Inaugural Economic Freedom of the Arab World ConferenceBeirut 2006The first regional economic freedom meeting in Beirut, Lebanon from December 6-7, 2006 attracted about 50 participants from the Middle East and the rest of the world. The conference focused on improvement of economic policy in the Arab World as well as reconstruction in Lebanon. Issues such as economic freedom, investment in the Middle East (including Islamic equity investment in the region), public-private partnerships in infrastructure financing, and access to credit and enterprise financing facilities were covered at the conference. Despite the political situation in Beirut, we (with strong encouragement from our co-hosts and contacts in the region) decided to go ahead with the meeting. The most optimistic assessments of the situation proved correct and the conference turned out to be a success. We would like to thank our co-hosts--International Research Foundation (IRF) of Oman, Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Jordan, and MENA-OECD Investment Programme--without whom this conference would not be possible. Special thanks goes to Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Jordan who was also our sponsor. We are immensely grateful to those conference participants who, despite the situation in Beirut at the time of the meeting, decided to attend the meeting and participate in this first regional gathering. On the afternoon of December 7, the IRF hosted the second Economic Freedom of the Arab World Awards, based on the Economic Freedom of the Arab World report. Awards were presented to those Arab countries which have highest levels of economic freedom.
Costa Rica 2006The 2006 Economic Freedom of the World Network meeting in Costa Rica focused on the important subject of the rule of law in Latin America. (For further details, please click on the communiqué and press release issued by the meeting on the rule of law and other aspects of economic freedom in Latin America.)
The meeting was a tremendous success. We would all like to thank Dr. Rigoberto Stewart, Executive Director of Costa Rica's Institute for Liberty and Policy Analysis (Instituto para la Libertad y el Análisis de Política – INLAP), for a tremendous job in organizing the meeting. It was much enjoyed for both the high quality of the presentations and its social aspects. We would also like to thank the remaining members of the INLAP's team – Dan Spitzer, Juan Ricardo Fernández, Maribel Herrera and Ana Ivelis Chacón- for their assistance. Much of the conference dealt with the false perception that Latin America implemented deep market reforms in the 1990s, and the impact of the actual reality of the failure to reform. As the communiqué states: "A failure to implement market-based reforms and embrace the rule of law has resulted in a lost decade for most Latin American nations." "The network's research conclusively dispels the myth that Latin America moved to market reform and that market reform failed to produce results for the region. Instead, the research shows the region never had a sustained reform effort and most dangerously, has failed to establish the rule of law. Limited reforms were attempted in the first half of the 1990s but these were too restricted and too short lived to have much effect." "Despite this, nations that have built the strongest market economies have done considerably better than those where reform has failed to take hold. The nations with the four highest economic freedom scores in Latin America—Chile, Panama, El Salvador, and Costa Rica—have average per capita GDP that is 19.2 per cent higher than in 1995. This is more than five times the average growth of 3.7 per cent of the four worst performers, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Guyana." The meeting was held in San José, Costa Rica, on November 2-4, 2006.
Past ConferencesOman 2005
The Economic Freedom of the World Network meeting in Muscat, Oman, held from November 20 to 21, 2005, was a tremendous success. Our sincere thanks go to our host, the International Research Foundation (IRF) of Oman, for making this meeting one of our most successful and memorable ones. Special thanks must go to the team organizing the event, Sheikha Al Farsi and in particular we wish to acknowledge Salem Ben Nasser Al Ismaily, Executive President of OCIPED, for inviting us to Oman and for his continuing support of our work in the region. We would also like to thank our sponsors -- The Omani Centre for Investment Promotion and Export Development (OCIPED), Bank Muscat, National Bank of Oman, Oman Arab Bank and Omantel-- without whom this conference would not be possible. The discussions focused on case studies of countries on how they moved on the economic freedom front and what are the lessons/consequences from the process. We had stimulating and thought-provoking presentations from Oman, Kenya, Mongolia, Costa Rica, Zambia, and Slovakia, to name a few. On the night of November 20, the IRF hosted the Economic Freedom of the Arab World Awards, based on the Economic Freedom of the Arab World report. Awards were presented to those Arab countries which have highest levels of economic freedom. This was definitely one of the most glamorous gala dinners we have had during our conferences. The exceptional hospitality and delicious food were symbolic and representative of Oman and its people. The meeting was also a great opportunity not only to renew old friendships but also to make the new ones with participants from the region. Many thanks to our host, once again, for organizing the reception, which took place in tents at Al Bustan Palace and where traditional Omani food was served, and the tour of Muttrah Souk (old shopping market)which gave us some insight into the Omani culture and history.
Slovakia, 2003The Economic Freedom of the World Network meeting in Bratislava, Slovakia, in October 2003, was another terrific success. All of us must thank our hosts, the F. A. Hayek Foundation and its executive director Ján Oravec and Dr. Ivona Holzerova, project co-coordinator. They organized a terrific meeting for work and socially. We had fascinating discussions on the problems and solutions facing transition economies - those that are moving from non-free to free economies. The discussions focused on Central and Eastern Europe and Muslim nations. Jim Gwartney and Bob Lawson explained the advances they are making in measuring economic freedom and describing its impact, particularly through impressive new work on investment. Finally and, for many, not least: this was another opportunity to renew old friendships and make new ones. Our hosts made sure the atmosphere was conducive. They organized a delightful reception on the opening evening, followed by a glittering banquet the following night, and a fascinating walking tour of Bratislava on the last day. We hope to see everyone at the 2004 meeting in Africa. We should be able to send out information shortly. 
Conference participants gather for a group photo after a day of discussions. 
Ján Oravec (fourth from the left), Executive Director of the F. A. Hayek Foundation, giving presentation on economic reforms in Slovakia over the last decade. 
Discussion in the conference room (from left to right--Michael Walker, Executive Director of the Fraser Institute, Robert Lawson, co-author of the Economic Freedom of the World Reports, and James Gwartney, lead author of the Economic Freedom of the World Reports). 
Salem Ben Nasser Al Ismaily, Executive President of the Omani Centre for Investment Promotion and Export Development (OCIPED), and Michael Walker, Executive Director of the Fraser Institute.
Copyright © 2007 The Fraser Institute. All rights reserved.
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