Papers MDF3

Institutional Reforms in the MENA Region (MDF3)
International Forum, March 5-8, 2000 Cairo-Egypt

sessions 1-2 3-4 5-6           papers

Sessions 1 and 2       Judiciary Reforms and the Rule of Law

A strong, independent, and pro-active judiciary is one of the most important requisite for consolidating the rule of law, redressing abuses of power and arbitrary measures and regulations, guaranteeing personal freedoms, enforcing property and contractual rights, and insuring the basic equality of citizens.

Within the context of the difficult and sometimes reversible political and economic transition in the region, several processes of judiciary reform and reconstruction are currently underway. In Palestine, the development of the judiciary is a critical dimension of self-governance and state building. In Lebanon, the current reform projects are an integral part of the process of post-war institutional reconstruction. In Egypt, civil society movements and professional organizations are actively supporting the strengthening of the judiciary to expand public and individual freedoms. In Morocco, the current democratic transition is highlighting the urgency of an active reinforcement of the judiciary.

The workshop brought together a group of leading professionals and intellectuals, actively involved in the current and prospective judicial reforms in their countries. They will share and analyze their national experiences, explore the impediments to and the progresses made in judicial reforms, and discuss with the audience the contribution of these reforms to sustainable development and democratic governance in the region.

Sessions 3 and 4       Municipal Innovation and Good Governance

Decentralization, as a policy orientation involving political, administrative and fiscal structural changes, and leading to a redistribution of power and responsibility between levels of government, could affect significantly the critical determinants of development within a country. The workshop explored the very contrasted nature of the socio-political legacies of the MENA region, ranging from some of the oldest and most entrenched state centralist tradition (like in Egypt) to relatively weak centers with strong regionalist and localist traditions (like in Lebanon, Jordan, or Yemen).

The sessions focused on the current attempts at promoting and enhancing local government and initiatives at the municipal level, by presenting and discussing specific experiences from the regional traditions. The sessions highlighted few exemplary cases of (or failed attempts at) municipal innovations, to reflect on the lessons to be learned, the replicability of institutional innovations and local participation initiatives, and the importance of strategic planning and municipal leadership for a successful and efficient local government.

Sessions 5 and 6       National Campaigns for Accountability

Uncovering and understanding better the political economy of corruption, where and how it occurs, what are its social, political and economic costs and what could be the region-specific elements of a successful anti-corruption strategy, should be high on the agenda of institutional reforms for sustainable development in the MENA region.

Accurate, reliable, and generalizable information is difficult to gather, economics costs difficult to measure, and administrative and political implications are hard to document and sensitive to highlight. However, the region should move forward in an area where significant progress have been elsewhere and where current political openings offer even a limited opportunity to raise the issue and discuss the means to address it. Analyzing and controlling corruption, making the public more aware of its implications and of the possibilities of rolling it back, and strengthening the pressures for an improved, more equitable and less costly delivery of public goods and services, remains critical to any successful development strategy in the region.

The workshop brought together a mix of researchers, civil society activists and public officials knowledgeable and concerned by the issue,

-          to evaluate current and recent official anti-corruption campaigns in the region,

-          to explore ways of developing and coordinating documentation and research efforts, and

-          to debate region-specific anti-corruption strategies, combining public sector and legal reforms and civil society and media mobilization.

Papers
Improving the Administration of Justice in the Arab Countries: Some Recent Experiences (pdf- in Arabic)
Dr. Wassim Harb Bureau d'Etudes et de Recherches en Informatique et Droit, Lebanon

Rule of Law and Reestablishment of the Judiciary in Palestine (pdf)
Dr. Camille Mansour Director of the Law Institute, Bir Zeit University, Palestine

Judiciary Reforms and Post-war Reconstruction in LebanonLawyer (pdf)
George Assaf Director, Human Rights Institute, Beirut Bar Association, Lebanon

The Constitutional Court & Expansion of Individual Freedoms in Egypt (pdf)
Dr. Enid Hill Professor of Political Science, American University of Cairo, Egypt

Political Reforms and Municipal Initiatives: The Moroccan Experience (pdf)
Dr. Ali Sedjari University of Mohamed V, Rabat, Morocco

Municipal Governance and Expanded NGO's role: A Comparative Study (pdf)
Ms. Roula Majdalani Human Settlement Officer, UNESCWA (This paper is another version of a study prepared by UN-ESCWA “Urban Governance and Participatory Development”, New York, 1999)

Newly Elected Municipalities and Ability to Mobilize Resources: Cases from Lebanon
Mr. Sami Atallah Economic Researcher, Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, Lebanon

Municipal Innovation and Good Governance
Mr. Ahmed Taha Human Settlements Expert, Arab Urban Development Institute, Saudi Arabia

The 1999 Official Campaign against Corruption in Lebanon (pdf)
Mr. Oussama Safa President, No Corruption - Lebanese Transparency Association, Lebanon

The Egyptian Media and the Uncovering of Corruption (pdf- in Arabic)
Mr. Farid Zahrane Al Mahroussa Center for Publication and Information, Egypt

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