An unwanted guest
As Dubai gets ready to host the World Bank and IMF meetings this coming fall, Israel's participation is considered a touchy and difficult, yet unavoidable issue. Shamel Darwish reports from Dubai
When the 58th annual meetings of the board of governors of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund convene in Dubai next 23 September, a single disagreeable and unwanted guest is scheduled to be among the 184 participating delegations -- the one representing the State of Israel.
Indeed, the arrival of the Israeli delegation to the United Arab Emirates is already regarded as an extremely sensitive and difficult issue for a country well known for its adherence to time- tested Arab values, particularly at a time when the peace process is virtually stalled due to Israel's criminal intransigence under the notorious leadership of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Yet despite the fact that the participation of the Israeli delegation is proving a source of displeasure to the governments of the UAE and Dubai, both are grudgingly forced to accept it considering that Israel is a member of the two international organisations and must be treated equal to other members. No host country can stipulate the non- participation of any member nation, no matter how steep the differences between them.
In 2000, Dubai proposed to host the World Bank and IMF annual meetings amidst strong international competition. Though it failed in the first round of voting, the strong support of all Arab states and a sizable number of developing nations with strong ties to the UAE enabled Dubai to win the second round, thus becoming the first Middle Eastern country to host these important meetings. At the time, Dubai's successful bid was considered a great victory for developing nations who wished to highlight their economic problems before Western nations.
During the first vote, the UAE attempted to exclude Israel from both meetings, but it faced strong resistance from Europe, the US, and Arab states as well. The latter believed that if Dubai insisted on its position, Arab countries might lose the opportunity to set forth their chronic economic problems before this important international assembly, in which Western nations habitually impose their own issues and interests to the exclusion of others.
According to some Arab sources, several circles in Europe and the US had hoped that a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue would have been reached by 2003. But with Israel's military aggression against the Palestinians in the occupied territories reaching an unprecedented level of escalation, officials in the UAE and Dubai have avoided raising the issue of Israel's participation in the press for fear of provoking a political debate that might mar the meetings or cause them to be held elsewhere. Many officials here believe that Israel's participation does not have to be an obstacle to Arab hopes and to Dubai's aspirations in becoming a global economic and cultural Mecca.
"Israel is participating in these meetings as a member of the two international organisations," said Ibrahim bil-Salah, coordinator of the Dubai 2003 committee, in an interview with Al- Ahram Weekly. "The meetings of the World Bank and the IMF are international in character, with all member nations participating, including Israel. Dubai is merely hosting the meetings, and the presence of any party has nothing to do with the UAE's political relations." He denied that Israel's presence signals a readiness to support the so-called "roadmap", the US-sponsored initiative to resolve the Palestinian issue. "The annual meetings were decided in 2000 with the support of all Arab countries prior to the unveiling of the roadmap late last year," he said.
Bil-Salah did not go into details about the level of representation of the Israeli delegation. More than 20 presidents and dozens of prime ministers are expected to attend, one of whom might be Sharon. Although the World Bank and the IMF have not yet informed Dubai of the names of international delegates, one Arab source informed the Weekly that "various international pressure is being exercised in the utmost secrecy to keep Sharon himself from attending the meetings, something that could ruin the Dubai conference. The Israeli delegation has been asked to maintain Israeli participation at the lowest possible level." Bil-Salah denied rumours that the Dubai authorities had made any changes to travel regulations that prevent Israelis from entering the country, stating that the participation of the Israeli delegation is "an exceptional case".
The Dubai 2003 committee is responsible for the logistical arrangements involved in hosting the meetings and ensuring the complete success of the international event. About 20,000 people are expected to attend, including bank and investment fund managers, and the world's most prominent economic policymakers.
Wishing to show a civilised face that deals with global events no differently than any advanced nation, Dubai would allow peaceful demonstrations during the meetings for those from all over the world who wish to express their opinions on issues that they believe have an impact on their social and economic lives. "The participation of protestors in these conferences has become a global tradition, as we saw most recently in Lisbon during the Big Seven Summit," Bil-Salah stated, adding that the Dubai authorities would allow the organisation of marches that respected the law and public security, and would provide demonstrators with places to march and gather. "The UAE seeks the safety of the demonstrators and it hopes to make the conference a success," he said.
The annual meetings would include 30 roundtable discussions that would give participants, particularly from developing countries, the opportunity to discuss pressing economic and social issues. "Since the UAE is the host country, the two international organisations have allowed it to choose half the subjects to be discussed in the panels," Bil-Salah said. "The idea of holding these panels came up during meetings held by the two organisations in Hong Kong. The IMF and the World Bank thought it best to cancel the panels in Dubai, but the UAE insisted on holding them due to the desire of many participating countries. They are important in defining the economic issues that most concern the international community and provide a means to exchange opinions."
The UAE submitted the subjects up for discussion to the IMF and the World Bank along with a list of speakers, and they agreed to them. According to Bil-Salah, the subjects to be discussed include education in the region, the position of women, development in Arab countries, the environment, issues related to the Arab legacy and Islam, as well as the impact of Islamic culture on world civilisation. "The two organisations welcomed the idea of discussing Islam in the panels since there is a global thirst for knowledge about Islam, particularly after 11 September 2001," Bil-Salah said. But he denied that Arab nations had yet agreed on a joint plan to present their economic issues and demands during the meetings.
Bil-Salah pointed out that the convening of these meetings in Dubai and the attendance of more than 3,000 journalists from around the world is a golden opportunity for Arabs to present their ideas and clarify their economic and political policies. "It is an opportunity to change inaccurate Western perceptions about the Arab world and the Middle East, since we always complain of the control of the Zionist media," he explained.
Among the important items up for discussion at the meetings is the issue of debt in developing nations. Asked if the UAE would attempt to add debt cancellation of developing countries to the agenda, Bil-Salah said that as a host country, the UAE couldn't interfere by limiting the subjects to be put on the agenda. "That's a matter solely up to the two organisations," he said, adding that the UAE would attempt "to indirectly raise regionally important issues through speakers and in the discussion panels". Bil-Salah denied any knowledge of the subjects currently slated on the agenda, saying, "we have not been informed thus far."
Bil-Salah stated that Dubai plans to hold two expos concurrent with the convention. One would allow nations to exhibit their investment opportunities through semi-governmental organisations and investment companies. The other is an exhibit of 30 Arab artists, most of whom do not live in the Arab world. They would exhibit their paintings and artwork as an expression of the spirit of Arab civilisation. "Steps are also being taken to organise a third exhibit for children's art in cooperation with an organisation in Washington," he added.
"Dubai hopes that by holding these meetings here it can become a major financial and trade centre," Bil-Salah stated. "Having thousands of world policymakers and important people in the fields of trade, finance, and investment here would help us showcase the investment opportunities available in Dubai. He believes that Dubai has the potential to become a globally important centre, given its infrastructure, financial, economic, and technological policies, labour force, transport system, ports, level of education, the ease of capital transfer, the freedom to own and establish companies, political stability, its respectable judicial system, and government support for the private sector.
These are legitimate aspirations for Dubai, which in the last few years has been able to cement its economic position, becoming a regional investment centre like no other Arab nation. The temporary Israeli participation should not be an obstacle to the Arab dream of finding a place in the new world order, which only recognises the strong. All Arab nations have now recognised the existence of Israel and participate with it in a number of international bodies, the most prominent of which is the United Nations.
