Egypt partners with Google to promote 'unmatched diversity' tourism campaign    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Taiwan GDP surges on tech demand    World Bank: Global commodity prices to fall 17% by '26    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    UNFPA Egypt, Bayer sign agreement to promote reproductive health    Egypt to boost marine protection with new tech partnership    France's harmonised inflation eases slightly in April    Eygpt's El-Sherbiny directs new cities to brace for adverse weather    CBE governor meets Beijing delegation to discuss economic, financial cooperation    Egypt's investment authority GAFI hosts forum with China to link business, innovation leaders    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's Gypto Pharma, US Dawa Pharmaceuticals sign strategic alliance    Egypt's Foreign Minister calls new Somali counterpart, reaffirms support    "5,000 Years of Civilizational Dialogue" theme for Korea-Egypt 30th anniversary event    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Angola's Lourenço discuss ties, African security in Cairo talks    Egypt's Al-Mashat urges lower borrowing costs, more debt swaps at UN forum    Two new recycling projects launched in Egypt with EGP 1.7bn investment    Egypt's ambassador to Palestine congratulates Al-Sheikh on new senior state role    Egypt pleads before ICJ over Israel's obligations in occupied Palestine    Sudan conflict, bilateral ties dominate talks between Al-Sisi, Al-Burhan in Cairo    Cairo's Madinaty and Katameya Dunes Golf Courses set to host 2025 Pan Arab Golf Championship from May 7-10    Egypt's Ministry of Health launches trachoma elimination campaign in 7 governorates    EHA explores strategic partnership with Türkiye's Modest Group    Between Women Filmmakers' Caravan opens 5th round of Film Consultancy Programme for Arab filmmakers    Fourth Cairo Photo Week set for May, expanding across 14 Downtown locations    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Ancient military commander's tomb unearthed in Ismailia    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM praises ties with Tanzania    Egypt to host global celebration for Grand Egyptian Museum opening on July 3    Ancient Egyptian royal tomb unearthed in Sohag    Egypt hosts World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay for 3rd consecutive year    Egyptian Minister praises Nile Basin consultations, voices GERD concerns    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



To manage globalisation
Published in Al-Ahram Weekly on 25 - 08 - 2005


By Taha Abdel-Alim Taha
When examining globalisation, it is useful to differentiate between the phenomenon of globalisation, which is objective and seemingly irreversible, and the management of the phenomenon, which is subjective and open to debate. The latter is what matters. More than anytime before, we need to monitor what nations do, individually and collectively, in the course of globalisation.
Those who manage economic globalisation are governments, international economic institutions, multinational corporations, the business community, trade unions, non-governmental organisations, the international network of civil society, and the media. So far, most decisions have been made by the governments and companies of the major economic powers, the US being the most influential. The decision-making process has been favourable to the interests of the powerful, with concepts such as democracy, transparency, and accountability tossed to the wind. Most developing countries, Egypt included, have little or virtually no say in the international management of globalisation. These countries are usually told what to do, through agreements such as the Euro- Mediterranean partnership.
The member states of the World Trade Organisation, for example, have to follow certain rules and regulations in running their own affairs. The World Bank, the IMF, and multinational corporations decide how business is to be conducted on a global scale. It is against this backdrop that Egypt took substantial steps towards the liberalisation of its trade, investment, and currency policies.
For developing nations, the liberalisation has been lopsided. Labour and technology are not completely free to move, and since the US started its war on terror, more restrictions have been imposed on Arab and Muslim countries. When exporting to industrial countries, developing countries such as Egypt run a familiar gauntlet of hindrances, with labour regulations, technical specifications, environmental considerations, and dumping allegations all conspiring to limit their access to foreign markets.
The biased management of globalisation is too obvious to contest. In market accessibility, technological transfer, and labour movement, some countries have a clear advantage. In meetings held by the WTO, demands made by developing countries often go unheeded, and the generous promises of aid made by the rich to the poor at the beginning of the millennia have yet to materialise.
The ILO World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation has released A fair Globalisation: Creating Opportunities for All, a report discussing the repercussions of globalisation. The conclusions reached by the report match the views of experts in Egypt and the region. The report suggests that globalisation will only offer heightened opportunities for exploitation and control unless something is done to promote common human goals and preserve the cultural identity of various groups and nations. Globalisation offers a promise of a better life for humanity and yet many of the economic and social problems across the world can be traced to the very processes of globalisation, especially the unfairness of trade and finance.
World markets have grown at a pace that was too fast to allow social and economic institutions to adapt. As things stand, much effort is needed to introduce fairness into the system. So far, globalisation has given precedence to economic and financial considerations over social ones. Most developing countries have little say in international negotiations over how world financial and economic institutions work. This is why it is important to differentiate between globalisation and its management. Globalisation may offer tremendous opportunities for humanity as a whole, but its management is in need of revision. A more democratic approach is needed if Egypt and other developing nations are to share in the benefits of globalisation.
* The writer is an expert at Al-Ahram Strategic and Political Centre


Clic here to read the story from its source.