Fifty Years of European Union: Any Hope for An Arab Union?! Prof. Dr. Mohsen Zahran
Fifty years have passed on 25-03-2007 when six European Nations signed the Treaty of Rome launching a miraculous achievement among nations which had emerged, battered from the horrors, death, destruction, divisionism and animosities during World War II. The common will, determination and commitment of the founding countries have succeeded in consolidating the bases, the frameworks and implementation of the Union. EU has expanded its membership to the current twenty seven nations, including eleven former members of the Soviet block from east Europe. Others are awaiting admission, including Turkey which is still trying hard in order to benefit from the economic, political, cultural, scientific, environmental and technological windfalls. A recent report in Time magazine on the fiftieth anniversary, evaluated the success and achievements of the European Union. These are summarized in a few major points which included: - The prevalence of peace; -Common agricultural policies; -Disappearance of borders, facilitating movement and travel, efficient infrastructure and transportation network; -A unified European passport to allow unrestricted travel among the member states, and elsewhere; -A strong Irish economy; -Common Information Technology agreements promoting efficient communications (GSM); -Labor agreements allowing equality in pay, employment and fairplay everywhere in the EU; -Supporting the fledging economies of certain regions and communities, as well as minimizing the social and economic gaps among member states; -Institution of information network to enable scientists and researchers to efficiently access and exchange information; - The establishment of the Euro as a new common monetary system on January 2001, which was adopted by 13 nations and is used by 315 million inhabitants, replacing their original national currencies. In addition there were other benefits, such as: -The airbus project to build a truly competitive European plane made from components manufactured in several European countries, -Better sport and athletic competitions and protocols, -Cleaner beaches, -Common rules and commitment to the Kyoto Protocols to control CO2 emissions, and -A commitment to arrest the hazards of climate change and global warming. These enormous gains were coupled at the human development level with the adoption of protocols of European education enabling 1.5 million students since 1987, with a 9 billion Euros budget, to benefit from better educational standards, rules, exchange, adult education, research and travel. However, fifty years of unprecedented achievements were not a smooth ride. The EU has also experienced occasional bumps and few failures. The French and Dutch rejection of the referendum on European constitution arrested the momentum for a while. In addition, economic growth, high unemployment rates were coupled with certain social, cultural, economic and political tensions. Globalization was occasionally resisted in order to maintain European entities and identity. The new Europe evolved by the European Union is now a strong rival to the dominance of the single global power of the US, with a GDP reaching $ 12 trillion mark, equivalent to that of the USA. The brilliant achievement of the EU should serve as a model and an inspirator to Arab countries, which had envisioned by establishing the Arab league in 1946, the promotion of similar goals, but alas, has embarrassingly failed after 60 years of locomotion with nothing to show for it. Despite their common heritage, culture, history, habits, language, beliefs, and many other denominators, they are entangled, troubled, divided, oppressed, underdeveloped, suppressed, hopeless and helpless. The oil wealth has not supported except in a few isolated locations the emergence of a viable region. Rather the Middle East has been subject to wars, occupation, fanaticisms, interventions, disputes, fights, tensions and strife, fueled with external interests and interventions. The situation is pathetic, edging on despair and depression. Ironically, since WWI and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, in one hundred years nothing of significance has emerged. The glorious example and achievements of the New Europe triggers one to hope for the New Arabia. But first this must be a sincere will and determination, not just creation of a new league or reforming the present troubled forum. Is it a myth or a mirage! The dreams must be practical, and realizable. The goals must be achievable and the policies must be implementable. Facts not fictions. Beginnings should start with humble but sure manageable steps in definite arenas, sectors, fields or issues, starting with educational policies and programs. Other aspects of unified approach include telecommunications, transportation, pollution and environmental issues in addition to information technology, cultural programs, water resources, energy, agricultural development, human development, industrial and economic development, illiteracy, women empowerment, labor care, research projects, desertification, solar energy, tourism, clean beaches, clean water, clean air, heritage, archeology, etc … Human and natural resources are abundant, the common culture and values are strong propellers, but the will, conviction determination and commitment must prevail in order to catapult the creation of a new efficient and functioning institutional framework and a unique machinery capable of resolve, effective implementation and fruitful achievements for all to benefit from. We should learn form our failures and the successes of the EU; the emphasis must be on achievable real goals in solid steps, phases and doses not ceremonial window dressing in public manifestations for narrow media consumption.
Prof. Dr. Mohsen Zahran |