Arab World's progress towards Knowledge Economy affected by lack of Research and Development

The study further states that government initiative is necessary to encourage R&D activities, and to persuade the industrial sector to utilize research data to develop innovative commercial products and services that will benefit citizens' lives.

'We live in an information-driven society where knowledge is the key to progress. While some governments in the Middle East have recently initiated a number of programmes to raise awareness and literacy among its citizens, enough attention has not been provided to Research and Development efforts on both government as well as industrial level. R&D is a powerful tool used by every developing country to assist in the decision-making process of policies and services, which ultimately translates into benefits for its citizens. Without adequate and accurate information, it is impossible for national decision makers to get a clear idea about the progress levels they have achieved, or which sectors need additional attention and resources,' said Colonel Saeed bin Belailah, Director of Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD).

According to the Madar research report, countries around the world allocate an average of 1.6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) to R&D, with the percentage rising to 2.5 percent in the developed world. Meanwhile average spending on R&D by Arab countries is estimated at 0.2 % of total Arab GDP, the lowest in the world and eight times lower than the world average. Other developing countries, other than Arab states, are estimated to allocate 0.6% of their GDP to R&D, which is three times higher than the Arab average.

'On a positive note, some countries in the Arab World are using R&D tools effectively to identify areas of improvement and initiate social change. This can be illustrated by the recent policy changes within the Middle East to develop educational facilities, especially related to Internet usage. By raising e-awareness among its citizens, these countries are not only creating a valuable resource that can be used by the R&D industry, but also complementing the governments' efforts to develop a Knowledge Economy,' added Colonel bin Belailah.

'R&D can shape national policies and help government decision makers customize services to the needs of its people. For example, Dubai government's e-initiative meets citizens' demands for transparent and faster access to government services like health and immigration. Thus, R&D can be used to effectively steer a nation's progress toward a Knowledge-based Economy. Other Arab countries also need to realize the potential of using reliable information from R&D activities to aid citizens' lives,' said bin Belailah.

'R&D can be used by the industrial sector to develop innovative products and services that meet the needs of the local market. Government can play a part here too, by encouraging industries and businesses to turn to universities and other research organizations for their needs, thus establishing a link between R&D and commerce. Governments also need to pass necessary regulations and set up a database to collect and process various types of statistics and data from all segments of the private sector. Such a database should be effectively managed and made available for a minimal fee to researchers and analysts to help them produce valuable information for the benefit of both government and private sectors. In the absence of reliable information, researchers in the region may use incorrect or outdated data leading to flawed analysis and inappropriate solutions,' concluded Colonel bin Belailah.