Download or read book Middle East and North Africa Economic Developments and Prospects September 2011 written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2013-02-05 with total page 71 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The report highlights the important links between good governance on a level legal and regulatory playing field, and the ability of investment to stimulate growth. Investment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has been strong over the last two decades in comparison with Latin America and Eastern Europe. However, in the oil exporting countries, it has been primarily supported by large and expanding public investments. Oil importers, in contrast, have shown more strength in private investment, which has increased in recent years. A concern with reliance on public investment is that in economies with weak governance there is no evidence that public investment stimulates growth. In contrast, in countries with an adequate level of protection of property rights and legal institutions, public investment is strongly linked to growth. The report also makes a strong case for private investment in services and manufacturing as engines of job creation and income growth in the region.
Download or read book Middle East and North Africa Economic Developments and Prospects January 2011 written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2013 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The impact of the global financial and economic crisis on the Middle East and North Africa region was relatively mild. Lack of integration and a large public sector helped insulate the region to some extent, but now these and other factors are slowing down the speed of its economic recovery. The report examines the major factors threatening the recovery and those that obstruct long-term growth, especially non-oil export growth, which in net terms contributed little to regional growth during the past decade, with non-oil exports remaining below potential in many countries in the region. The report emphasizes several major areas in need of policy makers\2019 attention, including restrictive trade policies, particularly those affecting trade in services; governance issues linked to uneven application of rules and regulations; inefficient and inflexible labor markets and scarcity of skills, innovation and technological capabilities."--page xi.
Download or read book Middle East and North Africa Economic Developments and Prospects January 2011 written by and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Middle East and North Africa Economic Developments and Prospects October 2013 written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2013-10-10 with total page 75 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The post-revolutionary economies of MENA - Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen - have been recovering after a period of growth decelerations in 2011. In Egypt and Tunisia, the growth dips of 2011 were less dramatic than the declines observed during previous transitions. The recovery has been relatively quick but the transition process is far from complete and uncertainty about the political and reform process remains a binding constraint to private investment. Consequently, post-transition growth is below potential and is lower than growth prior to the Arab Spring, with negative consequences for employment and poverty. Events in the post-revolution economies have affected other countries in MENA. Macroeconomic fundamentals weakened in most developing MENA countries in 2011-12 as growth slowed and governments responded to social pressures with expansionary fiscal policies. The regional growth outlook for 2013 reflects weaker expected global economic activity, especially in the EU, and moderating oil prices. Regional economic growth is expected to decelerate to 3.5% in 2013 from 5.5% in 2012. Prolonged political and policy uncertainty and social unrest are serious downside risks to the outlook.
Download or read book Prospects for Middle Eastern and North African Economies written by Nemat Shafik and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-07-27 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Economic prospects for the countries of the Middle East and North Africa are assessed in light of the changing world economy, increasing integration of trade and financial markets, greater needs for educated labour, and growing concerns about poverty and environmental degradation. Cross-country papers on thematic topics by international scholars are presented. The need for major economic reforms is emphasized if the region is to use greater integration in the world economy as the basis for generating growth and jobs and reducing poverty.
Download or read book Middle East and North Africa Economic Developments and Prospects October 2012 written by WORLD BANK and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2012-10-27 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The post-revolutionary economies of MENA - Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen - have been recovering after a period of growth decelerations in 2011. In Egypt and Tunisia, the growth dips of 2011 were less dramatic than the declines observed during previous transitions. The recovery has been relatively quick but the transition process is far from complete and uncertainty about the political and reform process remains a binding constraint to private investment. Consequently, post-transition growth is below potential and is lower than growth prior to the Arab Spring, with negative consequences for employment and poverty. Events in the post-revolution economies have affected other countries in MENA. Macroeconomic fundamentals weakened in most developing MENA countries in 2011-12 as growth slowed and governments responded to social pressures with expansionary fiscal policies. The regional growth outlook for 2013 reflects weaker expected global economic activity, especially in the EU, and moderating oil prices. Regional economic growth is expected to decelerate to 3.5% in 2013 from 5.5% in 2012. Prolonged political and policy uncertainty and social unrest are serious downside risks to the outlook.
Download or read book The Economic Development Process in the Middle East and North Africa written by Alessandro Romagnoli and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-11-12 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offering a comprehensive analysis of the development of economies in the Middle East and North Africa over the past half century, this book charts the progress of these countries through an examination of an Islamic model of economic development, reform processes, and economic integration. Far from being a simple process, economic development in the Middle East and North Africa is dependent on the interaction of a set of changing systems including; international relations, the political regime, economy, and society. By analysing these interdependent factors, The Economic Development Process in MENA seeks to provide answers to the most pressing issues facing the economies in this area. Providing an interpretation of regional development in light of dialectics between state and society, this book will be of value to students and scholars with an interest in the Middle East, Economics, and International Relations.
Download or read book Economic Development in the Middle East and North Africa written by Mohamed Sami Ben Ali and published by Palgrave Macmillan. This book was released on 2014-01-14 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using cases on individual countries, Economic Development in the Middle East and North Africa offers diverse theoretical and empirical evidence on a variety of issues facing policymakers, investors, and other stakeholders in the region.
Download or read book Middle East and North Africa Economic Developments and Prospects October 2013 written by and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The post-revolutionary economies of MENA - Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen - have been recovering after a period of growth decelerations in 2011. In Egypt and Tunisia, the growth dips of 2011 were less dramatic than the declines observed during previous transitions. The recovery has been relatively quick but the transition process is far from complete and uncertainty about the political and reform process remains a binding constraint to private investment. Consequently, post-transition growth is below potential and is lower than growth prior to the Arab Spring, with negative consequences for employment and poverty. Events in the post-revolution economies have affected other countries in MENA. Macroeconomic fundamentals weakened in most developing MENA countries in 2011-12 as growth slowed and governments responded to social pressures with expansionary fiscal policies. The regional growth outlook for 2013 reflects weaker expected global economic activity, especially in the EU, and moderating oil prices. Regional economic growth is expected to decelerate to 3.5% in 2013 from 5.5% in 2012. Prolonged political and policy uncertainty and social unrest are serious downside risks to the outlook.
Download or read book Subsidy Reform in the Middle East and North Africa written by Mr.Carlo A. Sdralevich and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2014-07-09 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries price subsidies are common, especially on food and fuels. However, these are neither well targeted nor cost effective as a social protection tool, often benefiting mainly the better off instead of the poor and vulnerable. This paper explores the challenges of replacing generalized price subsidies with more equitable social safety net instruments, including the short-term inflationary effects, and describes the features of successful subsidy reforms.
Download or read book Jobs for Shared Prosperity written by Roberta Gatti and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2013-04-25 with total page 351 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, when thousands of young women and men fought for the opportunity to realize their aspirations and potential, the question of jobs continues to be crucial in the Middle East and North Africa region. This report uses jobs as a lens to weave together the complex dynamics of employment creation, skills supply, and the institutional environment of labor markets. Consistent with the framework of the 2013 World Development Report on jobs, of which this report is the regional companion, this work goes beyond the traditional links between jobs, productivity, and living standards to include an understanding of how jobs matter for individual dignity and expectations—an aspect that was clearly central to the Arab Spring. Just as important, this report complements the economic perspective with an analysis of political economy equilibrium, with a view to identifying mechanisms that would trigger a reform process. As such, the report has three objectives: First, it seeks to provide an in-depth characterization of the dynamics of labor markets in the Middle East and North Africa and to analyze the barriers to the creation of more and better jobs. It does so by taking a cross-sectoral approach and identifying the distortions and incentives that the many actors—firms, governments, workers, students, education, and training systems—currently face, and which ultimately determine the equilibrium in labor markets. Second, the report proposes a medium term roadmap of policy options that could promote the robust and inclusive growth needed to tackle the structural employment challenge for the region. Third, the report aims to inform and open up a platform for debate on jobs among a broad set of stakeholders, with the ultimate goal of contributing to reach a shared view of the employment challenges and the reform path ahead.
Download or read book Governance in the Middle East and North Africa written by Abbas Kadhim and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-02-15 with total page 530 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Governance in the Middle East is topic of interest to scholars, activists and policy makers. The currently proposed book is intended to present the first comprehensive framework of the question of governance in the Middle East in its various forms and manifestations: political, economic, and government performance.
Download or read book Iran and the Global Economy written by Parvin Alizadeh and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-12-17 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The relationship between religion and the state has entered a new phase ever since the Iranian Revolution more than three decades ago. The recent mass uprisings against autocratic rulers in the Arab world have highlighted the potency of Islamist forces in post-revolutionary societies in the region, a force arguably unlocked first by Iran’s version of the ‘spring’ three decades ago. The economic ramifications of these uprisings are of special interest at a time when the possibility of the creation of Islamic states can have implications for their economic policy and performance again. A study of the Iranian experience in itself can offer rare insights whether for its own features and characteristics or for its possible lessons and implications for recent events in the region. This book is concerned with the economic aspects and consequences of the Iranian Revolution in general and its interaction with the international economy in particular. Many studies have to date dealt with Iran’s economic challenges, policies and performance in the post-revolutionary period but its interaction with the international economy – although of growing importance – has not received sufficient attention. The contributions in this volume by experts in the field address ways in which in the span of three decades, Iran’s economy has evolved from a strong aspiration to develop an ‘independent economy’ to grappling with debilitating international economic sanctions.
Download or read book Infrastructure and Employment Creation in the Middle East and North Africa written by Antonio Estache and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2013-02-20 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Infrastructure has a substantial role to play in creating new jobs in the Middle East and North Africa, but its potential varies greatly across countries and sectors and will not suffice to resolve the mounting unemployment problem in the region.
Download or read book Comparing the Employment Output Elasticities of Expatriates and Nationals in the Gulf Cooperation Council written by Mr.Alberto Behar and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2015-08-18 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We estimate the elasticity of private-sector employment to non-oil GDP in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for GCC nationals and expatriates using a Seemingly Unrelated Error Correction (SUREC) model. Our results indicate that the employment response is lower for nationals, who have an estimated short-run elasticity of only 0.15 and a long-run response of 0.7 or less. The elasticity is almost unity for expatriates in the long run and 0.35 in the short run. We interpret low elasticities as indirect evidence of labor market adjustment costs, which could include hiring and firing rigidities, skills mismatches, and reluctance to accept private sector jobs. Forecasts suggest that, absent measures to reduce adjustment costs, the private sector will only be able to absorb a small portion of nationals entering the labor force.
Download or read book The People Want written by Gilbert Achcar and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2013-06-17 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The people want . . .": This first half of slogans chanted by millions of Arab protesters since 2011 revealed a long-repressed craving for democracy. But huge social and economic problems were also laid bare by the protestors’ demands. Simplistic interpretations of the uprising that has been shaking the Arab world since a young street vendor set himself on fire in Central Tunisia, on 17 December 2010, seek to portray it as purely political, or explain it by culture, age, religion, if not conspiracy theories. Instead, Gilbert Achcar locates the deep roots of the upheaval in the specific economic features that hamper the region’s development and lead to dramatic social consequences, including massive youth unemployment. Intertwined with despotism, nepotism, and corruption, these features, produced an explosive situation that was aggravated by post-9/11 U.S. policies. The sponsoring of the Muslim Brotherhood by the Emirate of Qatar and its influential satellite channel, Al Jazeera, contributed to shaping the prelude to the uprising. But the explosion’s deep roots, asserts Achcar, mean that what happened until now is but the beginning of a revolutionary process likely to extend for many more years to come. The author identifies the actors and dynamics of the revolutionary process: the role of various social and political movements, the emergence of young actors making intensive use of new information and communication technologies, and the nature of power elites and existing state apparatuses that determine different conditions for regime overthrow in each case. Drawing a balance-sheet of the uprising in the countries that have been most affected by it until now, i.e. Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and Syria, Achcar sheds special light on the nature and role of the movements that use Islam as a political banner. He scrutinizes attempts at co-opting the uprising by these movements and by the oil monarchies that sponsor them, as well as by the protector of these same monarchies: the U.S. government. Underlining the limitations of the "Islamic Tsunami" that some have used as a pretext to denigrate the whole uprising, Gilbert Achcar points to the requirements for a lasting solution to the social crisis and the contours of a progressive political alternative.
Download or read book Energy Relations in the Euro Mediterranean written by Simone Tagliapietra and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-12-01 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book investigates the current status and future prospects of energy relationships in the Euro-Mediterranean region. By adopting a political economy perspective, this book provides insight into regional cooperation in the fields of natural gas and renewable energy. The author posits that regional energy relations have yet to be examined through a comprehensive analytical framework in order to realistically assess the potential role of energy in acting as a catalyst for greater economic and political cooperation in the region. To do so, the author provides a detailed analysis of the region’s energy relations and pertinent case studies. Chapters illustrate the political and economic drivers underpinning the region’s energy dynamics, providing the reader with a wide-ranging overview of the Euro-Mediterranean energy relations of today and tomorrow.
