Arab economic integration and its future prospects
The process of economic and industrial integration between Arab countries requires a political and security environment characterized by stability and peace, resulting in economic and investment facilities based on short- and long-term strategic studies. However, the circumstances that occurred in the Arab world ranged from military occupation and blatant interference in the internal affairs of many Arab countries to... Sectarian and ethnic internal fighting, which had a significant impact on the pattern and forms of Arab relations in all their political, economic and industrial fields, the movement of trade exchange, and in some cases the closure of the movement of means of transportation and people, in addition to the complications in granting entry permits between some Arab countries and the exposure of intra-trade lines and the movement of industrial raw materials, including Pipes transporting oil and gas and raw materials involved in industries, especially the chemical and petrochemical industries, have been subjected to several attacks, the severity and impact of which ranged from one country to another.
In this environment and atmosphere, we in the Arab Federation for Chemical and Petrochemical Industries are trying to achieve as much as we can of the goals that our Federation was established to achieve. Despite these circumstances, the Council of Arab Economic Unity has made great and distinguished efforts to support the process of Arab economic integration.
Conclusions and obstacles:
All indicators have confirmed that most institutions, companies, bodies and individuals have expressed their understanding and belief in the principles and goals that emerged from the Council of Arab Economic Unity and the unions under its umbrella in everything related to the Arab common market, Arab industrial and economic integration, the priorities of the movement of Arab capital and Arab labor, the desire to invest in the Arab world and unify tariffs. Customs duties, freedom of transport of goods and commodities, development of intra-trade...etc. However, these ambitions collide with narrow national policies, the trend towards globalization, the World Trade Organization, monopolistic policies, and the control of monopolistic Arab economic, cultural and banking influence over Arab economic resources, which has caused huge financial damage to the Arab economies due to... The global financial crisis, in addition to the decline in oil prices and the Corona pandemic, if the Arab oil-producing countries had used the financial returns generated from oil production over the last 40-50 years in building large capacities for refinement and building projects for manufacturing industries within their countries and in non-oil-producing Arab countries for local consumption. For export purposes, the economic and cultural status of Arab countries has become advanced among the countries of the developed world.
We must work effectively in drawing up plans and work hard to achieve:
1- Supporting attempts to establish a common Arab market to achieve the national economic interests of Arab countries.
2- Supporting the establishment of joint companies between Arab countries.
3- Preparing an investment map that includes the capabilities available in the Arab countries and the ideal ways to employ them in a way that serves Arab economic integration and gives the highest economic returns.
4- Supporting intra-trade between Arab countries by working to remove customs barriers and establishing free zones for trade exchange between Arab countries.
5- Coordinating economic policies among Arab countries and implementing the Arab Common Market.
6- There is an urgent need to create job opportunities by accelerating the construction of projects that serve Arab integration and absorb the problem of unemployment in the Arab labor force, which exceeds 41 million unemployed people.
7- Establishing an information base on Arab industrial expertise and competencies.
8- Collecting extensive information about all Arab companies in all fields.
From here comes the emphasis on the role of specialized Arab organizations to act as think tanks in their field of expertise in Arab countries and the necessity of benefiting from the role of the private sector and civil society institutions in activating joint Arab action through Arab specific unions, joint companies, and scientific and professional institutions.
Therefore, we are in dire need to develop an Arab strategy for industrial development based on the active participation of the private sector and specialized Arab unions, coordination in industrial institutions in industrial modernization programs, the adoption of an Arab framework for technological and human development, and the compatibility of industrial action at the national level with the general principles of joint Arab action.
Arab cooperation in the industrial field is to strengthen Arab economic power, and implementing this requires building common positions on global issues, supporting small and medium industrial projects, and developing the Arab innovation system.
Establishing joint projects, coordinating Arab positions in the environmental field, unifying industrial standards and methods of measurement and calibration, and building joint positions
And from God, success
Arab Federation for Chemical and Petrochemical Industries