Better Governance for Development in the Middle East and North Africa

Good governance—in which public institutions function responsibly, transparently, and accountably—is essential to reducing poverty and stimulating growth. As numerous studies have shown, weak governance translates into slower growth, less-than-effective public services, and missed opportunities for human development because of the limited participation of citizens in shaping their future.This book seeks to enhance the dialogue on good governance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. To accomplish this goal, it marshals evidence showing that good governance matters, both regionally and globally, and draws on the universal values of inclusiveness and accountability to propose an analytical framework for discussing and measuring governance. While the MENA region's quality of administration is relatively strong, it lags behind in other key measures, notably public accountability. The region's legacy of limited public disclosure and transparency has, moreover, hampered the debate on governance.While recognizing that improving governance is no simple matter, this book challenges the region to formulate and act on national programs that would enhance governance by strengthening inclusiveness and accountability mechanisms—and to do so in an open, participatory process. Such programs could build on the debate and progress increasingly evident across the region, and lead to a strategy for better governance that can simultaneously encourage growth and development and meet the needs and aspirations of the region's people in the decades ahead.Award winning title! 'Better Governance' was selected as a 2003 'Notable Government Document' by the American Librarian Association (ALA) and GODORT (Government Documents Round Table).