Taking these shortcomings into consideration, as in the composition of our human deve- lopment indicator, leads to the retreat of the positions of Arab countries compared to the traditional Human Develo- pment Index. [...] Future Arab Human Development Reports It should come as no surprise then that the AHDR team has decided to devote the second Arab Human Development Report, scheduled for mid 2003, to the theme of "Building the knowledge society in the Arab countries" and the third Arab Human Development Report, due for launch in mid 2004, to "Deepening Freedom, through instituting Good Governance, in the Arab coun. [...] As a case in point, the position of official Europe, Spain not excepted, vis-à-vis a looming destructive war in the Arab region in the face of overwhelming popular opposition, and with a notable exception for the noble position of the European Parliament, is gravely disappointing, indeed shameful. [...] In my opinion, it is precisely at the body and soul where we find the key to Fergany's thinking, and the strength of his argument against overemphasizing the economic development of peoples, for it must be accompanied by true human development, the development of individuals progressing as such, and should not - or at least, not only - be measured in terms of an increase in per capita income. [...] The aim should be to progress on the basis of sound and permanent advances in the field of freedom, considered as the true measure for development by the Report, as stated before.