering the following subjects:
– Recent political developments in Arab countries.
– The nature of change and reform in Arab politics today.
– The impact of terrorism on social and political development in Arab countries.
– The role of transnational organizations in Arab politics.
– The status of democratization in the Arab world.
– The importance of structural stability in the reform process.
– The importance of education in Arab countries.
– The changing nature of population and society in Arab countries.
The conference sessions and working papers
The opening session was attended by Abdul Rahman Bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Omani Foreign Minister Yousuf bin Al Alawi, former US Defence Secretary William Cohen and a number of dignitaries and diplomats.
The keynote address by H.E Adbulrahman AL-Atiyab – Secretary General, Gulf Cooperation Council approached the impact of the regional crises on the stability of the region. “Regional crises have had a significant impact on the stability and various development programs in the Middle East region. The crises included: Palestinian-Israeli issue, the escalation of the security situation in Iraq, the presence of WMDs in the region, and the increase of terrorism.” He said.
He emphasized on solving these problems through finding a way to effectively implement a policy of modernization and to combat social phenomena such as poverty and illiteracy, while embarking on a path towards democratization and activating the role of civic society organizations. At the same time there should be an effective commitment to international laws in order to solve the current political crises in the Middle East.
He also highlighted the importance of the process of democratization and that it should be associated with comprehensive development process which faces several challenges such as illiteracy, unemployment, limitation of women contribution to the labor market. “The political and economic progress of the Arab people cannot be achieved without a political system which is based on transparency, accountability and the participation of all citizens in the decision-making process” he said.
The first panel of the conference was under the title: “New and Future Leadership: Implications for Change” It was run by the Honorable William S. Coben- former secretary of defense USA.
“I was browsing through a book, by Thomas Friedman entitled” The World is Flat.” What he was suggesting was that when the Berlin Wall came down, Bill Gates “Windows” came up. Internet, outsourcing and globalization allowed the world to meet and collaborate without emigrating. You can remain Abu Dhabi and have access to the same information as those anywhere else.” He said in his paper. The other message was about the intersection of terrorism and technology. Previously the only concern was about state-sponsored terrorism. Now a single individual like Timothy McVeigh can bring down a federal building. Now it is a different kind of terror because information is more readily accessible. Technology has the power to destroy everything and take us back to the “Stone Age” to quote Churchill. From a defense background, each country has to strengthen national security and consequently will need just laws.
The second Panel was under the title: “The problem of reform in the Arab world” by Dr. Bourhan Ghalioun- Director, Center for Contemporary Oriental Studies, Sorbonne University, Paris, France. His paper discussed the issue of civil societies and that reform was launched from USA originally, yet today it seems that this project has been aborted. “There are two types of reform: partial reform in which the system answers some of the demands such as hospitals and schools. And the holistic reform and in which revision of the whole system is done and the whole social system as a whole.” He said.
He emphasized on the fact that any partial change or reform is an enhancement of the current system and this would prove as a failure and would endorse the same or current system. “The main issue in the change process lies in the businessmen and rich class of the society who control most of the third world country's resources and who reject change and not in the religious scholars or others.” He said.
He added that we can not bet on the external pressures to endorse reform. In fact there is need to reform the international organizations such as the UN in the international frame and not for the sake of the western countries only. And for reforming the Arab world we have to work on three terms:
– On the long term we have to work on changing the cultural and value system infrastructure of the Arab world.
– On the medium term: we have to focus on the businessmen and rich people and the social layers related to the reform process interest wise.
– On the short term we have to work on creating a new system around the current ones to force them to engage in a dialogue within the societies probably through sincere international pressure by the UN and so that these systems give up some of their authorities.
The other working paper was titles: “Arab political reform and the middle east peace process” by Dr. Clovis Maksoud, director of the center fro the global south American university Washington, DC USA. On behalf of him the speech delivered by Atef Qubrosi. The working paper conveyed that the UN's Arab Human Development Report was a great privilege that allowed the Arab world to look into the mirror. The point that is really crucial in this report is the absence of freedom in the Arab world. Freedom will allow the Arab people to attain their full potential.
An essential prerequisite of human development is creating conditions that allow people to realize their full educational and creative capacity. People in the Arab world are generally disadvantaged in terms of education and employment.
“The Arab world is rich, but it is also undeveloped. It is important to tie the labor market to the education system and improve tertiary systems.” Mr. Qubrosi said.
The final working paper of the first day was about “Modernity and political transformation: the Turkish experience” It was given by professor Metin Heper, chairperson, department of political science, Bilkent university, Ankara, republic of turkey.
In the second day three more working papers were discussed as follows:
1. Protecting Sovereignty in an Age of Regionalism, Dr. Amitav Acharya, deputy director and head of research, Institute of Defense and Strategic studies, Nanyang Technological University, Republic of Singapore
2. The role of non-state actors in promoting change, Dr. Marina Ottaway, senior associate, Carnegie endowment for international peace, Washington, DC USA
3. Encouraging the independence of state institutions, Dr. Gary Hart, former us presidential candidate, former co-chair of us commission on national security for 21st century, former senator for Colorado, USA
In the same day the second panel discussed two more working papers:
1. The role of external pressure in encouraging Home-Grown reform, H.E. Yasser Abed Rabbo, former minister of culture and information, Palestinian national authority,
2. Iraq as an example of the “spread of Democracy” through the Arab world, Dr. Adnan Pachachi, former Iraqi representative at the United Nations, former president of the Iraqi governing council, republic of Iraq.
The fifth panel addressed two issues: “Political transformation in the Arab world: the role of Islamist actors”, Dr. Amr Hamzawy, senior associate, Carnegie endowment for international peace, Washington, DC USA. And “Causes of terrorism and ways to combat it in the Arab world”, H.E Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Kouman, secretary general of the Arab interior ministers council, Tunisia.
The final day included the keynote address under the title: the importance of education in regional development, H.E. Sheikh Nahyan Mabarak al Nahyan, minister of higher education and scientific research, UAE. The sixth panel included three working papers on the position of education as a Catalyst for social change: the Arab world as a case study, H.E. Dr. Faisal Al-Rufouh, deputy dean of faculty of humanities and social sciences, university of Jordan, former minister of culture, the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan. It also included a working paper on losing talent to other countries: halting the Arab “Brain-Drain”, by H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Guidr, director general of the Arab Labor Organization, Arab republic of Egypt. And “One goal and different agendas: expanding the scope of education in the Arab world and addressing the needs of the labor market” by Dr. Raffia Obaid Ghubash, president of the Arabian gulf university, kingdom of Bahrain.
The seventh panel included two working papers on activating the role of women in development: current and future prospects A case study of Kuwaiti women, by H.E. Dr. Massouma Al-Mubarak, minister of planning and minister of state for administrative development affairs state of Kuwait. And International emigration and population composition in the GCC countries, by Dr. Matar Ahmed Abdullah, program specialist, united nations development program (UNDP), UAE.
Finally the concluding remarks: assessing change and development in the Arab world, by H.E. Dr. Massouma Al-Mubarak, Dr. Ibrahim Guidr, Dr. Raffia Obaid Ghubash, and Dr. Ahmed Jameel.
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[archive-e:931-v:14-y:2006-d:2006-03-23-p:report]
