Introductory Remarks by H.E. Fouad Siniora WEF Session on: What is Arab Democracy? IN SHARAM ELSHAIK May 21, 2006

Let me first thank the organizers of this event for choosing Democracy in the Arab world as one of the session topics. It is a very important and timely subject. I hope this discussion will enhance our understanding of how the global quest for democracy is viewed in our part of the world, and of the likely course that the democratic evolution in our region is likely to take in the period ahead.

At this stage I will just offer a few thoughts:

1- First, if you allow me I would like to take issue with the title of the session "What is Arab Democracy?" In my view, there is no such thing as Arab democracy. One can speak of the "state of democracy in the Arab world" or "how democracy is viewed in Arab societies". But the term "Arab democracy" implies either that there is some version of democracy that can be labeled as Arab, or that the state of democracy (or how it is viewed) across Arab countries is uniform. Both, in my view, are false assumption. The issue here is not one of semantics.

2 – Any observer of the Arab world, and certainly the Arabs themselves, recognize the great diversity across Arab countries, in terms of their political history, social organization, and degree of openness to the rest of the world. Clearly, Arab countries are moving towards more participation, more political freedom, and more democracy in general, but from different starting points and therefore along different paths. This diversity is critical for a better understanding of the issue.

3- Equally important is to dispel any notion that Arab youth or Arab people in general somehow have different notions of freedom and democracy than the rest of the world. I strongly believe that the basic principles and desire for freedom and democracy are essentially the same everywhere. They may have different colors or flavors but in substance they are essentially the same. Surely, social traditions and moral and religious values may differ from one place to the other. But these do not conflict with the basic principles of democracy or the natural human desire not to be oppressed or disenfranchised.

4- Are Arab countries making progress towards more democracy? I believe the short answer is yes, although the pace of progress is clearly not uniform. One can see the progress in four critical requirements for a well functioning democratic system.

5- First, there are more elections taking place. Admittedly, the ballot box can sometimes be a charade. And in some cases it has been. But in many countries the pressure to have real elections that are truly representatives, whether on the local or national levels, is making an impact. Choices are becoming more meaningful.

6- Second, the Arab population is becoming much more informed than before. Obviously, making choices requires that information be available and is not filtered through government channels only. Communication technology has played and continues to play a big role in making it impossible for governments to stop the winds of change by blocking information from reaching people. This trend is unstoppable.

7- The third factor is the mushrooming of civil society in most of the Arab world, which is providing an important force against government abuse of the system or abuse of the government itself by a privileged few. Generally speaking, it is becoming too difficult and too costly for governments to silence civil society.

8- The fourth factor that is pushing the process of democratization in Arab countries is the economic reform and liberalization that many countries are currently engaging in. Genuine economic reform that levels the playing field and distributes economic powers away from government –or private- monopolies is bound to also help the process of democracy. Focus is traditionally placed on the impact of political reform on economic development. Many studies have indicated that economic performance and the standards of living have suffered as a result of political and institutional impediments in many parts of the Arab world. I believe the impact in the opposite direction is equally great. Economic restrictions and distortions weaken democracy. One can therefore speak of – hopefully - a virtuous circle emerging of more democracy and more economic reform in the Arab world.

9- It would be a mistake to ignore the impact on the democratic evolution in the Arab world of the regional turmoil; and of the national causes and issues that have defined Arab politics, as well as Arab public opinion and preoccupation for a ling time.

10- The issue of Palestine, for better or for worse, has been central in a number of respects that have a significant bearing on the process of democracy and development in the Arab world:

First: It has put many parts of the Arab world in a psychological state of war; in an existential struggle that forced other important national goals including democracy, for a long time, to take a back seat.

Second: This otherwise quite legitimate struggle was often used by governments to detract from pressures for political reform. As is often the case in time of war, talk of democracy was sometimes portrayed as treason, or at best, untimely; Calls for reform were fought by some governments under the pretext that they were instigated by the "enemies of the nation";

Third: his unsettled regional situation has played a role in the numerous military coups that have characterized the political life of many countries in the region, particularly in the 1950s and 60s and part of the 70s. This has undoubtedly been an impeding factor in the political and democratic evolution in the region as a whole.

Fourth: The failure to deal with the Palestinian issue in a just and comprehensive manner has contributed to extremist politics and ideologies that by definition are anti-democratic.

11- Does the international community have a role in helping the democratic process in the Arab world move forward? The answer is yes. First, by working seriously and boldly to end the Palestinian Israeli and Arab Israeli conflict in a fair, comprehensive, and permanent manner. The significance of this focal issue for the cause of democracy should not be underestimated. Second, the West can also help by not pushing or appearing to push the cause of democracy from the outside. Governments tend to resist such pressures, for obvious reasons; but the real cost is the resistance of ordinary people to what is perceived as blunt foreign intervention. The common wisdom in the Arab world is that democracy cannot be delivered from the barrel of a gun. Iraq is often given as a stark example. Democracy has to be home grown. A better environment needs to be created. Successful examples or models of democracy within the Arab world can create the kind of positive contagion that distant models cannot.

12- As I said before, each Arab country is moving along its own path of political reform. In the case of Lebanon, after the assassination of Prime Minister Hariri, more than a million Lebanese took to the streets of Beirut claiming freedom and seeking a more effective and better functioning democracy. Free parliamentary elections were held for the first time in decades, and a free cabinet was formed. For the last nine months, the government has been working towards broad based reforms, political and economic. The debate over government policies is intense. We are convinced that this is a good thing, even if it means that government decisions take more time and more discussion.

13- Lebanon is one of the smaller Arab countries. But its impact on the Arab world is much larger. We are convinced that Lebanon's experience will enhance the drive towards democracy in the Arab world. Obviously, the experience of Lebanon should not, and cannot, be emulated. No two countries are the same. But Lebanon can be an inspiration to Arabs everywhere who want more participation, more democracy and a better future.