Many Arabs have a less optimistic outlook for the future this year than they did a year ago and many believe recent conflicts in the Middle East have had a negative impact on economic development, a recent Arab Business Council of the World Economic Forum/Zogby International poll in six Arab countries shows.
Compared with last years survey, fewer respondents in all six countries expressed optimism that they will be better off four years from now. Those surveyed this year in Saudi Arabia were most likely to believe they would be better off in four years (56%) while those in Egypt were most likely to believe their situation would be worse in the future (48%). The poll comes at the end of a year marked with turmoil in the Middle East, including conflicts between Israel and Lebanon and Israel and the Palestinians, as well as the war in Iraq.
Better Or Worse Off In Four Years?
The poll was conducted with face-to-face interviews of 3,850 adults from six Arab countries the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco. The survey took place from Nov. 11-28 and contains a margin of error of between +/- 3.5 and 4.7 percentage points, depending on the country. Zogby International conducts this tracking poll in six countries each year.
The majority of those polled in four of the six countries surveyed Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and the UAE said the Arab-Israeli conflict had a significant negative impact on economic development. Those in Morocco (20%) and Saudi Arabia (44%) were least likely to feel this way. The war in Iraq was blamed for having a significant negative impact on economic development by the majority of those polled in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE only those in Lebanon (38%) and Morocco (34%) were significantly less likely blame the Iraq war for hurting economic development. A majority in three of the countries polled 92% in Lebanon said the Israeli-Lebanon conflict hurt economic development. Half (50%) in Saudi Arabia said they felt this way, compared with 45% in Egypt and only 17% in Morocco.
Arabs in all six countries polled listed financial well-being as their top issue. Social values ranked second-highest for those in Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, while those in Jordan and Egypt listed losing their job as another issue of high concern.
The Arab Business Council of the World Economic Forum has called for an initiative by leading Arabnations, working with the quartet of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union to craft a comprehensive peace agreement throughout the region, leading to a regional security pact which brings stability by balancing the vital interests of all powers.
The Arab Business Council (ABC) was formed at the World Economic Forums Extraordinary Annual Meeting in Jordan, in June 2003, in response to the growing development gap between MENA countries and the developed world as well as many developing countries. It is currently composed of 80 Arab business leaders who are committed to the mission of enhancing competitiveness of the Arab world and to help equip their societies to compete effectively in the global economy and contribute to the development of equitable regional and global society.
Today, in its fourth year of existence, the Council has become firmly established as an effective representative of the Arab business community, regionally and globally. It works closely with regional governments and those from G8 countries, India and China, as well as international organization and civil society, on priority policy reform issues in areas such as investment, trade, education and media, and on promoting cultural exchange.
