Meeting polls participants in 'real time' and finds that 64% think that 'governments unwilling to implement reform' is the biggest obstacle to development in the Arab world

Dead Sea, Jordan, 21 May 2005 - Over 700 of the region's leaders participated in the Al Liqa al Maftooh (Town Hall) to focus on issues of concern for both regional leaders and for average citizens and to identify concrete action steps to address them. The Al Liqa al Maftooh is a programme innovation first introduced in Davos this year as the Global Town Hall. The Town Hall exercise was then adapted to aid the region's decision-makers to develop an action agenda that reflects the priorities of the Arab Elite but addresses directly the concerns of the Arab Street during the opening session of the World Economic Forum in Jordan.

"I think this is unique opportunity for those who make policy and strategy in the region to take into account the aspiration of the public and to propose concrete action steps,"said Ged Davis, the Managing Director at the World Economic Forum responsible for the Al Liqa al Maftooh. "The starting point is you," Davis told the participants, who he called "some of the most influential stakeholders" in the region.

The Town Hall integrated five important processes. Electronic voting was used to capture the opinions of everyone participating and was compared against the results of an innovative Al Arabiya-World Economic Forum survey in Arabic of almost 3,000 separate television viewers across the region*. Participants then selected the three top issues that they thought should be the region's top priorities in terms of major change or reform. The first question that leaders participating in the Al Liqa al Maftooh were asked to vote on was:

What is stalling development in the Arab world? (Question one of the Al Arabiya-World Economic Forum survey)
1. Governments are unwilling to implement change and reform
2. Civil society is failing to convince governments
3. The ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict
4. Terrorism

The comparison of results follows:
1. Governments are unwilling to implement change and reform
Al Liqa al Maftooh participants: 64% Al Arabiya Survey Respondents: 81%

2. Civil society is failing to convince governments
Al Liqa al Maftooh participants: 9% Al Arabiya Survey Respondents: 7%

3. The ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict
Al Liqa al Maftooh participants: 24% Al Arabiya Survey Respondents: 8%

4. Terrorism
Al Liqa al Maftooh participants: 3% Al Arabiya Survey Respondents: 4%

After a second question focusing on daily life, it surfaced that the concerns of the Arab Elite were in fact largely in sync with the Arab Street. The next exercise focused on identifying the top 3 issues of 6 that required either change or reform. The six issues presented were based on those highlighted recently in such publications as the UNDP's Arab Human Development Report, the Forum's Arab Competitiveness Report and by regional initiatives such as Vision 2010. The top three priorities for action selected by the over 700 participants of the Al Liqa al Maftooh were as follows (by percentage):
1. Transparency and Accountability (24.2%)
2. Education (23.9%)
3. Political Participation (15.7%)

The participants were then asked follow-up questions from the Al Arabiya Survey linked to the three top issues identified as priorities. Again the responses between the two groups were well aligned. The participants then engaged in small-group discussions to determine the most important action steps needed to address each of the three selected issues as well as the country from the MENA region (including Israel) that was the best role model in terms of tackling each.

The results follow:

On transparency and accountability, the main recommendations from the Al Liqa al Maftooh were:

  • Define clear legal processes and laws

  • Establish independent judiciaries

  • Augment freedom of press

  • Disclose government budgets and decision-making processes

Possible role model among 21 MENA countries** : Israel

On education, the main recommendations from the Al Liqa al Maftooh were:

  • Reform curricula to reflect international standards, vocational requirements and regional cultures

  • Ensure a secular curricula

  • Improve teaching skills

  • Enhance respect for teachers in societies

Possible role model among 21 MENA countries: Jordan

On political participation, the main recommendations from the Al Liqa al Maftooh were:

  • Empower parliament with clear responsibilities

  • Create independent electoral commissions

  • Create clear legal frameworks to encourage political parties and civil society organizations

Possible role model(s) countries: Israel and Lebanon (tied)

Four-fifths of the participants were men, and 72% came from North Africa and the Middle East. 63% were business professionals, with the remaining participants representing a diverse vocational array including leaders from government, media, religion, academia and NGOs.

* Each response as independent was verified by e-mail or telephone by Al Arabiya (2,957 in total). The 12 question survey was conducted over 24 days with the questions broadcasted 18 times a day. The survey is available on www.alarabiya.net.

** The 21 MENA countries listed : Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Western Sahara, Yemen.

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© Press Release 2005