UNDP-POGAR: Programme on Governance in the Arab Region: Arab Governance: Annual Report 2004

UNDP-POGAR: Arab Governance News - Annual Report 2004 (Part Two July-December 2004)

Note: News texts are in Arabic only
- Jordan: Elections, Gender, Judicial Reform
- Bahrain: Gender, Transparency & Accountability
- Tunisia: Elections, Gender, Judicial Reform
- Algeria: Transparency & Accountability, Judicial Reform
- Qatar: Gender
- Kuwait: Transparency & Accountability, Judicial Reform
- Lebanon: Elections, Gender, Transparency & Accountability
- Egypt: Elections, Gender, Transparency & Accountability, Judicial Reform
- Morocco: Elections, Gender, Transparency & Accountability, Judicial Reform
- Yemen: Transparency & Accountability

This report covers issues of elections, women in public life, transparency and accountability, judicial and legal reform in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Yemen.

Elections: two elections were monitored: First, the presidential and legal elections of October 24, 2004 in Tunisia being the first such elections to take place after the May 2002 referendum on constitutional reform. Second, Lebanese presidential elections that were replaced by a constitutional amendment resulting in calling-off the elections and extending the term of the President three years. In addition, Egyptian supplementary legislative elections, and partial Moroccan legislative elections were followed up.

Women in public life: the report paid special attention to tracing leadership positions attained by women in political, judicial and administrative spheres during the second half of 2004. Moreover, the report monitored revised old laws and newly passed laws that affect women's status and condition in various spheres.

Transparency and accountability: the report followed up efforts spent in combating corruption through passing new laws, joining international or regional agreements or conventions pertaining to fighting corruption and money laundering. The report also followed up cases brought to courts against public officials facing charges of corruption, bribery, squandering and embezzling public funds, and exploiting their positions for personal gains.

Judicial and legal reform: the report monitored developments and modernization measures taken within the judicial and legal systems with the aim of pushing reform efforts forward. In addition, the report covered the proceedings of the "Future Forum" conference on reform in the Middle East and North Africa held in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on December 11, 2004.