World Economic Forum praises Syria for getting rid of corruption
The World Economic Forum has analysed Syria's economy for the first time, and praised it for having low corruption. It also says Syria's economic infrastructure is efficient - with the exception of the airports and sea ports.
The health care and education systems also come in for praise, where progress has been made.
Syria is ranked 12 in the world for its competitiveness (compared to other countries at the same level of development). Egypt, Morocco, Oman and Tunisia were the only Arab countries to get a higher place in the table.
Syria's economy has been the focus of liberalisation efforts in the past seven years, as political reforms have stalled. Bashar launched an anti-corruption drive months ago, which many laughed at. It seems to have paid dividends.
Earlier in his presidency, Deputy Prime Minister (and former World Bank official) Abdullah Dardari - seen as one of the country's rising stars - opened the country's economy up, creating a stock market, and allowing foreign private banks in for the first time.
The World Economic Forum did criticise Syria for the size of its budget defecit (it is spending more than it earns - mainly on a huge public sector, with far too many employees) and the size of its public debt (to fund that defecit).
They advise" "comprehensive liberalization of foreign trade and labour markets, facilitating access to finance for business as well as fostering the use of latest technologies".
It was the first time the WEF studied Syria. The United Arab Emirates was rated as the Arab World's most competitive economy - last year Qatar took that title.
Labels: Economy
Youpeeeeeee we are in the least advanced of development group....
40 years ago we were at the same level of Portugal and better than Turkey and Tunisia today we are in the same group of Sudan and Mauretania,behing Egypt and Morroco.
Posted by
Anonymous |
8:06 pm
Youpeeeeeee we are in the least advanced of development group....
40 years ago we were at the same level of Portugal and better than Turkey and Tunisia today we are in the same group of Sudan and Mauretania,behing Egypt and Morroco.
Posted by
Anonymous |
8:06 pm
Despite your best arguments, blogspot is not, never has been, and never will be considered a valid source of news.
Posted by
Anonymous |
1:28 am
All that means we've become official puppets of the US. Congrats.
Posted by
Anonymous |
10:37 am
I remember that the SYRIAN GDP per capita was 4 times higher than the egyptian in the 70's ,today the Egyptian GDP per capita is 2 times higher than the syrian.
The syrian civil servant per month average salary in the early 70's was equivalent to 30 000 Syrian pounds of Today.
Today,the syrian people has integrated the arab's poorest group with Mauretania and Sudan.
Plz Sasa ,dont say Israel and blala ....Makhlouf , Asad and cronies are the problem.
Posted by
Anonymous |
9:05 pm
You've seen the report - corruption is higher in Egypt than Syria. Egypt has more aid from America than any other country in the world, except Israel. Meanwhile, Syria is udner America sanctions. How can we compete with that!
It's true there are many problems that need to be resolved, but the simple answer "Mahklouf blah blah" doesn't solve anything.
Posted by
sasa |
10:25 pm
Sasa ,may be you ignore that ,but in the 70's until the 90's Syria received each year more than one billion US dollars of aid from khaliji countries, the most helped country but the standard of living had collapsed during this era.
And stop repeating it,there is no sanctions on Syria.
Posted by
Anonymous |
10:56 pm
Yes there is, idiot.
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:01 pm
as much as the country is not ruled by its people,Syria will remain in bad condition.Those in power in Syria today have other priorities and culture than the majority of the syrian people,they are like a foreigner occupation and even worse.
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:02 pm
http://esfarjel.blogspot.com/
great blog
Posted by
Anonymous |
3:43 pm
Syrian coalition urges support for April poll candidates
AFP, April 11, 2007
DAMASCUS, April 11, 2007 (AFP) - Syria's National Progressive Front (NPF) coalition called on Wednesday for voters to back its candidates at April 22 parliamentary elections which it said would be a referendum on the policies of President Bashir al-Assad.
In a statement carried by the official SANA news agency, the front -- a coalition of parties under the direction of the ruling Baath party -- said: "The NPF central committee calls on citizens to exercise their national duty in going to the polls to elect the NPF lists and most competent representatives to the People's Assembly (parliament)."
"The poll represents a referendum on Syrian policy led by President Bashar al-Assad," the statement added. Out of the 250 seats in parliament, 167 are reserved for Front candidates, including 131 Baath party members, with 83 seats for independents.
The election will be the second since Assad assumed power in July 2000 after the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad.
The Baath party has been in power in Syria since 1963. Since the front coalition was created in 1973, the NPF has won all the parliamentary polls.
Only the Baath party and its allies are recognised by Syrian law, despite opposition calls for legal status.
Syria's opposition parties have said they will boycott the poll, charging that "conditions are not in place for free elections". They are demanding the abrogation of the emergency law which has been in force since 1963, and a new law authorising other political parties.
Posted by
Anonymous |
3:58 pm
99 % again?
Posted by
Anonymous |
4:02 pm
Seems like you are wrong.
Posted by
sasa |
12:38 am
I knew that ,but these sanctions dont hurt the syrian economy ,if you are looking to an excuse this is a bad one.
It's from your site:
Bilateral trade with US worth an annual US $0.3 billion
Bilateral trade with EU: $7.2 bn (2002 figures)
Chief exports: petroleum products and textiles
Posted by
Anonymous |
4:21 am
Hi Sasa!
I read your blog everyday because i think it is the best soruce for syrian news. But i have a question:
Why do you update it so little?
Sometimes one post stays for days and i find it boring.
Salam
Posted by
Anonymous |
5:38 pm
Hi Lorenz!
That's really kind of you, thank you. Yes, you are right, sometimes I don't update often enough. Sometimes my real job gets in the way! I will update tonight. Promise!
Sasa.
Posted by
sasa |
12:16 am