ARAB AFFAIRS - Dec 12-15 - Arab States Will Be Better Off By 2020.

An opinion poll conducted by the Young Arab Leaders(YAL) association concludes the Arab countries will be better off by the year 2020. The survey, which covered about a 1,000 speakers and delegates at the forum, which was held under under the theme "The Arab World in 2020", revealed that 55% of the respondents believed that the Arab world would be better off. Just below 20% believed it would be worse off, while just over 11% believed nothing will change. The rest did not have an opinion. The chief executive of Dubai Holding and chairman of the YAL Executive Committee Mohammad Al Gergawi, said: This survey is of vital importance as it reflects the vision and policy of decision makers in the private and public sectors who believe in reformation plans to be implemented in the Arab world, which in fact constituted the core of the Arab Strategy Forum discussions held recently. The survey was meticulously designed by YAL to be comprehensive, accurate and reliable as it included face to face interviews with the delegates who attended the forum". The survey found that: 19% of the leaders, decision and policy makers who were in Dubai for the forum believed that tourism will lead the growth; 16% believed IT would lead the growth, 12% saw real estate, 11% finance and 10% saw manufacturing as the lead setter. These, in turn, were followed in order by media and entertainment, healthcare, infrastructure, retail, transportation and agriculture. 48% of the respondents saw the private sector as the main engine of positive change; civil society got 23% of the vote, public sector 20% and foreign intervention 7%. More than 90% of the respondents believed that Arab youth can effect change. Chances that Arab youth can compete globally by 2020 were thought to be moderate to very high. Respondents felt that lack of empowerment (36%) was the main concern of Arab youth. Political participation (22%), access to wealth (13%), access to technology (12%), a weak cultural identity (11%) and weakening family values (6%) were the other concerns. The survey revealed that education (37%) is the most effective medium to improve the state of the Arab youth. Next came guidance and mentorship (21%), job training (17%), promoting positive models (16%) and producing research and data (9%). Young Arab Leaders is in the process of charting out an action plan for 2005 and the plan of activities will benefit substantially from the input gained by the association from the discussions at the Arab Strategy Forum.