A "pan-Arab virtual think tank": Enriching the Arab information environment

Information technology (IT) is a key to development hz the age of globaliza tion. This article spells out some of the implications and problems associa ted with the explosive, if belated growth of IT in the Arab world. It offer s some suggestions on how the Arab world might develop its IT capabilities and argues in particular the benefits of a pluralistic approach in which th e private sector is encouraged to provide dynamism, while the stare provide s basic support and incentives. The article concludes with a modest, heuris tic proposal for developing a pan-Arab virtual think tank to help stimulate a more information rich environment.