These findings are consistent with other recent research carried out in the Arab region. In its Arab Human Development Reports 2003–04 the UNDP identifies a knowledge deficit among the development challenges, and advocates building a knowledge society. In its regional report, the World Bank notes striking weaknesses in external accountability, leading to a governance gap between this and other regions.3 Project documents (including a comprehensive regional overview and individual country case studies) and a database of survey data are available at: www.unpan.org/ technical_highlights-Transparency-Arabstates.asp
Notes 1. Contact Guido Bertucci, Director (bertucci@un.org) or Elia Yi Armstrong, Public Administration Officer (armstronge@un.org) in the Division for Public Administration and Development Management, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN. 2. The figure includes some multiple interviews with individual experts. 3. World Bank, ‘Better Governance for Development in the Middle East and North Africa: Enhancing Inclusiveness and Accountability’, MENA Development Report (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2003).
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