Good Governance in Egypt

“ Suggested areas for Improvement “

Dr. Mahmoud Gebril

Napoli May 17-21/2004
 Good Governance

•There is no single definition of what “Good Governance”

is, as well as there are differences of opinion as to the
norms and criteria for its measurement.

•Values such as accountability, transparency, participation,

and equality are to some degree or another common in
literature and writings in that subject.
According to the World Bank:

•“Good Governance is exercising that authority in ways

that respect the integrity, rights, and needs of everyone
within the state”

• Thegood governance relations should be studied within

a framework based on two global values of special
importance in the Middle-East region, namely;
Inclusiveness and Accountability.

•While Inclusiveness relies on mechanisms that define

and respect the basic rights for all, Accountability relies
on transparency and quality of information.
Source: “Better Governance for Development in the Middle East and North Africa”, Overview, p 6.
•Although the values of accountability and equality in

treatment under law are not alien to the culture and

heritage of the people of middle-eastern countries, it is

found that those countries are noticeably poor in that

regard and lie at the tail of the list (rating countries of the

world on good governance).

 Evaluation of Good Governance in Egypt

International Reports indicate the following:

• Accountability mechanisms are Missing in Egyptian government

performance. Consequently there exist multiples of modes of

corruption such as misuse of public funds, bribes, tax fraud,

misuse of power and authority ,favoritism and ascription in

selecting government leaders and in providing government

services.
• The bureaucratic establishment suffers from massiveness and
rigidity that frequently hinders attempts of modernization and
improvement, moreover the executive authority is severely
centralized.

• Lack of reliable statistical data, fuzziness of information and hiding

it from society.

• N.G.Os and civil society organizations are still inactive in political

and developmental activities. their role is still charitable at large.
Egypt
Rank
Score
(out of 75 Countries)

Quality of Government 43 3.1

Rule of Law 34 4.7

Red Tape 75 1.8

Corruption 44 4.5
Source: The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2002-2003
Corruption Perceptions Index 2003

Rank (out of 133

Country Score
countries)

ALGERIA 88 2.6

EGYPT 70 3.3

FRANCE 23 6.9

GREECE 50 4.3

LEBANON 78 3.0

Source: Transparency International, Global Corruption Report 2004.

Percentile Rank (0-100), 2002
Voice and Government
Political Regulatory Control of
Country Accountabilit Effectivenes Rule of Law
Stability Quality Corruption
y s
ALGERIA 20.2 9.7 32.5 34 35.1 31.4

CYPRUS 77.3 57.8 83 85.1 76.8 79.9

EGYPT 22.2 34.1 46.9 38.1 57.7 47.9

FRANCE 88.4 70.8 90.7 85.6 87.6 89.2

GREECE 81.3 78.9 76.3 82.5 74.2 73.2

ISRAEL 67.2 14.1 83.5 79.9 81.4 83.5

ITALY 83.8 73 80.4 83.5 75.8 76.3

LEBANON 31.8 27.6 43.3 37.1 51 45.9

LIBYA 4.5 31.9 18 4.6 18 24.7

MALTA 88.9 97.8 85.6 81.4 83 76.8

MOROCCO 40.4 39.5 61.3 55.2 59.3 58.2

SPAIN 87.9 77.3 89.2 87.6 84.5 89.7

SYRIA 5.6 38.9 33 16.5 43.8 47.4

TUNISIA 22.7 53 71.6 53.6 61.3 67

TURKEY 36.4 27 50.5 56.7 55.2 43.8

Source: World Bank.

 The Transfer to the e-Government

In response to the need for adapting to global changes towards

knowledge-based societies, in attempt to bridge the digital gap, and

due to international pressure calling for democracy, participatory,

and good governance , the Egyptian government started its project

of delivering its services to individual citizens, business persons and

investors through the internet:

• In October 1999 the Ministry of Communication and Information was
established.

• In July 2001 the electronic government project was officially started,

it is expected to end by 2007. The project is implemented in
collaboration with Microsoft and Oracle in several directions as
follows:

• To establish the Information Infrastructure, which encompass the laws

and regulations that govern the different aspects of the electronic work.

• Establishing the government web site which represents the official

portal for handling requests and delivering services.

• Some services were put into action such as payment of telephone and
utility bills.
• Automation of government financial and administrative applications.
Which started by applications of the Ministry of Communication and
Information will be applied in other ministries and government offices.

• Development of local government services to reduce the need to travel

to the capital or to large cities, this initiative was started in the
Governorate of the Red Sea and in the Governorate of Alexandria.

• Establishing and updating economic and commercial databases.

• Encouraging the acquisition of PCs by families and individuals by

establishing a credit sale mechanism where installments are collected
in conjunction with the telephone bills for the benefit of PC selling
companies.
 • Facilitating the logging to the internet service for individuals and small
companies.

• Investigating solutions for problems that face electronic payment since

most Egyptians do not use credit cards.

• In January 2004 Egypt’s Government Services Portal started

officially offering information to tourists and receiving complaints,
payment of bills, acquiring official documents such as birth and
death certificates, Ids, renewal of vehicle license, and the like.

• In April 2004 the law of electronic signature was passed by the

Egyptian parliament.

• In May 2004, the high speed internet service was offered at a

reduced price making it widely affordable by individuals and
companies.
 Priorities for Intervention

Two broad areas for intervention:

¾ Policy and system Oriented approach.

¾ Strategic Grass- Rooted Cultural approach

Priorities
There are five priority items, which are more or less on the
same level of significance:
• The introduction of accountability mechanisms. Government officials
should develop the feeling of being accountable to the society. There
should be criteria for good governance that are in line with the culture.
• Transparency and quality of data, without these virtues, accountability
shall be difficult to apply since weaknesses and deficiencies can not be
exposed and corrective actions cannot be taken.
• Introduce major changes in the bureaucratic machine to facilitate the
improvement efforts.
• Facilitate the establishment of non-governmental organizations and
remove the obstacles facing their effective participation in social and
economic developmental initiatives and in preparing the individuals for
political participation.
• Continuous education and training should become an approved
mechanism supported by the government for continual development of
individuals for active participation in a knowledge-based society .
At a more strategic level

The socialisation Process institutions

should be re - engineered and re - built.