Western States Must
Help Fund 'Marshall Plan' for Arab World
"A
Marshall Plan totaling $200-$300 billion, the costs of which would be shared by
rich Arab states and the major powers, would alter the reality of life in the
poorest Arab lands, including Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Lebanon, Tunisia and
Algeria. We do not want to see these countries plunge into anarchy and volcanic
economic despair."
A sign in German promoting the Marshall Plan reads: 'Peace, Freedom, Prosperity.' Is a massive, $200-300 billion Marshall Plan the ultimate answer for Arab misery?
Egypt stands at a crossroads,
after turning a page in its history with all of the good and bad that comes
with it, but there is still a page left. It must now choose between being
plunged into the weeds of political rivalries and security concerns, or embark
on a fresh start while preserving its political status in the Arab and international
communities. Primarily, the country needs a government with the capacity to
achieve security and political stability, which will bring economic stability
along with them.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
The long journey that awaits Egypt
is not limited to that country alone, but confronts the entire Arab world, as Egypt
remains the signpost of the region. To prevent protests brought about by rising
poverty and unemployment, the Arab world is in desperate need of an economic
resurgence, particularly since the current regional situation is similar to
what happened in Europe after World War II. The only difference is that this
time around, there is no mass destruction or tens of millions of dead.
What we do have are economic imbalances,
widespread unemployment, poverty, a lack of development and a weak economic
infrastructure. This is a situation that calls for something resembling the Marshall Plan, which within
a few years saved Europe from collapse and paved the way for its transformation
into a leading economic powerhouse with political stability that has proven reliable
for several decades.
A Marshall Plan totaling $200-$300
billion, the costs of which would be shared by rich Arab states and the major
powers, would alter the reality of life in the poorest Arab lands, including Egypt,
Jordan, Yemen, Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria. We do not want to see these
countries plunge into anarchy and volcanic economic despair.
People likely didn’t realize the
deplorable economic reality in Egypt, which will require many years of development
and billions of dollars to launch bold projects that involve extensive construction
of infrastructure with the capacity to absorb millions of young people. This
applies as much to Egypt as it does to the entire Arab world, where young people constitute
64 percent of the population with some states having an unemployment rate as high as 22
percent. This is a ticking time bomb that is likely to explode at any time,
which would transform such countries into new Somalias and add to the growing
number of failed Arab nations.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Yes - the revolution of Egypt's
young has succeeded. But this isn't the end of the road. It is just the
beginning, and everyone is waiting to see what it brings in the coming days in
the hope that this revolution doesn't follow in the footsteps of such
past events, when we witnessed revolution after revolution while the wheels of
violence kept on turning.
If this occurs, peaceful
demonstrations will undoubtedly escalate into civil war. This can only be
prevented with the formation of a government intent on achieving the aspirations
of the people and respecting its international and regional treaty obligations.
We have noted attempts by some Egyptians to disregard the stipulations within
some of its international agreements. This raises concern about the emergence
of a huge security vacuum that could be filled by an Israeli recapture of the
Sinai - but this time with international support.
The major powers that have supported
this revolution are obliged to regain the people’s trust by working to ensure
the success of an Arab Marshall Plan. This would be achieved through
effectively financing and participating in this, rather than simply issuing
political statements. Will they act as genuine advocates of the people, or will
they remain avenues for instigating public revolts against the system?
