The NDP has shown itself in tune with the needs and aspirations of the nation, writes Ibrahim Nafie This year's National Democratic Party conference draws to a close today after three days of intensive discussions among its 2,200 delegates. Its slogan -- "New Thinking and the Priorities of Reform" -- could not have been more apt or timely, as it distills precisely what is needed to stimulate the sorely needed qualitative leap that would elevate Egypt to the ranks of emerging nations. Of course, there remains considerable controversy over what reform entails. Some have interpreted the concept so loosely as to embrace demands that cannot reasonably be subsumed under this heading; whereas others have so restricted its boundaries as to render it virtually synonymous with jogging in place. Clearly, a more workable definition lies between the two extremes, and should be grounded firmly in our current realities and our social and cultural norms and characteristics. That the Arabs must formulate a clear vision of reform is indisputable. This is not only a domestic demand, but also an international one. With respect to the latter, it should be noted that Europe has been more sensitive to our national and cultural concerns and supports our conviction that reform must be a domestically-driven process, which is why they have urged the Arabs to present their own perceptions of the aims and means of reform. Egypt was quick to take up the initiative. In March, it sponsored the conference on reform in the Arab world held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which produced the widely celebrated Alexandria Document. The next step was to move on to the specifically Egyptian context. This was undertaken by the NDP Policies Committee, which proceeded to generate a series of in-depth studies on the various areas of reform needed in Egypt. If these studies and the policy papers that resulted from them tell us anything it is that it is no longer possible to describe the NDP as merely a government party. The broad diversity of young and original thinkers who had so much input in these papers puts paid to such a narrow view. So too does their treatment of the wide array of topics they addressed, which range from the economy and foreign policy outlook, to citizenship, women's rights, the problems of youth, health, education and transport. This year's NDP conference was held at a time when we are just beginning to see the fruits of this marriage between "new thinking" and the "priorities of reform". Nevertheless, there has been some anxiety over the direction reform has taken. Some quarters, for example, have lashed out at the policies drawn up by the Economic Group while others have suggested that the NDP's economic reform platform falls short of the liberalism the party claims to espouse. In my opinion these objections and anxieties are groundless. The measures instituted by the Economic Group have already demonstrated their promise, as can be seen in the stabilisation of the exchange rate and the first wave of reductions in prices in the Egyptian market. With regard to liberalisation, while we clearly need major deregulation in order to stimulate the private sector, it is vital that the government remain in a position to fulfil its duties towards and safeguard the rights of the limited income strata of society. This said, what is of paramount importance to the reform process at this phase is the question of sharing responsibility. We must shed the attitude that has it that the government alone must shoulder the burden while other sectors of society remain passive agents or recipients. To me the government's duties are primarily to provide fundamental services to the public, as efficiently as possible, to ensure the rights and interests of the more disadvantaged segments of society and, in general, to provide the best possible institutional and legal infrastructures for protecting society and promoting its overall development. This leaves a considerable realm where society can take up the slack. Political parties and professional syndicates have a major role to play, one that they will, admittedly, be able to undertake with greater efficacy once the government eases restrictions on their activities. It should be added, here, that there is no reason why their objectives should not overlap with those of the government. More importantly, however, is that any outstanding differences are handled through the commitment to democratic processes and attitudes. The private sector, too, must assume a good part of the onus. Regretfully, this sector has yet to pull anywhere near the weight required of it -- in spite of all the government efforts to meet its demands. The people have a right to expect this sector to embark on enterprises that truly contribute to sustainable development. In his speech to the NDP conference, Gamal Mubarak succinctly summed up the new spirit and philosophy that must be brought to bear in sharing the responsibility for reform. We need a new outlook, he said, "that recasts the government's role in the economy from investor/employer to regulator/organiser; that gives the private sector the scope to take the lead in economic activity and that promotes the effective management of our economic resources so as to enable the state to better perform its social function and concentrate its limited resources on the needs of the lower income strata."
