1PovertyandHumanDevptinMiddleEast

The Institute for Domestic and International Affairs

United Nations Development Programme

Poverty and Human Development in the Middle East

Rutgers Model United Nations 16-19 November 2006

Director: Asami Kondo

© 2006 Institute for Domestic & International Affairs, Inc. (IDIA)

This document is solely for use in preparation for Rutgers Model

United Nations 2006. Use for other purposes is not permitted without the express written consent of IDIA. For more

information, please write us at [email protected]

Introduction _________________________________________________________________ 1

Background _________________________________________________________________ 3 Foreign Influence in the 20th Century_________________________________________________ 4 Increase of Poverty Due to Occupation _______________________________________________ 6

Israeli Occupation of Palestine ______________________________________________________________6 United States Occupation of Iraq ____________________________________________________________8

Single Sector Economies ___________________________________________________________ 8 Current Status ______________________________________________________________ 11

Literacy and Education ___________________________________________________________ 11 Censorship and Government Control Over Information ________________________________ 13 Health Issues ____________________________________________________________________ 14 Inequalities _______________________________________________ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Key Positions _______________________________________________________________ 16 Developed Countries______________________________________________________________ 16 United States ____________________________________________________________________ 16 European Countries ______________________________________________________________ 17 Japan __________________________________________________________________________ 17 Middle East _____________________________________________________________________ 18 NGOs ____________________________________________________ Error! Bookmark not defined. Business Interests ________________________________________________________________ 19 Media __________________________________________________________________________ 19 Media Coverage ___________________________________________ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Summary___________________________________________________________________ 21

Discussion Questions _________________________________________________________ 22

Works Cited ________________________________________________________________ 23

Works Referenced ___________________________________________________________ 25

Rutgers Model United Nations 2006 1

Introduction

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was created in order to

help countries develop economically through effective use of knowledge, resources, and

aid. Since its inception, the UNDP has

developed new ways to implement new

tactics to improve world development

issues, such as poverty. Currently, the

UNDP and Member States of the United

Nations have agreed to the Millennium

Development Goals (MDG), which

includes the goal of cutting poverty in half

by 2015. Although this goal is important,

reducing poverty is a daunting task for

regions like the Middle East, where it is a widespread problem. While abundant in

valuable resources, the Middle East has a variety of problems that prevents the area from

developing to the point of being economically stable.

While foreign interest and investment in a state is important, uncontrolled

involvement can become a detriment instead of an opportunity. Developed nations,

which have better economies and strong interest in obtaining oil, have arguably taken

advantage of the oil-rich Middle East, encouraging investment in this industry, but not in

a more broad-based economic strategy. Developed countries supply Middle Eastern

governments with weapons and military support in exchange for oil. In many cases,

industrialized states have supported states in the violation of human rights due to their

need for access to petroleum. As a result, oil revenue is used for military power and not

for development. Interference from developed states is not limited to economic

intervention. Throughout history, the Middle East has been occupied by a host of world

Millennium Development Goals All 191 United Nations Members States made a commitment to the MDGs in 2000, with an aim to achieve them by 2015. They are: • Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger • Achieve universal primary education • Promote gender equality and empower women • Reduce child mortality • Improve maternal health • Combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other

diseases • Ensure environmental sustainability • Develop a global partnership for development Source: www.eu2005.gov.uk/servlet/Front


powers, having been occupied by military units from the United States, United Kingdom,

France, Turkey, and many others.

Another problem plaguing the Middle East comes from corruption, which is a

concern that affects the daily life of civilians. This practice keeps the revenue generated

from the sale of oil in the hands of the government and of a very small proportion of the

general population, resulting in a

tremendous disparity in wealth. Arab

leaders and businessmen have grown

quite rich, while their citizens have

struggled to survive. People suffer

from serious diseases, and lack the necessary income to support their families.

Corruption also leads to inequality between gender and social groups, as it also affects

the education of the civilians within that region. Many civilians, especially women, are

denied or cannot afford education, and classrooms are so crowded that students are not

receiving the attention necessary for success. The result of this segregation of wealth is

a legacy of an elite group that maintains power, while the typical citizen has no ability to

seek or demand meaningful social change.

Another contributor to poverty and lack of development in the Middle East is its

dependence on oil. Since oil has become the only revenue generator for so many states in

this region, the development of new oil fields has taken priority over the needs of social

development. Moreover, due to the tremendous revenue generated by the oil industry,

illicit deals take place, enriching those who already have money, while bypassing those

who have nothing. This dependence upon one industry leaves states vulnerable to

economic downturns brought about by a decline in the price of oil, or the expiration of

available oil reserves.

International cooperation is necessary in order to establish sustainable

development in the Middle East. While this problem is most directly economic in nature,

Corruption: Dishonest or partial behavior on the part of a government official or employee, such as a customs or procurement officer. Also actions by others intended to induce such behavior, such as bribery or blackmail. Source: www-personal.umich.edu/~alandear/glossary/c.html


its consequences are much more social in practice. By denying average citizens access to

critical government services, these states are denying them human rights, and are creating

a situation where the poor cannot bring themselves out from poverty.

Background

The term “human development” is often used to describe humanitarian issues

around the world, and leaders often find it difficult to define this term because it

encompasses very different types of development issues. “Development” is concentrated

on problems dealing with economy, education, health, gender, and security. As such, for

the purposes of this discussion, ‘human development’ will be defined as the development

of the “human person [as] the central subject of [economic] development.”1 Put simply,

human development addresses the manner in which the standard of living of citizens can

improve their standard of living, thereby enhancing overall economic development.

Human development goals have become more focused as the international

community has established ways to monitor and intervene in cases where human rights

have been violated. Currently, the UNDP is focusing on issues of development through

the UN Millennium Project, which outlines strategies that “will allow even the poorest

countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.”2 The Millennium

Development Goals have focused aims, such as “halv[ing] the proportion of people who

suffer from hunger [and ensuring] that children everywhere, will be able to complete a

full course of primary schooling” all by the year 2015.3 These goals are challenging and

will require truly international cooperation.

1 International Association of Universities, “Sustainable Development,” International Association of Universities, http://www.unesco.org/iau/sd/sd_definitions.html 2 One United Nations Plaza, “Millennium Project,” One United Nations Plaza, http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/goals/index.htm (accessed February 28) 3 Ibid.


Foreign Influence in the 20th Century

Although the United Nations is continually trying to help states to stop corruption,

skepticism of foreign influence has made it difficult for the UN to have any real impact.

Much of the Middle East has been affected by past conflicts that have made it hard for

these states to trust outside forces, especially those of the West.

Throughout modern history, the Middle East has been under foreign influence.

European countries, like Great Britain and France, were the first to develop outposts in

the Middle East. These states, already well-developed in their own right, recognized the

Arabian Peninsula as important due to its strategic location and control of value oil

supplies. States in this region were colonies of the Imperial Powers, and while they

exported tremendous volumes of oil to their masters, little was done to develop their

economic and physical infrastructures.4

Tension between the Middle East and Europe intensified after World War II as

colonial empires collapsed.5 When it was clear that the so-called Age of Imperialism was

coming to an end, European states began to divide up their holding from around the

world. As a result of the two World Wars, European powers were without the money or

military strength to control their former empires. As they began withdrawing from

former possessions, they established arbitrary state borders, delineated not by religion or

social similarities, but by the need for quick departure. The result was an entire region of

the world dominated by illegitimate governments, and suffering from internal strife.

Frustration with Europe was exacerbated by the withdrawal of British troops from

Palestine, and the establishment of Israel, a Jewish enclave with possession of major

religious establishments, in the middle of the Arab World. Arab states regarded Britain’s

act as betrayal and considered this the beginning of a political war between the European

4 On Power.org, “Middle East,” The Independent Institute, http://www.onpower.org/foreign_regional_Mideast.html#02 (accessed February 10, 2005) 5 Ibid.


nations and Israel against the Arabs. The British, recognizing that the situation in the

Middle East was about to become untenable sought to leave Palestine as quickly as

possible, and handed control of the region to the United Nations, establishing Palestine as

a mandate under UN control.6 In the years immediately following the Second World

War, the United Nations agreed to the establishment of Israel as an independent, Jewish

state. Perhaps in sympathy for the plight of Jews during the war, or the desire to support

Zionist ideals, much of the world community supported Israel and the survival of the

Jewish faith. The United States, which had a growing Jewish population became a

leading supporter of Israel, and was joined in this position by the United Kingdom,

France, and the Soviet Union.

The United States also became involved in Iran and Iraq, at times supporting each

side in opposition of the other. During the between Iraq and Iran in the 1980s, the United

States supplied Iraq with chemical and biological weapons which were used first against

Iran, and then later against Iraq’s own population. When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1991,

the United States led a multinational coalition force to end Iraqi occupation of this oil-

rich emirate.7

Western involvement in the Middle East has brought about continued tension

between Arab states and the developed world. States in the region see this intervention as

counter to their wishes, and accuse these states of meddling in their internal and external

political affairs. While Arab states accept foreign investment into their oil industries,

they are reluctant to involve the West in their politics, as they feel that the West has not

effectively served their interests over countless decades.

6 Ibid. 7 Ibid.


Increase of Poverty Due to Occupation

Occupation, whether military or economic, often results to dire consequences on

affected states. When one state controls the government operations of another, they

often do not do so with truly altruistic motives, and even if they do, the transition from

occupation to independence is often fraught with difficulty. Throughout history, only

when occupation occurred in the immediate aftermath of a war, has the result been

favorable for the occupied state. After the Second World War, when Germany was

occupied by Allied forces, and Japan was occupied by the United States, specific efforts

were made to ensure the economic development of these formerly belligerent states.

Unlike these examples, European occupation of the Middle East was exploitative in

nature, with France and England seeking economic opportunity for themselves, over the

needs of the local populations.

Israeli Occupation of Palestine

Palestinian territory has been occupied by Israel since the War of 1967. Although

the international community identifies this situation as an occupation, Israel only

recognizes the land as “disputed territories”, and does not refer nor acknowledge it as an

occupation, since these lands were gained as a result of wars started by Israel’s

neighbors.8 The tension between Israelis and Palestinians has made it difficult for them

to come to an agreement, and to promote the general welfare of the affected populations.

Due to the lack of cooperation, Palestinians argue that they are denied basic human rights

and security that they deserve. The situation also further delays human and economic

development in Palestine.9

Palestinians have long argued that they are denied basic human rights, due to

Israel’s longstanding involvement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In response to what

8 Aljazeera.net, “The semantics of Israeli occupation,” sec. 3, August 25, 2004. 9 Bennanni, F., Elsadda, H., et all, Arab Human Development Report 2003 (New York: UNDP, RBAS, 2003), 23


it deems security threats, Israel periodically closes the borders between these two areas

and Israel as a means of keeping those that wish Israel harm confined to Palestinian areas.

Long a target of Arab-sponsored terrorism, Israel has consistently been proactive in the

preservation of its national security, making use of its military to intervene in the

occupied territories, and participating in raids against suspected terror leaders. As a

result, Israel often restricts the destination and manner in which Palestinians can leave

these areas.

While Israel has been able to develop a flourishing economy, the situation in Gaza

and the West Bank are quite different. The gross domestic product per capita in Israel is

approximately USD $24,000 per year, whereas it is just USD $1,100 in the West Bank,

and a mere USD $600 in the Gaza Strip. Limited by their borders, these two areas are cut

off from the global marketplace, and are forced to rely largely upon humanitarian

assistance for survival. Over the course of the last fifty years, Israel has transferred

government control of these areas to the Palestinian Authority, however this

administration has been unable to establish real economic or social development in these

areas. Moreover, due to continued Israeli military incursions into these areas, capital

infrastructure has destroyed on multiple occasions, forcing the Palestinians to repeatedly

rebuild factories and other facilities instead of using resources for productive economic

growth. Israel agreed to withdraw settlements from the West Bank in 2003 and began

that process in 2005, however renewed violence has resulted in Israel’s continued

military control over the region, keeping the territories isolated from much of the world.

The result of the occupation of Palestinian areas results in the impeding of

economic growth for both Israel and the slowly forming Palestinian state. Both states

spend considerable sums on their militaries, meaning that less money is available for

social and economic development. Moreover, continued violence in the region makes

foreign investors reluctant to contribute to development, further limiting economic

prosperity.


United States Occupation of Iraq

In 2003, the United States invaded Iraq as a result of the administration of U.S.

President George W. Bush determining that Iraq was a threat to global security due to its

stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. Based upon information collected from a host

of international intelligence agencies, the United States and the “Coalition of the Willing”

sought to remove Iraqi president Saddam Hussein from power. Led by American forces,

the military expected a rapid resumption of peace in Iraq once the government had been

toppled.

The situation that troops have faced on the ground has been considerably different

than initial expectations. Instead of being greeted with flowers and cheers of support,

Iraq has essentially divided into three regions, each controlled by a different party. The

central government of Iraq in Baghdad has been unable to effectively assert itself as a

federal power, relying upon the continued presence of coalition soldiers to maintain

order. The seemingly interminable insurgency has declared that they are unwilling to

suspend their attacks while Coalition, especially American troops remain in Iraq, but the

Iraqi government has asked for these troops to remain until order has been restored,

establishing a cycle of violence with no apparent end in site. Regardless the outcome,

there appears to be growing resentment of Western involvement in the affairs of Arab

states.10

Single Sector Economies

Single sector state economies happen when a state depends on a single commodity

that is the primary or singular export from which revenue is generated. Singular

economies pose great danger to developing nations around the world because it makes

the country more vulnerable to market fluctuations. While states in the Middle East have 10 Philippe Le Billon, “Corruption, Reconstruction, and Oil Governance in Iraq,” Third World Quarterly Vol. 26 Issue 4/5 (2005). Academic Search Premier, via Taylor & Francis, http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/link.asp?id=g8j6615163161185


a fairly consistent market in oil, it is not without price fluctuations. The price of a barrel

of oil increased by some 40% since 2000, however new estimates predict that increased

drilling capacity could result in a reduction of this cost in the coming years. While

Middle Eastern states have generated outsized revenues as a result, there is growing

concern that if the market recenters on a lower price, that some of these economies,

which have become accustomed to significant wealth, may face significant economic

hardship.

Abundance of a specific resource, such as oil, is usually regarded as a blessing but

in the case of the Middle East, the blessing has become more of a curse. Nations that are

dependent on one resource are more likely to get involved in armed conflicts, as they

need to defend their control over the resource at virtually any cost. As a result,

governments, which own most of the oil reserves in this region, spend incoming revenues

on military hardware instead of investing it into local communities. As the government

controls the primary source of income for the nation, the regime gains power over all

aspects of politics.11

Iraq has experienced both the blessing and curse of their abundance in oil. The

state, which owns approximately 10.8 per cent of the world’s resources, is one of the

most impoverished countries in the world.12 In the 1970s, Iraq found its abundance in oil

a blessing as generated significant wealth for the government as a result of the oil shocks

of the 1970s. By the end of the decade, Iraq had average annual economic growth of

fourteen per cent and was recognized as the second largest exporter in the Organization

of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).13 The revenue from oil helped fund Iraq’s

military expenses and supported the growth of Iraq’s formerly ruling Ba’ath Party. The

economic boom also improved the living conditions of the people and increased job

11 Ibid. 12 Thomas I. Palley, “Lifting the Natural Resource Curse,” Foreign Service Journal, (2003). Academic Search Premier, via Global Policy Forum, http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/natres/generaldebate/2003/12curse.htm. 13 Le Billon.


opportunities. But in 1980,

resource dependent-Iraq ran into

economic turmoil. Due to an

increase in exports of oil from all

over the region, oil prices began to

decrease significantly. In addition,

the Iran-Iraq War which lasted for

most of the 1980s caused significant damage to Iraq’s already fragile economy. Annual

economic growth of about fourteen per cent had turned into a negative growth of about

six per cent. By the time the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, the state owed some

USD $382 billion in public debt, and was in need of social and economic reform that was

estimated to require about USD $52 billion.14

In response to Iraq’s unwillingness to allow weapons inspectors examine the

state’s weapons caches as part of the agreement that ended the 1991 Persian Gulf War,

the United Nations enacted a host of sanctions designed to encourage the Iraqi

government into compliance. These sanctions stopped all exports of Iraqi oil for

unrestricted profits. The UN mandated that Iraq could only sell oil if the revenue

generated from such a sale would be used for the purchase of medical and humanitarian

aid supplies. The sanctions, while noble in purpose, were widely violated, and Iraq was

known to be selling oil on the open market – the profits went to the leading Ba’athists,

and very little of this money made its way to counteract the poverty found throughout the

state. While the regime was profiting wildly from this illicit oil trade, it was showcasing

the poverty and lack of medical care available to its people, suggesting that the world

was, in effect, contributing to the deaths of thousands of Iraqi civilians.

Iraq is just one example of how an economy dependent entirely upon one

commodity can cause havoc to a population. The largely stable price of oil in the 1980s 14 Ibid.

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): A group of thirteen countries which are major producers and exporters of crude petroleum. The organization, set up in 1960, acts as a forum for discussion of and agreement on the level at which the member countries should fix the price of their crude petroleum exports by production quotas. The 13 member countries are: Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. Source: poli.haifa.ac.il/~levi/res/dicpe.html


and 1990ss resulted in an inability for the Iraqi government to generate the necessary

income to support increased expenses. Unable to generate increased revenues, Iraq

turned to armed conflict to help its cause. The Iran-Iraq War that lasted for most of the

1980s was as a result of a disputed oilfield on the border of these two states. The war,

which was essentially a decade long stalemate was funded in large part by the United

States, and resulted in the destruction of much of southern Iraq and Iran. The agreement

that ended the war offered Iraq no advantage. Further hindered by a weak economy and a

debt burden that hobbled the economy, Iraq invaded neighboring Kuwait in 1991 in an

effort to capture the oilfields of this oil-rich state. Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait was

condemned by the international community, and a broad coalition of forces expelled Iraqi

troops from Kuwait, and inflicted damaging sanctions on the floundering regime.

Current Status

Literacy and Education

Middle East States have made improvements in the provision of education,

however they have been unable to bring their citizens in line with the rest of the

developed world. Illiteracy rates remain high, most children are still not receiving basic

elementary-level education, and enrollment rates for colleges and universities are

continually dropping. Companies lack the necessary resources to invest in research and

development, and much of the economic activity in the region is due to transnational

corporations who do not invest considerable sums into the regional economies.

A reason for the lack of education in some Arab nations may be because

authoritarian rulers control educational reforms and do not provide funding necessary for

adequate educational growth. It has been suggested that by keeping their populations

undereducated, that these individuals are less likely to rise up against the state, or to

effectively demand reform.


The lack of government support of educational reform is evident from the

beginning of an Arab person’s education. Pre-school and kindergarten in many areas of

the Middle East do not fulfill the necessary skills needed to develop vital abilities

essential to a child’s future. These children are taught basic reading and writing skills but

are not taught social skills, which are crucial for success. Children in Arab states are

often not given academic freedom that will allow them to develop free thought and

expression, resulting in a dearth of academically viable individuals in the region. The

result of this situation is that these populations have been unable to develop an academic

elite outside of the government, thereby stunting their ability to develop new

technologies, or undergo meaningful social reform.15 In addition to limited access to

education, students in authoritarian regimes are not always taught from an impartial

perspective. Authoritarian regimes often incorporate nationalistic or xenophobic

messages of “loyalty, obedience and support for the regime in power [by putting] a

picture of the ruler on the front page” of their textbooks, creating a cult of personality

around the ruler, but very little in the sense of potential in the lives of children.

Education in Arab states also encourages memorization and recitation study, rather than

critical thinking. By continually enforcing these study techniques, students eventually

lose their own creativity and individual thoughts and are more willing to submit to the

demands of the regime. Authoritarian regimes are often able to control their populations

through the provision, or the refusal to provide important goods and services. By

denying them access to education, but providing them with food, they are in effect

developing a population entirely dependent upon the government for survival.16

Since education throughout much of the Middle East is not provided by the

government, it is available only to the wealthy, further reinforcing the vicious cycle.

People who are uneducated are unable to afford even basic education for their children,

15 Bennanni, F., Elsadda, H., et all. 52. 16 Ibid 26.


who as a result are unable to provide for the basic education of their own children.

Studies in Egypt have shown that only thirty to forty per cent of the population has basic

reading, writing, and mathematics skills. In Bahrain, basic math skills are dramatically

below the global average.17 Both these studies prove that previous efforts to reform

education have been unsuccessful, and that more need to be done in order to provide for

these children.

The lack of educational direction may also be a major reason why there has been

such slow growth in education. As stated earlier, government officials are much more

focused on military advancements and do not pay close attention to educational reform.

Due to this type of neglect, countries do not have a specific goal for education and takes

them longer to realize the reform that is necessary for their individual state. For example,

nations, such as Egypt, Syria, Libya, and Yemen, have finally begun incorporating

foreign language classes into their primary education in 2003. 18 In comparison to

Europe, which incorporated language into their primary education since the 1960s,

Middle Eastern states are well behind their global counterparts. Because development in

education is slow, Arab students continue to fall behind the rest of the world.

Censorship and Government Control Over Information

The lack of educational resources and information may only be a small part of the

problem. As authoritarian states, Middle Eastern countries generally have strict controls

over what information is made public or even published. Many of the most popular

books cannot be found in the region, and governments in this area have also denied

access to many of the classical works which have defined culture throughout the world.

Lack of access to seminal philosophy results in a society ill-prepared to assess its own

position, and to call for social reforms. The number of books printed in the Middle East

17 Ibid. 55 18 Ibid. 54


remains below 1.1 per cent of the world’s production, despite representing more than 3

per cent. In comparison, from 1980-1985, Middle Eastern states translated 4.4 books per

1 million people; in Hungary the number was 519 and in Spain it was 920.19 These

numbers are still prevalent in most of the Arab countries today. The lack of resources

that are necessary to increase knowledge and understanding has slowed down the growth

of education.20

Health Issues

Despite considerable international involvement to improve the health condition of

people throughout the Middle East, little measurable progress has been achieved. The

Middle East has come a long way since the 1980s, when most nations did not have

modern health clinics with necessary equipment or specialists to aid patients, let alone

access to safe water and food. Many Arab states have tried to fund health reforms and

have began to build sanitary institutions and health care centers, yet, they the services

they are able to provide are quite low, and most of the water remains undrinkable. In

Palestine, safe water supply is a very serious problem, and statistics show that 13 per cent

of the Palestinian people do no have running water. As for the people who do have

water, only 7 per cent of it meets World Health Organization standards and is safe

enough to use for household activities.

In other Arab states, while constructing the infrastructure necessary to ensure a

safe water supply, governments must also find a way to pay for funding of health centers.

The Yemeni “health delivery system coverage has increased from 10% in 1970 to almost

50% in 2000”, and total spending on health increased from 4.4 per cent to 5.1 per cent

from 1996 to 2000.21 Assessed alone, these numbers suggest tremendous development in

the healthcare network, but when looked at in the broader context of the needs of the

19 Ibid. 20 Ibid. 67 21 MPIG.


Yemeni people, this progress is almost meaningless. Hospitals do not have access to the

drugs they need to treat patients, and vaccines are in short supply. Some 80 per cent of

all funding for new health centers is used in major cities, meaning that health remains

inaccessible for the rural population, which also represents to poorest part of Yemeni

society.22 Unable to receive medical care, Yemen suffers from an unnecessarily high

mortality rate from treatable diseases like diarrhea, diphtheria, and malaria.23

Gender Inequality

In many Middle Eastern countries, economic growth is further hindered by

systematic discrimination against women and racial minorities. Studies have shown that

equal opportunities for women and for people of different social positions will increase

productivity, in turn having a significant effect on the health of the economy. As a

largely Islamic society, women are not permitted to participate in many sectors of the

economy, and are restricted from working at all, in many cases.

Studies in Turkish elementary schools have shown that girls, if offered the

necessary opportunities and resources, have the potential to provide more for society than

their male counterparts. In November 2005, the Turkish government enacted a ban

against headscarves in schools, announced as a means of controlling the impact of

religious tensions within educational facilities. The result of this ban has been a drop in

the proportion of females enrolled in schools. These women are now faced with deciding

between being faithful to their religious beliefs, or pursuing their education. Either

decision ends in a loss for women.24

22 Bennanni, F., Elsadda, H., et all, 75 23 MPIC, “Major Development Challenges,” MPIC, http://www.mpic-yemen.org/new1/strategies.asp?contantmain=6&key=18 (accessed February 4, 2006) 24 Human Rights News, “Turkey: Headscarf Ruling Denies Women Education and Career,” Human Rights Watch, http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/11/16/turkey12038.htm (accessed February 1, 2006)


Key Positions

Developed Countries

Developed countries tend to have interest in participation and promotion of human

development in the Middle East. Their interests are based on security threats and what

they perceive to be economic opportunities with the establishment of democratic regimes

in the region. First, under-developed nations are known to be vulnerable to corruption

and tend to result to “terrorism” against developed nations because they feel controlled

by foreign influence.25 This situation creates great security concern and will affect

growth in the Middle Eastern region and the growth of the rest of the world. Second, the

Middle East has abundant natural resources, such as oil.26 Developed countries regard

the problems in the Middle East as an opportunity to befriend them in terms of future

business success.

United States

The United States has been involved with Middle Eastern politics since its ascent

to be a global military and economic power.27 Similar to other developed nations,

American intervention in the region was generated by the need for oil, causing tension

with many Middle Eastern governments who felt they were being exploited for the

economic gain of a Western power.28 In addition to self-interested motives, their tactics

of enforcement and encouragement of democracy have lacked the commitment and

technique necessary to bring about such social change. Although the U.S. intended to

promote peace and freedom to the Iraqi people, the 2003 invasion has fallen subject to

25 Rachel Bronson, “Reconstructing the Middle East?” Brown Journal of World Affairs, Summer/Fall, Vol. 10 Issue 1(2003). Academic Search Premier, via epnet, http://search.epnet.com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=10032652 26 Ibid. 27 Onpower.org. 28 Ibid.


claims of Western imperialism. Western forces on Islamic soil, trying to implement a

governmental structure not wildly popular in the region has caused significant stress in

what were already strained relations among these states.29

European Powers

European states have been involved in the affairs of the Middle East since colonial

times. While early intervention was forceful, recent efforts have been more supportive in

nature. Europe’s approach to efforts to convince Iran to give up its nuclear program is

evidence of a strategy of diplomacy and integration, as opposed to older paradigms.30

Although the Europe has strong interests in oil, they appear to be supporting a

multilateral strategy at first promoting increased production of oil, and second,

establishing peace in the region.

The European Union recognizes the importance of establishing good relations with

the Middle East.31 While in some ways unpopular with their American counterparts,

Europe has announced a commitment to provide ongoing humanitarian and political aid

to the region, despite disagreements over Palestine. While the United States suspended

foreign aid as a result of the election of Hamas to lead the Palestinians, Europe

recommitted to its earlier aid pledges, and seemed to suggest that more would be

available if needed. Rather than treat Hamas as an opponent in this case, Europe has

sought to engage the group in meaningful reform efforts.32

Japan

Japanese foreign policy towards the Middle East has become more prevalent today

than in the past. Since Japan’s industry heavily relies upon oil, it has become dependent

on the Middle East for its petroleum reserves, as the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) 29 Ibid. 30 Onpower.org. 31 Europa, “The Middle East Peace Process,” Europa, http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/mepp/index.htm 32 Ibid.


states supply up to seventy per cent of Japanese oil imports.33 Even though Japan greatly

depends on the Arab states for their natural resources, the Arab world also depends on

Japan for its aid and support.

Middle East

Middle Eastern states often refuse help or aid of foreign influences, fearing the

result of increased Western influence in the region. They have negative attitudes towards

developed countries because previous experiences have not been especially fruitful.

When developed countries get involved in Middle Eastern politics, Middle Eastern

governments feel as though they lose freedom to manage their own conflicts, and fear the

effects of continued Western occupation.

Non-Governmental Organizations

International non-governmental organizations (NGOs), such as Human Rights

Watch, have helped publicize poverty in the Middle East. Reports of unsafe living

conditions have caused states throughout the world to offer financial and medical

assistance to those in need. NGOs have also encouraged donors to fund human

development, such as education reform and health reforms, in the Middle East.

National NGOs, such as Programme and Assistance to the Palestinian People

(PAPP), concentrate on specific needs of the Arab nation they represent. For example,

the PAPP promotes building of health centers, supplying of better equipment and

treatment, and increased training of medical personnel and specialists.34 National NGOs

are important because they understand that needs are different in every Arab nation and

are able to accommodate the needs of specific nations.

33 Passia, “Training and education in international affairs:Japan, Palestine and the Middle East (1999),” Passia, http://www.passia.org/seminars/99/japan/jpolicy.htm 34 Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People, “Health Care,” United Nations Development Programme, http://www.papp.undp.org/en/10/index.htm (accessed February 4, 2006)


Business Interests

Business interests in the Middle East are growing increasingly important as states

such as China and India become more dependent upon oil to support their rapid economic

development. As the Arab nations continue to pursue development and growth, their

consumption of products for building, necessary equipment, and reform will continue to

increase.

As Arab states continue to develop, equal business opportunities may worsen. In

the Middle East, there already exists a problem of income distribution due to corruption

in government. If this region is truly interested in human and economic development,

they must focus attention on the needs of their populations, rather than just on their own

interests. The more privilege the Arab governments continue to give private groups and

business, the longer poverty will prevail in their country, further dragging on the much-

needed reform.

Media

Information reported by the media in the Middle East has always been a problem.

Two key reasons prevent people in the Arab world from receiving true information and

creating limitation on the expansion of their knowledge. The reasons are slow flow of

information and the use of censorship to limit what sort of news is widely available.

Compared to the rest of the world, the Middle East has slower and more limited flow of

information due to government restrictions.35 The region does not have a significant

number of newspapers due to the fact that such a significant proportion of the population

is illiterate and therefore unable to read the news. They are therefore required to listen to

the radio or watch television to receive their news, but the abject poverty of some areas in

the region make even this impossible. Lebanon, which has the highest proportion of

35 Bennanni, F., Elsadda, H., et all. 59


people that listen to the radio, ranks relatively low when compared to the rest of the

world.36 Without multiple sources from which to receive information, people become

easily convinced that what they are hearing is everything that they need to know.

Censorship has also turned civilians away from seeking Middle Eastern media for

news and information. Most current media agencies are owned by the state, making it

hard for the media to be independent. The media becomes viewed as an illegitimate

source of information because effectively become a tool of the government. Censorship

also forces media to give one-sided view of news and also forces the media to cover

stories like narratives.37 Since the media is not allowed to cover stories with information

that interests their audience, most do not even bother to listen.

36 Ibid. 60. 37 Ibid. 61


Summary

There are many underlying problems that cause poverty and slow growth of

human development in the Middle East. Foreign influence upon this region has

continually placed them in a vulnerable state. Rather than helping the area have

sustainable development, foreign influence has brought more chaos and difficulty to the

area. The region is also vulnerable due to the reliance of many states on a single

commodity to export. Since most Arab states are dependent on one resource, they are

more susceptible to corruption and governments have control over most of the economic

income of the state. Due to such vulnerability to corruption and control, these Middle

Eastern countries find difficulty when trying to develop. Since the government has

control of revenue, the civilians must try to please the regime in order to receive income

enough to support their families. As the people of these authoritarian regimes submit

themselves to the state, the regimes continually gain more power and eventually they

begin to restrict flow of information and news, limit medical supplies, prevent education

reforms, and much more that make the citizen even more submissive.


Discussion Questions

• What are the underlying problems for lack of or stagnant development in the Middle East?

• What has your state done to develop? To aid in development of other states?

• How effective are NGOs in helping states with development?

• How can the humanitarian issues in the Middle East be resolved?

• Is it possible to end governmental corruption in the Middle East without infringing on sovereignty?

• How much does foreign influence play a role in the lack of development in the Middle East? How can it be alleviated? If it is not a case of foreign interference, how can such a resource rich region not develop?

• What effect has occupation had on development in the Middle East? Is occupation helping or not?

• How can educational systems be improved? Whose responsibility is it to improve available education services?

• How can healthcare infrastructure be improved?

• What are the underlying causes of the lack of development in the educational and healthcare structures?


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