Grappling with the challenges of a historic period of transition, the Arab world is also the source of numerous creative and innovative ideas that seek to help ensure the transitions’ success. At its core, Pathways to Progress looks to promote dialogue and the fruitful flow of ideas between the Arab world and the West. In that spirit, “Voices from the Region” highlights some of the most interesting new ideas emanating from the Arab world. We will regularly feature examples of innovative thinking on the myriad and complex issues facing the region. These ideas are typically “works in progress,” and do not purport to be concrete solutions ready to implement. By presenting these ideas to a wider audience, we hope to promote a useful exchange of ideas and an enriching of the debate on how to move the region forward.
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Arab Stabilization Plan
The Arab Stabilization Plan was created by Majid Jafar, a private sector businessman from the region, and his team as a direct policy response to the Arab world’s youth unemployment crisis, a driver behind the political turmoil according to recent surveys. The Plan calls for an Arab-led coordinated economic response focusing on job creation through targeted public-private infrastructure investments. It would be underpinned by a policy compact monitored by an international governance structure. The Plan seeks to lay the foundation for more inclusive growth and better economic integration through enhanced regional investment in infrastructure projects, while addressing the jobs crisis that could contribute to the risk of extremism and instability across the region.
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