The paper series “Opening the lid” is an initiative that aims to encourage structured dialogue over wicked problems in the Arab region. The series is meant to provoke a conversation over structural challenges and opportunities that the region has beyond those identifiable through sectoral and technical aspects. The Academic Network for Development Dialogue (ANDD) will use this series to foster the discussion on essential issues seldom driving the development conversations at the regional, national and local levels. Addressing young Arab scholars and early-career UN staff working on development issues in the Arab region, it provides a forum for the young generation to discuss critical ideas and innovative proposals for regional wicked problems. It also aims to create the enabling environment that assists the Arab youth in turning their proposals into concrete implementable solutions (actions).
The 2021 the ANDD’s paper series initiative seeks to bring together junior and senior scholars from ANDD member universities along with early-career UN staff in the region, to discuss how to build on the similarities of Arab countries to foster sustainable development in the region. Acknowledging that “Similarities” is a broad term but the aim is to capture all possible insights on the issue noting that similarities could be looked at from various perspectives including, to name few, historical, geographical, cultural, economic, political, legal aspects and/or others. This theme of the series aims to capture the thoughts of the young generation on what they see as similar in the Arab region and how these similarities could be geared towards advancing sustainable development in the region. The series will respond to critical questions that include but are not limited to:
- What similarities do you see between countries in the Arab region?
- What are the things that unite these countries rather than separate them?
- How can building on identified similarity(ies) contribute to solving wicked regional problems?
- What are the means needed to build on the similarities between Arb countries to foster regional sustainable development?
- What investment(s) should policy and decision makers make to bring Arab countries closer to each other?
