The Major Economic and Social Problems in the Arab World?

The economic problems

Water issues can greatly participate in tense interstate relations in the region. The rapid growth of Arab populations is making water far more valuable than oil"*. The major water resources of the Arab world are jointly shared among different countries inside and outside the region(Turkey and Africa ) and as unused water resources became less and less in recent years led to competition over these resources and in certain cases to conflicts. Nile River, the Tigris and Euphrates, the Jordan River valley (and its tributaries), and groundwater resources in the West Bank and Israel are the main water systems under dispute in the region. A direct result of the water problem is the need for large food imports as Arab world is the least food-self-sufficient region in the world. Many countries in the region are using desalinization plants to increase their water supply by converting sea water to fresh water.However, it is an expensive option, and with the present technology it can only offer a limited solution to the drinking water problem.

Lack of industry is also one of the major problems in the Arab world." It is very clear that Arabs not used their vast resources to at least obtain some of the basic knowledge to be players in the international explosion of Technology and commerce**". With a very small manufacturing and a very week agricultural base, the Arab world depends nearly completely on foreign imports to maintain an increasingly high-tech urban society and that makes the imported food and chemicals critical to survival. Locally produced capital goods almost not exist. Transport, communications, power, water purification and distribution, and construction equipment must all be imported. Building the essential industry in the Arab countries stayed a dream because of the Excessive dependence of the west advanced industrial economies and Inadequate manpower education and rehabilitation. But Some Arab countries such as Tunisia, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon are qualified to take on industries and technology available in Europe and re-export the products to European markets. The best example of such industries is textile and ready-made garments and shoes, mostly in Syria.

"Investments in the Arab world has been disappointing "***.The Arab world of share flows of the total world investment still very low compared to the huge potential possessed to the flow of foreign direct investment received by the Arab countries. Investments in the Arab countries are clashes with many barriers which are the same toward the comprehensive development. The lack of ability to deal with the intractable problems of the country like in many Arab countries there is the case of tribal and political ethnic, sectarian conflicts. As in Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Algeria, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine as the most important factor for attracting investments is the stability. Capital always looking for a higher degree of profit. Investor could not venture in projects that might be exposed to destruction and failure in any moment, in addition to administrative constraints such as poor management performance and the spread of bureaucracy and rampant corruption and lack of attention to self-censorship, also the low level of feasibility studies comes as one of the most important obstacles facing investors.


Social problems
"The population of the Arab world today is around 325 million people # spanning two continents" **** . Dwelt an area about one and a half times the U.S and women constitute half of the total population. with an estimated average rate of growth by about 2.4%,down from about 2.6%during the period 1985-1995,although this decline is still the highest rate among the major regions in the world(Al Jazeera newspaper 13/10/2007)# #. It projected to increase 400 million in 2020. There is a significant disparity in population size between the Arab states. Egypt and Yemen are considered overpopulated while most Arab countries are relatively under populated. A top UN official warned the authorities in Arab cities of the high growth rate of population as it could lead delay in progress and development and also could lead to social unrest, pressure on public utility services and environmental problems. Also the population growth can lead to poverty, and causing problems like water shortage and traffic jams. This increase problem has not been dealing with as one aspect of comprehensive development. (Al Jazeera newspaper 13/10/2007)
Education is another problem facing the Arab world. Approximately 30% of the people in the Arab World illiterate. Although education is becoming more accessible and the gender gap is being reduced, the region had not witnessed the positive changes seen in Asia and Latin America, particularly in literacy rates and enrolments in secondary schools and universities. The education system is not effective enough as students are being made to learn things but not to taught how to learn .Djibouti, Yemen, Iraq and Morocco were ranked the worst educational reformers. The Arab world does not read according to various reports, even those defined as not illiterate because they completed eight years of schooling they consider illiterate. This problem has to do with the economic situation. Reading books is a privilege for people who have spare time and money. The poverty that sweeps the Arab world leaves the individual struggling for survival his whole life. How is he supposed to read a book?

The human security issue of a global nature is important for people everywhere, rich and poor alike People in the Arab world have become Consider insecurity comes from problems related to daily life rather than a result of fear of a global problems, and for many of them security has become a symbol of protection from the threat of hunger, disease, unemployment, drugs, crime, social conflict, pollution and human rights violations, political oppression and environmental risks. Many have lost their children because they have to work in early age .this leads us to emphasize the idea that neglect of State for human security will be a problem and the threat of danger had seen in the coming years when the numbers of unemployed generates sense of hopelessness and frustration aggravating elements necessary for the region communal violence levels because of the rampant corruption in the public sector. Severity of this problem may differ from country to country, but all these threats remain a growing phenomenon.

Conclusion
Problems in the Arab world are varying and overlapping and that in many areas such as economic, social, politics and even in culture. There will be a large increase in unemployment, housing, schooling and more serious other problems. So what might the future hold? That is really up to the Arabs, their governments and those who care about the region?

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