I am thrilled to introduce EA in Arabic (الإحسان الفعال), a pioneering initiative aimed at bringing the principles of effective altruism to Arabic-speaking communities worldwide.

Summary

Spoken by more than 400 million people worldwide, Arabic plays a pivotal role in advancing impactful initiatives across the globe. Despite the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s diverse socio-economic landscapes, instability leads to humanitarian crises. However, some Arab nations exert significant economic influence and invest in AI and other emerging technologies. Understanding the humanitarian significance of the region, along with its involvement in Global Catastrophic Risks (GCR), particularly concerning AI and technology, emphasizes the need for focused efforts. EA in Arabic aims to bridge linguistic, intellectual, and social barriers and engage with Arabic-speaking communities. Future plans involve promoting EA principles and community engagement, with Arabic speakers urged to contribute to spreading effective altruism.

Arabic in the World Today

Arabic, with over 400 million speakers globally, holds a significant position as one of the most widely spoken languages. Its influence spans across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and serves as the liturgical language of more than 1.9 billion Muslims who constitute around 25.2% of the world’s population, making it a vital medium for promoting impactful initiatives.

Note:

While acknowledging the intersections between Arabic-speaking communities and Islam^[1], it’s essential to clarify that EA in Arabic focuses solely on the linguistic and cultural aspects from an impartial perspective. If you’re curious about approaching EA from a religious perspective, you may want to explore other initiatives like Muslims for EA and the Muslim Network for Positive Impact.

The MENA Region

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region holds a unique status, embodying a cluster of countries with significantly varied socioeconomic positions. Ranging from nations ranked among the globe’s most impoverished to those at the forefront of economic and technological progress, it embodies a diverse array of socio-economic realities.

Details

Now, let’s swiftly explore some specific details regarding this multifaceted region.

Below is a compilation of several Arab nations ranked among the most impoverished globally:

Country	GDP per Capita (USD$)^[2]	Most Recent Year
Syria	421	2021
Somalia	592	2022
Yemen	650	2022
South Sudan	1,072	2015
Sudan	1,102	2022

Moreover, unfortunately, due to significant instability in the region, many countries have outdated data. For instance, Sudan, which experienced an internal destructive conflict between two military factions in 2023. According to a UNHCR report, approximately half of Sudan’s population, roughly 25 million people, require humanitarian assistance and protection. Nearly 18 million individuals are confronting acute food insecurity, and 8 million people have been displaced. Similar data deficiencies plague countries like Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine (including Gaza Strip and the West Bank), Mauritania, Iraq, and Libya. Each of these nations grapples with profound humanitarian crises.

This offers a strong reason to prioritize attention on this region in the advancement of Global Health and Wellbeing.

Conversely, there are several countries ranked among the wealthiest globally. Here is a list of some Arab nations with thriving economies as of 2022:

Country	GDP per Capita (USD$)
Qatar	87,662
UAE	53,708
Kuwait	41,080
Saudi Arabia	30,448
Bahrain	30,147

These nations wield significant economic influence globally, particularly in terms of production and pricing of oil and gas. Furthermore, they actively support and drive economic and technological progress. For instance, Sam Altman, founder and CEO of OpenAI, aims to raise 7 trillion USD for AI infrastructure and presented his proposal to the government of the UAE, which launched a $100 billion AI-focused investment vehicle named MGX, with sovereign wealth fund Mubadala and AI company G42 as its key partners. Similarly, the Saudi Arabian government established a $40 billion fund for AI investment, positioning Saudi Arabia as one of the world’s largest investors in the field. Kuwait is allocating $10 billion for technology investment in 2024, while Qatar’s investments in new technologies, including AI, IoT, and cybersecurity are projected to reach $5.7 billion by 2026.

This provides a strong incentive to prioritize attention on this region and its connection to Global Catastrophic Risks (GCR), particularly those associated with AI and technological advancements.

Given the varied landscape of the MENA region, the launch of EA in Arabic holds immense significance. By bridging linguistic, intellectual, and social barriers, as well as tailoring EA principles to Arabic-speaking audiences through translation and community building activities, we aim to catalyze positive change and address pressing global challenges.

About EA in Arabic

EA in Arabic originated as an initiative focused on translating EA content into Arabic and promoting it within Arabic-speaking communities. Supported by a grant from Open Philanthropy (which I received as an individual. An official organization is yet to be established), the project commenced in September 2023 and officially launched its website on February 1st, 2024.

Achievements

Over the 6-months period of the grant (Sep. 2023 - Feb. 2024), the team translated approximately 647,147 English words, equivalent to six 400-page books. The translations covered essential EA resources such as the EA Handbook, 80,000 Hours’ career guide and several problem profiles and career reviews, Utilitarianism.net (everything except guest articles), The Most Important Century series (all blogs without the appendices), Probably Good (cause areas + core concepts), and GiveWell’s recent blog series “How We Work.”

Future Plans

Moving forward, we plan to emphasize promotion and community-building activities while sustaining translation efforts. Through social media presence, newsletters, webinars, meetups, and tailored EA introductory programs, we aim to engage select individuals and niches within Arabic-speaking communities (in accordance with the fidelity model of spreading ideas), fostering meaningful change and support for effective altruism initiatives, whether it be through governmental, financial, intellectual, or social avenues. This will progressively contribute to increased philanthropic support for effective charities, the establishment of new impactful initiatives, advancing animal welfare, and fostering improved AI/bioengineering policy and governance within Arabic-speaking nations.

How to Contribute

If you’re an Arabic speaker, we invite you to join our growing community by filling out this form. Additionally, help us spread the word to Arabic speakers in your network to expand our reach and impact.

Website: EAinArabic.org

X/Twitter: twitter.com/eainarabic

Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/eainarabic/

Instagram: instagram.com/eainarabic/

^
Research suggests that around 94% of the population in the MENA region identifies as Muslim. However, the accuracy of this statistic is highly debatable due to societal, legal, and political barriers that restrict the expression of non-conformist beliefs. Brian Whitaker’s book “Arabs Without God: Atheism and Freedom of Belief in the Middle East” delves into this complex issue.
^
The average GDP per Capita worldwide is $12,687.7 according to the World Bank.

Introducing EA in Arabic