I think most of us know very well the kind of problems facing our country: Unemployment, bureaucracy, the legal environment, investment etc. These are issues that continue to be debated in the media, in academic institutions as well as in the Council of Ministers, the Shoura Council and all other legislative and executive bodies.
The convening of economic forums, an idea that has seized many of our minds these days, seems to serve as no more than a reminder of existing problems. All these conferences and forums do is to bring these problems to the public notice. The forums may come up with new ways of addressing the challenges but may also reveal some surprises.
Over the past few years, we have seen several such gatherings being held and attended by many but we haven’t seen a solution to any of the country’s most pressing problems. Unemployment is on the rise; bureaucracy is more deeply entrenched than ever and the legal environment still needs improvements. The job market blames the educational system for all shortcomings; foreign investors still hesitate to come forward while local investors are obsessed with real estate and the stock market.
If this is the picture, why are our cities vying with each other to win the privilege of hosting forums? If the gatherings lead nowhere and fail to produce useful solutions through meaningful recommendations, why not stop them? Wouldn’t most people agree with me that failure to implement any of the recommendations is an indication that no one is willing to bear the responsibility and everyone is waiting for someone else to make the first move?
The inability to implement recommendations made by the forums is the result of relevant government bodies not taking the suggestions seriously. The recent Riyadh Economic Forum which tackled the problems facing the country in a highly realistic and rational way ought to represent a departure from the oft-beaten course. It should pave the way for a real change in the way government bodies view solutions suggested by others.
We must admit that the country faces complex problems but, at the same time, they are not insoluble ones. Recognizing the problem is the first step toward a solution. For any economic forum to be considered a success, there has to be a response from those who are capable of effecting change — namely, government bodies led by the Council of Ministers.
