Launch with Cargo to Iraq on Fire
Photo by Riyas Babu
Democracy key to public sector reform in Arab world
AMMAN, 21 September (IRIN) - Democratic changes in
the Arab world are essential to reform bloated public sectors that
are corrupt and badly run, participants in regional conference said.The
conference held this week in the Jordanian capital, Amman, was organised
by several NGOs and Jordan's Public Sector Development Ministry. It
focused on the theme of "Excellence in public service in the
Middle East.""The abuse of power without
justice and use of private interests is the worst type of corruption
that causes social injustice and leads to many problems," Walid
Turk, chairman of Excellence Inc, a Jordanian NGO and one of the sponsors
of the meeting, said.As part of a government effort to raise efficiency
in a country whose public sector employees are almost 40 percent of
the total workforce, Excellence Inc has pioneered management projects
with key ministries to raise productivity and transparency.Several
Arab countries have embarked on projects to reform various areas of
public administration but critics and management consultants say progress
is hampered by poor public accountability and governance.Jordan's
blueprint for reforms known as the "national agenda", which
is expected to be unveiled later this month, will propose setting
up a ministry to oversee government performance, Marwan Muasher the
deputy prime minister told the participants. Jordan's
King Abdullah has criticised the prevalence of nepotism, patronage
and tribal connections - rather than merit - in state appointments,
in what critics say is a bloated public sector with low roductivity.However,
downsizing the public sector carries risks in Jordan and other Middle
Eastern states that have restive populations with high unemployment
and where many depend on the state as their employer, politicians
and independent analysts said.
CHANGE NEEDED
Taleb Rifai, regional director of the International
Labour Organisation (ILO) acknowledged that public sector reforms
in the Arab world, where the size of labour force is 75-80 million,
required real changes in political empowerment and democratic reforms
to be effective."Without political reforms there cannot be real
public sector and administrative reforms. The basis for Arab political
reform is democracy, transparency and participation to narrow the
gap between people and their governments," Rifai told IRIN.
"Real administrative reforms will depend on greater
participation for people, NGO and civic groups. The government should
be ready to acknowledge such a role for civil society," he added.Rifai
echoed the concerns of many public administrators in the region who
believe without good governance and more participatory politics, real
reforms would remain stalled.
"We cannot go towards public sector reform without
achieving higher standards for Arab political systems. The key to
public sector reform is to admit first that the public sector is at
the service of people," he added."We in ILO say there can
be no reforms in the public sector without participation of all the
parties that are affected by reforms," he said.Participants
said lack of democracy and accountability was behind the widespread
patronage and decisions based on political considerations rather than
good governance."This is due to the lack of democracy and accountability,"
Rifai said adding that many Arab public administrations were highly
centralised and inept.
Ahmad Nuseirat, an advisor to the Dubai government
excellence programme, told IRIN that public bodies in the region had
lagged behind others."Unfortunately the state of public administrations
in the Arab world is dire. All the ills of poor administration exist.
If Arab public administration is reformed it will go a long way to
reform the political and economic scene in the area," he added.
"The main problem is weak productivity and unfortunately
we don't have means of measuring this," Ahmed said. "The
absence of a conducive work environment [means] those who produce
and those who don't, get the same salaries and perks. This affects
productivity negatively," he added.
POLITICAL INFLUENCE
Nuseirat said while administrative rules were outdated
in public administrations even when some countries had modern systems,
they were not implemented."Political influences
on Arab public administrations should be kept to a minimum. We are
not talking about a utopia but at least the minimum of corruption,
'wasta' (connections), favouritism and appointment of employees without
enough qualifications based on loyalty," he said.Administration
should focus on competence and choosing the right candidates - something
that all countries in the region have a long way to go to do, Nuseirat
said.Corruption was a major deterrent against
the reform of Arab administrations said Mohammad Ashmawi, a management
consult who is president of MENA, Cairo and CEO of Chemonics Egypt.However,
in a country like Egypt some progress has been made in recent years
to put senior bureaucrats and officials on trial for bribery and mismanagement
of public funds."As a result of fighting
corruption in the top tier of government bureaucracy, we now hear
about former ministers being sentenced to prison terms. This is very
positive and acts as a deterrent," Ashmawi, who also heads the
USAID-funded Institute for Public and Private Partnerships in Cairo.Free
market reforms over the last 10 years helped downsize a once bloated
public sector in Egypt as more workers find jobs in private enterprises.
20.September.2005
DFSA advocates robust risk management in the Middle
East
Managing
compliance well can be a source of competitive advantage, says Dr
Habib Al Mulla
Dubai, September 20, 2005: By working within rather
than against regulatory frameworks and managing risks well, companies
can gain competitive advantages, says Dr Habib Al Mulla, Chairman,
Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). Financial institutions
should clearly articulate their risk strategies, understand the risks
they are taking, and build an effective risk-management organisation
that helps foster a responsible risk culture. Organisations need to
focus on both qualitative and quantitative approaches to risk management
– credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk are just as important
as reputation risk. The DFSA, according to Dr Habib, is committed
to being a risk-based regulator and bases its risk management strategy
on the Basel 2 Accord. “To do this, we
will rely on the risk management community to guide us in producing
a good product that can be used by all within the regulated community,”
said Dr Habib at the Risk World Middle East 2005 conference in Dubai.
“It is the responsibility of the regulator and regional risk
managers to ensure the vitality of the financial system and we look
forward to feedback from the industry. I welcome you to join us in
creating something that Dubai in particular and the UAE and the GCC
more widely can be proud of as a world leading financial centre.”
Many financial services institutions still fail to
think proactively about unseen and emerging risks. Change in risk
management priorities is often the result of pressure from regulators
and ratings agencies and seldom from self-assessment. Nearly 72 per
cent of the respondents of a recent study of more than 130 senior
executives in financial services institutions, carried out by the
Economist Intelligence Unit, said that regulatory pressures were either
an extremely significant or a major driver for changes in the priority
of their organisation’s risk management over the past two years.
“A culture of risk awareness has yet to
emerge, only few financial institutions require major decisions to
be ratified by its risk management committee. Too often a firm’s
head of risk is not at the same table as the chief executive officer
or other executive directors when important decisions are being made.
A financial institution needs to inculcate an appreciation of risk
that goes beyond the risk management department and permeates the
whole organisation, “ added Dr Habib.
GULF AIR CARRIES GIANT DOVES OF PEACE ON AIRCRAFT FLEET
- Airline supports UN designated International Day of Peace -
Manama, Bahrain: Gulf Air is showing its support for
the United Nations designated International Day of Peace, by carrying
symbolic Doves of Peace on each of its fleet of aircraft as they fly
around the world on 21 September.Giant Doves have been made by the
children of RIA in Bahrain, a non profit institute, which helps children
with communication disorders and those who find education a challenge.The
youngsters paraded the doves down the streets close to the airport
before putting one each on board a Gulf Air aircraft to travel the
world as a symbol of peace and unity of people around the world.“We
are delighted that Gulf Air is supporting our efforts by carrying
the Doves around the world. Special announcements will be made on
every flight informing passengers about the Giant Peace Dove Project
and its objectives,” says RIA principal Christine Hasan.
:
Gulf Air Captain Ahmed Salimi visits the school during the dove making
session
Sony Ericsson introduces the stylish Z520i to the
Middle East
Dubai,
United Arab Emirates – Sony Ericsson today announced the availability
of the hip, new Sony Ericsson Z520i mobile phone in the Middle East.
This global phone has been heralded as the “must have”
amongst the fashion elite.This chic mobile phone is aimed at the fashion
conscious who want an up-to-the-minute device in an appealing, stylish
design. The high tech features are wrapped inside an eye catching
smooth sleek body of an elegant clamshell, creating a small and inviting
handset that fits in the hand as easily as it does in the pocket of
designer clothing or a couture bag.
The Z520i is specifically designed for the stylish
younger generation, particularly the young modern woman, who wants
to carry an attractive accessory just as much as a mobile phone. “The
attractive design is small and neat, and it showcases a great new
caller ID feature using a rim of blue light and can be easily personalised”
says Husni Al-Assi, General Manager, Sony Ericsson Middle East and
Africa.
The Z520i fits in with latest fashionable trends,
it offers a multitude of functions, this Bluetooth™ –enabled
device is a fully featured phone that works all over the world allowing
jet setters to call home with convenience.This fashionable mobile
sets new standards in design and finishing. Available in a wide choice
of colour schemes based on white and silver frames, and additional
Style-up™ covers in a multitude of patterns allow for ultimate
personalization, the Z520i stands out in any crowd.
Designed to support a busy social or working life,
be it a business meeting or a high society party, the external screen
displays the caller’s picture if it is associated with their
number. An ingenious light effect, which uses blue lights built into
the phones perimeter, lets you know who’s calling by flashing
one of eight light patterns, which are paired with melodies. All of
these trendy effects are linked to the phonebook contacts.
The Z520i has a wide range of advanced features, the
VGA camera can take pictures or video clips with the phone open or
closed. The camera lens is on the same side as the external screen,
which acts as a reference viewfinder, so you can easily frame shots
of yourself or with friends. When the phone is open, the 1.8 inch
TFT display shows the full resolution pictures. Images can be linked
to contacts, shared around locally using infrared or Bluetooth™,
or sent to friends as an MMS message.
The built-in game, “New York Nights” from
Gameloft is an entertaining way to discover the fun of city life.
Players can find out how they would fare if they arrived in New York
with just a few dollars in their pocket. Downloading more games and
ringtones is easy with PlayNow™, where users can preview games
or pre-listen to ringtones from a frequently updated selection, then
just click to download. The phone’s 16MB memory can store hundreds
of ringtones, pictures or video clips. (Service is network dependent).
To show your creative flair you can accessorise your
mobile phone with one of the many stylish accessories available, such
as, BluetoothTM headsets, car headsets, car hands-free kits and a
hand straps. Style-Up™ covers are available in Pale Blue, Sandy
Grey, Ceramic White, Espresso Brown, Peach, Mint, Pale Yellow and
Pale Pink.
Iraqi Women Raped Peacefully
Hundreds of Iraqi Women Victims of Abuse and Rape
BAGHDAD,
14 Sep 2005 (IRIN) - Jamila (not her real name), aged 28, is too afraid
to leave her home, in fear that she will be raped again. She says
she constantly relives the nightmare she endured three months ago
at the hands of an unknown attacker on the streets of Baghdad. “I’m
afraid that if I leave my home someone will attack me again and I
feel dirty. I tried to commit suicide but my mother stopped me,”
Jamila said.“It was the worst day in my
life and I lost something that I will never get back again –
my virginity and dignity,” she said. Jamila has been psychologically
scarred and is pregnant with the child of the attacker and will soon
to undergo an abortion. She is just one of hundreds
of cases of sexual abuse in the country that have taken place since
the US-led invasion in 2003 when thousands of criminals were set free
from the prisons, officials say.Insecurity in
Iraq has given criminals an easy environment in which to operate again,
locals say. Most of the attacks are on university students, according
to the authorities. “When we say that
we want Saddam Hussein back in the government they think that we are
insurgents, but the truth is that with him there was security and
never a case of rape,” Jamila said.The
current Iraqi government, however, says it will not deal lightly with
convicted felons and recently executed three men found guilty of murder
and rape on 1 September.
UNREPORTED CASES
According to the Ministry of Public Works and Social
Affairs, there has been a significant increase in cases of abuse against
women, especially in the capital, Baghdad.“Sometimes
we are astonished with the number of cases that the local NGOs bring
to the ministry or from those who search for direct help from us,”
said Khalid Abdel Kadham, a senior official on the Ministry of Public
Work and Social Affairs.
Abdel Kadham explained that although there are no
accurate statistics available, nearly 400 cases of female rape and
35 cases of men rape have been reported to NGOs since April 2004.However,
Women for Peace, a local women’s NGO, believes that the number
could be more than double as many women choose not to report rape
or abuse, mainly for cultural reasons.
“Every week we receive at least two cases of
women being raped and those who have been sexually abused are running
away from their families in fear of honour of killings,” Youssra
Ali, a spokesperson for Women for Peace said.The
NGO, in partnership with the authorities is looking to find a solution
for the cases and is following up on criminal cases.
HONOUR KILLINGS
One of the biggest problems faced by victims of rape
in Iraq is the response from their families to the crime, who often
resort to an honour killing. An honour killing is where a female is
killed by a relative to protect the honour of the family. Suraya,
(not her real name), aged 21, did not tell anyone that she had been
raped, afraid that she would be a victim of an honour killing.But
she had no choice when she found out she was pregnant.
“I told first my mother one month after what
happened to me and after I discovered that I was pregnant. My mother
gave me three hours to run away afraid that my father was going to
kill me even though I was the victim, so I searched for the NGO, it
helped me and I am in a safe place now,” Suraya said.
Some victims’ destiny is much worse than hers.
“My sister was killed by my father when she
returned home from college one day and told him that she had been
raped by another man. My father pressed her neck on the ground and
strangled her to death and hit her head with a piece of wood,”
said Mona (not her real name), the sister of a victim of rape and
honour killing.Today Mona has also left her
home in fear of her father and is in a safe house.
“I cannot live with a monster in my home that
killed his own daughter,” she maintained.The
father has been taken to court for the death of his daughter, but
with a high possibility of not being found guilty because according
to the notion of honour killings, he was only maintaining the honour
of the family, Mona’s lawyer said.
At present under the law anyone who commits murder
or rape faces the death penalty.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
The Ministry of Interior says it is doing all in its
power to provide a safe environment for its citizens.
“We have been taking drastic measures to guarantee
that Iraqi people will soon live in peace and security, but for that
we need the people to understand that the problem should be considered
as a whole,” said Col. Ala’a Jalil, a senior officer on
the Ministry of Interior.
Some 15 criminals have been brought to justice for
rape crimes so far in Baghdad, Jalil explained.
Others believe that women need to have active participation
in the government in order for proper justice and the safeguarding
of women’s rights.
“Women are being raped and sexual abused and
instead of the government increasing our power to judge and defend
ourselves, they are just decreasing it trying to keep us out of politics
and the important sectors of the society,” said Juan Khalaf,
a female activist and member of the National League for Women Rights
in Iraq.
NEW HOPE
There are encouraging signs, however, of progress
is increasing support for abused women.The Ministry
of Social Affairs is creating partnerships with local NGOs, to have
access to cases of rape and sexual abuse in the country, as few people
approach the authorities on such issues.“We
have opened special houses to help women who have been raped so they
can return to society and live a normal life,” Abdel Kadham
said.Many local NGOs have also started to give
lectures on how women can defend themselves with some even offering
lessons in karate and judo.
Haifa Wehbe, Nawal Zoghbi and Wael Kfouri headline
LG’s Digital Music Festival
Concert to be held in Dubai on September 15
Dubai, September 15, 2005: Haifa Wehbe, Nawal Zoghbi
and Wael Kfouri will star in a spectacular music festival organised
by global and regional digital leader LG Electronics in Dubai. The
LG Digital Music Festival 2005 will be held at the Al Bustan Rotana
hotel in Dubai on September 15, 2005. The concert begins at 8.30 pm
and includes a haute cuisine dinner. Doors open at 8.00 pm and tickets
are on sale at the venue priced from AED 500. “In a market with
a huge youth demographic, a high percentage of the population in the
Middle East is under 20 years old, music is definitely one of the
ways to connect with our customers. But at LG, we wanted a format
that would promote the development of the regional music industry
while offering quality entertainment for the audience. Our annual
digital music festivals are organised to provide enthusiastic artist
support,” said C H Lee, President, LG Gulf FZE.
Music festivals are an integral part of LG’s
marketing mix as it seeks to bring the best in contemporary and classic
Arab music to the Middle East public. LG conceptualised its music
festivals at a time when the regional music business was facing challenges.
The company believes that music is linked to its mission of creating
a digital world that entertains and makes people’s lives enjoyable
and comfortable. Music festivals have been held in UAE, Saudi, Jordan,
Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco and Syria and featured top artists like Kazim
Al Saher, Raghib Allama, Melham Barakat, Nancy Ajram, Amro Diab, Elissa
and Fadel Shaker. “We don’t expect
any financial return on our investments from the music festivals;
they are solely a method of connecting with our customers at the grassroots.
We want LG to be perceived as a warm brand that cares about people
and is involved in their day-to-day lives,” said Lee.
Syrian Women Bike for Peace
DAMASCUS,
15 Sep 2005 (IRIN) - A group of more than 300 women from 34 countries
are due to ride on bicycles into the Syrian capital, Damascus on 18
September as part of a regional tour to promote peace and change the
stereotypes about Arab women in the Middle East, organisers said.
The Middle East Women’s Bicycle Ride will begin in the
Lebanese capital, Beirut, on 16 September. From Damascus it will stop
in Jordan before continuing to the Palestinian territories. Almost
all the countries the women will pass through are conservative societies
where seeing a woman on a bicycle is not common.
"The main goal of the Women’s Bicycle Ride
is to support women. Women and children suffer more from wars than
others and could make peace by raising awareness in society,"
Mona Ghanem, chairperson of the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs
said on Tuesday.
"We plan in future to organise exhibitions and
seminars to promote the concept of accepting others and build leaders
in our society," she added.
Leen Husary, public relations coordinator at Areeba
Company, one of the organisers, said the goal is to support Arab women
and children and strengthen their ability to express themselves, especially
on the subject of peace.
"The impact of the Women Bicycles Ride in 2004
encouraged us to organize it this year again," she said.
The event is sponsored in Syria by the Syrian Commission
for Family Affairs, Women for Peace, an organization established in
Sweden in 2002, and the Areeba Company.
The women, who will be riding for about 50 km a day,
belong to an international group called "Follow the Women",
which aims to help end violence in the Middle East.
They include professional women, nurses, doctors,
policewomen and mothers who say they have decided to take a break
"for a good cause". They have also sent messages to US President
George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to act and bring
peace to the Middle East.
From Damascus, the riders will continue on 19 September
to Quneitra in the Golan Heights and then to the historical site of
Bosra, about 100 km south of the capital on their way to the Jordanian
capital, Amman.
The final destination will be the Palestinian city
of Ramallah in the West Bank.
The riders will visit the Palestinian refugee camps
of Sabra and Shatila camps in Beirut, as well as Martyrs’ Square.
They will also visit the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and exchange
messages of peace with Syrian and Israeli women.
In the course of their trip, they will meet with a
number of political leaders in these countries.
Husary said the event was also aimed at encouraging
women to take part in decision-making with regard to security, conflict
prevention and resolutions. It calls attention to women and children
in the Middle East during and after conflicts.
"The ride aims...to spread a message to support
Arab women under occupation in Palestine and Iraq, for example,"
she said. "[It] carries a message of peace through areas that
either have been unstable or are under occupation – places and
conditions [where] women and children suffer more than anyone else."
