With due respect to all that has been recently said about Arab economic power and demands that they assume an international political role, it is important for us to realize that emotional words are one thing and cold reality something else. Though we may have manufactured for ourselves the impressive motto, “Glory, Glory to the Arabs,” it only feeds the illusion of non-existent power and a role of no importance.
I have had the opportunity to look closely at the statement issued by the United Nation’s Economic and Social Committee for Western Asia (ESCWA), following its conference in Beirut last year. I was astonished to read that the productivity of the 13 countries which belong to ESCWA — 12 of which are in Asia and one, Egypt, in Africa — amounted to $392 billion annually. This represents only 1 percent of total world productivity!
A sobering fact: To put it another way, that same amount represents the productivity of one small European country — Holland — with a population of 16 million. In other words, Holland’s productivity alone is equal to the total output of the 13 ESCWA countries! We should also bear in mind that oil represents 90 percent of ESCWA’s exports and that Holland possesses neither oil nor gas.
The report went on to point out that the number of tourists in the Arab world does not exceed 2.5 percent of the total number of world tourists. In Europe, Spain hosts 70 million tourists annually; France 50 million and England 40 million. The report also mentioned that the rate of illiteracy in the ESCWA is 42 percent of the population and is higher among women. The rate of unemployment is 16 percent of the work force.
Let us see these facts through to the end: The Arab world will soon face a water shortage which may well result in the destruction of the agricultural sector and may even affect the supplies of potable water.
I write these words after a series of articles, programs and demands for an Arab boycott of Western nations that do not stand for Arab rights. It seems they are saying that the Arabs must confront the results of Black Tuesday and also boycott America and other Western countries which ride on its heels. Who, I ask, are we deceiving? I ask the writers and TV personalities who call for a boycott: Are you serious or is it all a sick joke? I must say that the situation is too serious and too discouraging for joking.
Let us first produce and then, if necessary, we can talk of boycotts.
