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Public hearings are a key tool of government oversight and accountability. While this is even more relevant for countries that have traditionally enjoyed democratic governance (Tunisia, Lebanon, and Kuwait) and for countries that have suffered disproportionately from the pandemic (Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and Tunisia), this exercise could be useful for all Arab countries in regaining the trust needed to better respond to future crises.Īlthough the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, this article aims to launch a conversation on the need for instituting public hearings on how the pandemic has been handled in the Arab world on both the health and socioeconomic levels. Strikingly but unsurprisingly, no country in the Arab world has yet called for a public inquiry into COVID-19. 2 This has prompted some countries to hold public hearings to gain more insight into decision-making during the pandemic and rebuild trust in institutions. 1 While the novel coronavirus caught all governments by surprise, some governments, especially those that enjoy high levels of trust (and not necessarily the wealthiest ones), have fared better than others. Perhaps above all though, the pandemic has highlighted the inadequacy of communication with the public and their lack of involvement in the decision-making process.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a number of weaknesses in government response, including a fragmentation of the decision-making process, inadequate consultation with experts, opacity of epidemiological data, as well as a lack of health care capacity, collective action, and general preparedness.