HIGHLIGHTS

  • read the article paying attention to the words in bold
  • summarize the main ideas
  • comment on the ideas expressed by the author
  • compose 3 questions for discussion

FOCUS WORDS

endowment пожертвование, вклад, дар
milestone веха, этап
ultimate окончательный, максимальный, предельный, основной
reflectотражать, отражаться, размышлять
hastenспешить, ускорять
preoccupyзанимать внимание, поглощать внимание
persistentстойкий, постоянный, настойчивый
enableпозволять, разрешать, давать возможность, делать возможным
mismatch плохое сочетание, несоответствие
imperative необходимый, срочный

PREPOSITIONS

  1. diverse in 
  2. key to 
  3. entered into force
  4. at the sub-regional level
  5. succeed in 
  6. preoccupied with 
  7. under financial strain
  8. owing to 
  9. dependence on 
  10. essential to

Integrating the Arab World for Sustainable Growth

Oct 15, 2019 Maha Ali

At a time of severe economic challenges and deep political uncertainty, revitalizing the Arab world’s integration agenda might seem like a pipe dream. But, as other regions have shown, it is achievable, and if Arab countries want to address the challenges they face in an efficient and sustainable way, there is no alternative.

AMMAN – The Arab world has a massive natural-resource endowment and a total GDP of nearly $2.5 trillion. The region is highly diverse in its wealth distribution and levels of economic development, with pockets of exceptional prosperity existing alongside some of the world’s poorest places. The key to closing the gap – and boosting sustainable economic growth – is integration.

Efforts to achieve economic integration in the Arab world began more than 70 years ago, with the establishment of the Arab League. Formed by seven countries in 1945, the group now has 22 members (though Syria was suspended in 2011 in light of the political developments in the country.) In 1974, the Arab Investment & Export Credit Guarantee Corporation was established to promote inward foreign direct investment by providing risk insurance to Arab and non-Arab investors and lenders, and to Arab exporters.

Arab integration reached another milestone in 1998, when the Trade Facilitation and Development Agreement entered into force. In 2005, that deal was upgraded to the Greater Arab Free Trade Agreement (GAFTA), which eliminated customs duties among its 17 member countries.

Other agreements followed, including one governing investment of Arab capital in the Arab states, which was concluded in 1980 and amended in 2013, and another liberalizing trade in services in 2017. At the sub-regional level, the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council succeeded in building a fully operational customs union, with plans for a common market, monetary union, and a single currency.Throughout this period, institutional integration facilitated coordination in a range of areas, including monetary, industrial and agricultural policies, as well as information and communications technology, and civil aviation. But, while such efforts – and GAFTA, in particular – have succeeded in boosting intra-regional trade, the free-trade area has not yet reached its full potential, and the ultimate goal of building an Arab common market and customs union remains far from realized. In fact, the region remains among the world’s least integrated. According to the Arab Monetary Fund’s Joint Arab Economic Report 2018, intra-regional exports constituted only 11% of the Arab countries’ total exports in 2017 – a lower share than in the European Union and among the NAFTA, ASEAN, and Mercosur countries. This reflects trade costs, non-tariff barriers, weak industrial linkages, and similarities in Arab countries’ economic structure and output.

But far from hastening progress on integration, many Arab governments are preoccupied with mounting domestic challenges, including decreased economic activity, widespread joblessness, and persistent poverty. Youth unemployment averages 26% in the Arab countries – the highest of any world region. Some countries are also facing political instability, and the consequences are spilling across their borders. Jordan, for example, is under enormous economic and financial strain, owing to a massive influx of Syrian refugees, and has received insufficient financial help from the international community. Deeper integration among Arab countries would go a long way toward enabling them to address these challenges. For example, increased flows of trade and capital would boost economic growth and job creation. To that end, Arab countries need to continue working to foster cross-border production networks, harmonize standards, strengthen digital technology infrastructure, and improve the business environment. At the same time, Arab countries must address the mismatch between school curricula and the qualifications businesses are seeking. Though these countries have made significant progress in raising attainment levels in recent decades, graduates often lack the knowledge and skills that the labor market demands. Educational reforms are essential to achieving faster growth today and maintaining it in the future. Finally, Arab countries need to increase investment in modern, energy-efficient transport and logistics infrastructure. Beyond ensuring environmental sustainability, this would lower trade costs, promote tourism, and facilitate business mobility, all while helping to break countries’ dependence on traditional energy sources. That is why it is imperative to build a regional electricity market, while supporting the development of a renewable-energy sector. In the midst of the region’s prevailing challenges, revitalizing the Arab world’s economic integration agenda might seem like a pipe dream. But, as other regions have shown, it is achievable.

Maha Ali is a former minister of industry, trade, and supply of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

DISCUSSION AND APPLICATION QUESTIONS

  1.  What are some of the challenges facing the Arab world’s integration agenda?
  2. How has the Arab League contributed to economic integration in the region?
  3. Can you provide examples of successful economic integration in other regions that the Arab world could learn from?

LANGUAGE REVIEW

FLASHCARDS
SYNONYMS

MATCH THE WORD WITH ITS TRANSLATION

endowment спешить, ускорять
milestone отражать, отражаться, размышлять
ultimate стойкий, постоянный, настойчивый
reflectплохое сочетание, несоответствие 
hastenнеобходимый, срочный
preoccupyокончательный, максимальный, предельный, основной
persistentзанимать внимание, поглощать внимание 
enableпожертвование, вклад, дар
mismatch веха, этап
imperative позволять, разрешать, давать возможность, делать возможным

MATCH THE WORD WITH ITS DEFINITION

endowment engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand or occupy urgently or obsessively
milestone continuing to do something in spite of difficulty, opposition, or criticism; lasting for a long time
ultimate to make able, possible; authorize; give power or ability
reflectthe capital that provides income for an institution
hastenmove fast, act at high speed, cause to occur rapidly
preoccupya bad or unsuitable match
persistentdecisive, total, most extreme
enableabsolutely necessary, an unavoidable requirement
mismatch to think over, to express
imperative a significant or important event in history; a significant stage in the life, progress, development

MATCH THE WORD WITH ITS SYNONYMS

endowment eventual, primary, supreme, essential
milestone obsess, absorb, take the attention
ultimate facilitate, assist, empower
reflectmandatory, necessary, obligatory, required, compulsory
hastendonation, grant, subsidizing, funding
preoccupydetermined, tenacious, persevering, resolute; relentless, unceasing, incessant, constant
persistentcontemplate, indicate, show, display 
enableunsatisfactory match; inappropriate match
mismatch pillar, turning/ critical point, landmark
imperative rush, accelerate, stimulate, quicken

MATCH THE WORD WITH ITS COLLOCATIONS

endowment completely; financial markets
milestone development, investigation, production
ultimate academic, university; receive 
reflectgoal, aim, objective
hastenmoral, political; become 
preoccupythe views, opinions, cost, worth, value, quality
persistentavoid, solve, overcome, correct
enablein [science, sport, politics]; of the modern era
mismatch lack, shortage, shortfall, problem, concern
imperative the process; to [add, say]

COMPLETE THE SENTENCES BY FILLING IN  FOCUS WORDS



persistent 
reflected 
imperatives 
ultimate  
preoccupied 
enable 
mismatch 
endowment 
milestone
hastening 

1. Shareholders, policymakers and commercial ………… are pushing companies to put sustainability at the heart of their operations.
2. In a statement, Emergent President and Chief Executive Robert Kramer called the FDA’s decision a “historic ………… .”
3. Some voices in finance are calling for smaller and fewer rate increases, worried that the Fed is underestimating the …………  impact of its actions to date.
4. Volvo has put a heavy emphasis on sustainability, and it is …………  in its Lead the Charge rating, which is the third highest of all automakers the group surveyed.
5. The UK officials told Israeli border police that the official was a British government minister and that the visit had been coordinated with Islamic …………  that runs the site, the Waqf.
6. U.S. lawmakers and regulators fear that the Chinese government’s broad power over private companies in the country could …………  authorities in Beijing to access the data of American users.
7. At the press briefing, the team members emphasized that what turns climate hazards into humanitarian disasters is a …………  backdrop of other social, political and infrastructure factors.
8. Margaret Thatcher’s response, as Conservative prime minister during the 1980s, was to fight and win a war abroad while …………  a profound economic shift at home.
9. An analysis by the European economic think tank Bruegel revealed a severe …………  between the goal and the amount of fossil fuel infrastructure European countries are endeavoring to build and support.
10. Amid supply chain disruptions and shortages of goods and workers in some sectors, investors have been …………  by rising prices and expectations about central banks withdrawing stimulus to combat inflation.

MATCH THE COLLOCATIONS FROM THE TEXT

1. eliminate a) the business environment
2. ensure b) customs duties
3. boost c) attainment levels 
4. harmonize d) coordination 
5. promote e) standards
6. raise f) sustainable economic growth
7. facilitate g) environmental sustainability
8. strengthen h) cross-border production networks
9. improve i) digital technology infrastructure
10. foster j) inward foreign direct investment 

COMPOSE MEANINGFUL SENTENCES BASED ON FOCUS WORDS AND COLLOCATIONS FROM THE TEXT

E.g. _____________ the ultimate goal _____________

The senior U.S. official said American diplomacy on Sudan is focused on obtaining a ceasefire, but added that the ultimate goal is to get the country back on a path to civilian rule.

  1. _________ included endowments for _________
  2. _________ major milestone in the fight for _________
  3. _________ the ultimate recipient of _________
  4. _________ reflects how crucial _________
  5. _________ to hasten recovery from the recession _________
  6. _________ preoccupied with domestic concerns _________
  7. _________ persistent shortages of basic foodstuffs _________
  8. _________ have been enabled by _________
  9. _________ a total mismatch between _________

10. _________ is imperative the country get _________

PREPOSITIONS

  1. diverse ___
  2. key ___
  3. entered ___ force
  4. ___ the sub-regional level
  5. succeed ___
  6. preoccupied ___
  7. ___ financial strain
  8. owing ___
  9. dependence ___
  10. essential ___

GRAMMAR MIX

  1. ASEAN’s five-point Myanmar peace “consensus”, ______ by the United Nations and major powers, remains the only formal diplomatic initiative in play. 
  1. backed
  2. backing
  3. having backed
  4. was backed

2. In recent years Germany ______ asylum to many Eritreans — they form one of the largest groups of African migrants seeking to settle in the EU.

  1. has granted
  2. granted
  3. will grant
  4. was granting

3. The telecommunication sector in the countries of the Middle East ______ more open in line with recent reforms, especially for mobile services.

  1. has been becoming
  2. was becoming
  3. is becoming 
  4. becomes

4. In its first years, MERCOSUR _______ several of its ambitious goals and was thus likely to stay.

  1. fulfilled
  2. had fulfilled 
  3. was fulfilling
  4. would fulfill

5. Sponsorship is a necessary condition for recruiting foreign workers and ______ in each country’s domestic labor law.

  1. will be clearly stipulated
  2. was clearly stipulated
  3. has been clearly stipulated 
  4. is clearly stipulated 

6. If petroleum and gas ______ into consideration, the MENA region is far more integrated in the world economy, with total exports ______ for 6.2 percent of total world trade.

  1. are taken; accounting
  2. will be taken; accounted
  3. is being taken; account
  4. were taken; having accounted 

7. South Africa’s interest in MERCOSUR _______ to the priorities of the post-Apartheid government.

  1. can mainly be attributed 
  2. should mainly be attributed 
  3. could mainly attribute
  4. must mainly attribute

8. Employers may ______ contact and recruit non-GCC workers directly after obtaining a permit from the Ministry of Labor or instruct a recruiting agent to supply them with foreign workers.

  1. both
  2. either 
  3. each
  4. neither

9. Lebanon and Kuwait have reached an agreement ______ it is mentioned that the two parties shall facilitate the procedure of granting entry visas to businessmen in both countries. 

  1. in which
  2. in that
  3. where
  4. wherein

10. Lebanon and Kuwait have reached an agreement _______ it is mentioned that the two parties shall facilitate the procedure of granting entry visas to businessmen in both countries. 

  1. in order
  2. so that
  3. for
  4. as

VOCABULARY NOTES
endowment 
пожертвование,
вклад,
дар
definition
the capital that provides income for an institution

synonyms          
donation, grant, subsidizing, funding

collocations
[institutional, clerical, academic, university] endowments; receive endowment 
milestone 
веха,
этап
definition
a significant or important event in history; a significant stage in the life, progress, development

synonyms
pillar, turning/ critical point, landmark

collocations
a milestone in [science, sport, politics, history, technology]
a [scientific] milestone
a milestone of the [modern era, twentieth century]
ultimate 
окончательный, максимальный, предельный,
основной
definition
decisive, total, most extreme

synonyms
eventual, primary, supreme, essential

collocations
ultimate [goal, aim, objective] is (to)
with the ultimate [goal] of [getting, improving, protecting, having]
the ultimate purpose of the [plan, visit, talks]
reflect
отражать,
отражаться, размышлять
definition
to think over, to express

synonyms
contemplate, indicate, show, display 

collocations
reflect the [views, opinions] of our [company, organization]
reflects the [cost, worth, value, quality]
hasten
спешить,
ускорять
definition
move fast, act at high speed, cause to occur rapidly

synonyms
rush, accelerate, stimulate, quicken

collocations
hasten the process/ the recovery process,
hasten to [add, say]
preoccupy
занимать внимание, поглощать внимание
definition
engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand or occupy urgently or obsessively

synonyms
obsess, absorb, take the attention

collocations
the matter preoccupies
preoccupies completely
preoccupy financial markets
persistent
стойкий,
постоянный,
настойчивый
definition
continuing to do something in spite of difficulty, opposition, or criticism; lasting for a long time

synonyms
determined, tenacious, persevering, resolute; relentless, unceasing, incessant, constant

collocations
a persistent [lack, shortage, shortfall] (of)
is a persistent [problem, concern, worry]
enable
позволять,
разрешать,
давать возможность,
делать возможным
definition
to make able, possible; authorize; give power or ability

synonyms
facilitate, assist, empower

collocations
enable the [development, investigation, production] of
enables you to achieve [your goals, success]
mismatch 
плохое сочетание, несоответствие
definition 
a bad or unsuitable match

synonyms
unsatisfactory match; inappropriate match

collocations
[avoid, solve, overcome, correct] the mismatch
a mismatch in [criteria, arguments, figures, numbers]
a mismatch of [supplies, expectations]
a [complete, huge, future] mismatch
imperative 
необходимый, срочный
definition
absolutely necessary, an unavoidable requirement

synonyms
mandatory, necessary, obligatory, required, compulsory 

collocations
moral imperative, political imperatives
become imperative
it is imperative to remember