Download or read book Constraints on Trade in the MENA region written by Hirut Wolde and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2010-02-01 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this paper we estimate gravity models to see whether trade volumes of countries in the MENA region are significantly lower than what would be expected given their economic, cultural and geographical characteristics. Our empirical results show that the variables used in standard gravity models cannot explain a significant part of MENA's trade performance, particularly on exports. We then go on to 'augment' the standard gravity model with relevant variables from the World Bank's Business Enterprise surveys. Our results further show that these variables, and in particular transport constraints and inefficiencies in customs clearance processes, are important in explaining the MENA region's underperformance in trade.
Download or read book Constraints on Trade in the MENA Region written by Rina Bhattacharya and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 19 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this paper we estimate gravity models to see whether trade volumes of countries in the MENA region are significantly lower than what would be expected given their economic, cultural and geographical characteristics. Our empirical results show that the variables used in standard gravity models cannot explain a significant part of MENA's trade performance, particularly on exports. We then go on to 'augment' the standard gravity model with relevant variables from the World Bank's Business Enterprise surveys. Our results further show that these variables, and in particular transport constraints and inefficiencies in customs clearance processes, are important in explaining the MENA region's underperformance in trade.
Download or read book Regional Economic Integration in the Middle East and North Africa written by Mustapha Rouis and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2012-12-11 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book summarizes the constraints to and opportunities for deepening economic integration within the MENA region and beyond. Trade and investment reform are discussed together with physical connectivity, cross-border trade facilitation, infrastructure networks, and the vital role of logistics.
Download or read book Constraintson Growth in the MENA Region written by Ms.Rina Bhattacharya and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2010-02-01 with total page 23 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this paper we contribute to the empirical literature on growth in the MENA region by attempting to quantify the impact of the various constraints faced by local businesses highlighted by the World Bank’s Business Enterprise surveys. To the best of our knowledge this dataset has not been used in any empirical analysis looking at the main constraints on growth in the MENA region. Our empirical results suggest that the key direct constraints to growth in the MENA region are difficulties in access to finance, labor skill mismatches and shortages, and electricity constraints.
Download or read book Trade Policy Developments in the Middle East and North Africa written by Bernard M. Hoekman and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2000-01-01 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "While very diverse in many respects, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries nevertheless also share some common characteristics, including a number of important shared challenges for policymakers."The Middle East and North Africa region has great potential for economic growth and prosperity in the 21st century. Yet, this potential will not be realized unless governments and private sector leaders in the region forge partnerships for development. An indispensable resource for all those working within the international development community, especially within the Middle East and North Africa region, Trade Policy Developments in the Middle East and North Africa offers policy and institutional alternatives to help both parties achieve that goal.This volume describes and analyzes recent trade policy developments in the Middle East and North Africa. Contributorsalmost all economists from the regionreview recent trends in trade performance, assess current trade and investment regimes, and discuss some of the emerging microeconomic policy challenges that confront governments and firms seeking to export and trade. Topics addressed include the need and scope for using regional integration and economic free zones as a tool of development, mobilization of non-trade tax bases, efficient enforcement of product standards to ensure health and safety of citizens, and implementation of modern information technologies to facilitate customs clearance.This book is the second in a series from the Mediterranean Development Forum, a partnership of 10 Middle East and North Africa Region think tanks and the World Bank Institute. This volume will be of interest to development specialists, policymakers, and investors.
Download or read book Harnessing Trade for Development and Growth in the Middle East written by Bernard M. Hoekman and published by Council on Foreign Relations Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper looks at internal barriers to trade in Egypt, Gaza-West Bank, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates, with particular attention on the service sector.
Download or read book Trade Policy and Economic Integration in the Middle East and North Africa written by Hassan Hakimian and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2004-06-02 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The recent globalization trends have revived a long-standing interest in regional integration in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Despite numerous attempts to encourage economic integration in MENA in the past few decades, there is broad consensus that progress has been painstakingly slow and the record of economic integration in the MENA region largely beset by failure. This book examines the impact of recent changes in the world economy on trade policy within the MENA region and its economic relations with the rest of the world. It considers regional integration and prospects for trade blocs; trade liberalization and economic restructuring; resource endowments and employment trends; and changes in economic boundaries, especially as a result of labour migration and regional conflicts.
Download or read book Trade Investment and Development in the Middle East and North Africa written by Dipak Das Gupta and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2003-01-01 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is a large potential for expanding trade in the Middle East and North Africa region. This work discusses ways forward for trade integration, capturing the diversity of country experiences within the region without losing the generality of principles involved.
Download or read book Multilateral Vs Regional Economic Integration The Middle East and North African Region written by Benjamin Hätinger and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2010-09 with total page 125 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Diploma Thesis from the year 2009 in the subject Business economics - Economic Policy, grade: 2,3, University of Hohenheim, language: English, abstract: In this study it is intended to investigate today ́s actual economic interdependence of what we would call the Middle East and North African (MENA) region and to analyze its economic interweaving, both among its member countries and into the global trading system. Being aware of the complexity and breadth of this topic, the author has chosen only three subset economic integration agreements, both between the countries of the MENA region (intraregional) - also comprising a subregional agreement - and between the MENA region and other regions (interregional), for closer analysis. Concerning the efforts made towards interregional economic integration, this thesis concentrates mainly on the so-called EU-MED Partnership which was initiated at the Barcelona Conference in 1995 and aims to establish an EU-Med Free Trade Area (EMFTA) by the year 2010 including the EU and the 12 so-called Mediterranean countries which, apart from Malta, Cyprus and Turkey, all belong to the MENA region. In contrast, on the intraregional level, the latest initiative in 1997 will be examined, where 17 out of 22 Arab League member states - all of which also belong to the MENA region apart from Sudan - joined to constitute a "Greater Arab Free Trade Area" (GAFTA, mainly to get rid of traditional trade barriers for goods. On the smaller subregional level, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), consisting of 6 Gulf countries, which plans the establishment of a common currency by 2010, will be examined more closely. With GAFTA, GCC and the EU-MED Partnership all being in a different depth of integration and each representing one of the three different levels of integration (subregional, intraregional, interregional), the author holds the view that this choice reflects the actual state of integration in the region best. In a nutshell, this study tests the
Download or read book Challenges of Growth and Globalization in the Middle East and North Africa written by Mr.Hamid R Davoodi and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2003-09-05 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is an economically diverse region. Despite undertaking economic reforms in many countries, and having considerable success in avoiding crises and achieving macroeconomic stability, the region’s economic performance in the past 30 years has been below potential. This paper takes stock of the region’s relatively weak performance, explores the reasons for this out come, and proposes an agenda for urgent reforms.
Download or read book Trade Barriers in Africa and the Middle East written by Russell V. Blaine and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A trade barrier is a general term that describes any government policy or regulation that restricts international trade. The barriers can take many forms, including: Import duties, Import licenses, Export licenses, Import quotas, Tariffs, Subsidies.
Download or read book Trade Competitiveness of the Middle East and North Africa written by José Roberto López and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2009 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The traditional policy reform agenda concentrated on reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers between countries in the region and toward international markets is necessary, but not sufficient reason, for success. New opportunities, notably on trade and transport, and the services market deserve a higher profile on the policy agenda.
Download or read book U S Trade and Investment in the Middle East and North Africa Overview and Issues for Congress written by Rebecca M. Nelson and published by Createspace Independent Pub. This book was released on 2013-03-13 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: U.S. interest in deepening economic ties with certain countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has increased in light of the political unrest and transitions that have swept the region since early 2011. Policymakers in Congress and the Obama Administration are discussing ways that U.S. trade and investment can bolster long-term economic growth in the region. In May 2011, President Obama announced the MENA “Trade and Investment Partnership Initiative” (MENA-TIP), through which various federal government agencies are engaged in efforts to enhance trade and investment with the region. Such activities are in line with longstanding U.S. trade policy goals and measures. Some Members of Congress have called for deeper economic ties with MENA countries undergoing political change. However, continued political uncertainty and changing security environments in the region have prompted greater scrutiny of U.S. engagement. This report analyzes policy approaches that the Congress might consider concerning U.S.-MENA trade and investment. MENA Economies and Integration in the Global Economy - Economic performance in the MENA as a whole lags behind other regions in the world in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (living standards), employment, and economic diversification, despite the fact that several MENA countries are major producers of oil and natural gas. Limited integration in the global economy is frequently cited as an obstacle to the region's overall economic development. MENA's trade with the world is concentrated in a small number of products (oil exports and imports of manufactured goods) and among a small number of trading partners (particularly the European Union). Tariffs also remain high in some MENA countries and intra-regional trade and investment flows are relatively low. With regard to the United States, the MENA region accounts for less than 5% of U.S. total trade and 1% of U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows. U.S. businesses face a number of non-tariff barriers, such as lack of transparency, bureaucratic red tape, corruption, weak rule of law, and differences in business cultures. Policy Approaches and Challenges - Current U.S. trade and investment policies with MENA countries are quite varied. The United States has free trade agreements (FTAs) with five MENA countries (Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, and Oman), but more limited ties with other countries, such as Libya, which is not a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Important exceptions to overall U.S. trade policy objectives in the region are Iran and Syria, which are both subject to trade sanctions. Analysts disagree about the merits of deepening U.S. trade and investment ties with the MENA region. Some analysts maintain that new trade and investment agreements help anchor domestic reforms, such as in governance and rule of law; support sound economic growth; are a costeffective way to support transitioning countries in an environment of budgetary constraints; and could promote U.S. exports and investment. Others argue that the empirical record between economic openness and democracy is weak and that it is unclear whether protesters in various Arab countries favor more economic liberalization, which they sometimes associate with corruption, inflation, and inequality. They also argue that political uncertainty in the region, such as the fluidity of Egypt's political transition, merits a “wait-and-see” approach before proceeding with substantial policy changes.
Download or read book Estimation of Trade Protection in Middle East and North African Countries written by Ms.Maria-Angels Oliva and published by INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND. This book was released on 2000-02-01 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper studies the structure and evolution of trade protection in the Middle East and North African (MENA) countries in the 1990s. MENA countries use tariffs and nontariff barriers, and tariff dispersion and nontariff barriers, as substitute protection measures. Tariff levels and tariff dispersion are complements. Excluding Tunisia, the cross-country correlation between tariff and nontariff barriers is -0.46. The correlation between tariff dispersion and nontariff barriers is -0.8. The paper also develops an overall index of trade protection and finds that tariff levels, their dispersion, and nontariff barriers account for 60 percent, 10 percent, and 30 percent of overall protection, respectively.
Download or read book Regional Economic Integration in the Middle East and North Africa written by Mustapha Rouis and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Is MENA a Region The Scope for Regional Integration written by Mr.Stanley Fischer and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 1996-04-01 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The paper analyzes the scope and implications of greater economic integration in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). After reviewing whether MENA satisfies the defining characteristics of a region, it documents the low level of regional economic interaction. It argues that gains from greater regional interactions will depend primarily on implementing domestic reform and external policies that, in any case, are needed for the region to benefit from the broader process of globalization of the world economy. It also discusses measures aimed directly at facilitating regional interaction.
Download or read book The Arms Trade written by Noël Merino and published by Greenhaven Publishing. This book was released on 2009 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents different views on the status of the arms trade worldwide, the justifications for this trade, possible arms trade controls, and other concerns.
