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 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 Trade Competitiveness of the Middle East and North Africa written by Jos R. L pez-C lix and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2010-07-01 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past decade, four major developments in global economic integration have shaped trade policy and the economic performance of countries within the Middle East and North Africa region: the emergence of global supply chains, the growth of trade in services, the rise of China and India as major international trading powers, and regional integration. These developments, along with the labor and natural resource endowments of particular countries (some are resource-poor but labor-abundant, some resource-rich and labor-abundant, and some resource-rich and labor-importing), have influenced export diversification outcomes across the region. Yet these countries may not be taking full advantage of all of the opportunities the four new trends offer to them. 'Trade Competitiveness of the Middle East and North Africa: Policies for Export Diversification' examines the region's trade policy agendas and their results by focusing on the countries' response to these four key developments in international trade. As the region recovers from the global financial and economic crises, the book identifies reforms that could allow countries to further strengthen global production networks, benefit more from trade in services, better compete in external markets to face the rise of China and India, and reach the full potential of regional integration. If thoroughly implemented, especially by oil exporters, all of these reforms could help boost growth and job creation in the region.
Download or read book Trade Liberalization and Poverty in the Middle East and North Africa written by Nicholas Minot and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2009 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agricultural trade liberalization has been resisted by many developing-country policymakers, including those in the Middle East and North Africa, for fear it could hurt domestic farmers and exacerbate poverty. The authors of Trade Liberalization and Poverty in the Middle East and North Africa argue, however, that this concern about liberalization might be misplaced. Drawing on case studies from Egypt, Morocco, Syria, and Tunisia, the study uses household survey data and computable general equilibrium models to simulate the effects of various liberalization scenarios on different types of households in these countries, especially poor households. The results indicate that agricultural trade barriers are not an effective means of protecting the poor and that the benefits from many forms of agricultural trade liberalization to the region's consumers outweigh the costs to producers. If complemented with other domestic programs-including agricultural research and extension, information services, disease control, and social safety nets-the reforms have the potential to reduce poverty in these nations. The study findings are a valuable resource for policymakers and development specialists evaluating the role trade liberalization can play in economic development and poverty reduction.
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 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 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 Harnessing Trade Opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa written by Jean-Pierre Chauffour and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Greater integration into the international economy is a key means through which countries in the Middle East and North Africa can reap the benefits of already existing market opportunities to accelerate economic growth and job creation. An effective economic integration strategy requires complementing reductions in trade barriers with policy reforms to ensure that markets become more competitive (contestable for new entrants) and that operating and transactions costs for firms fall. This paper argues that there are two overarching priority areas for trade-related reforms in many Arab countries: reducing formal trade barriers further, and lowering trade costs through trade facilitation measures and improving "connectivity" for firms, including deeper regional economic integration.
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 Harnessing Trade Opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa written by Jean-Pierre Chauffour and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 11 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Greater integration into the international economy is a key means through which countries in the Middle East and North Africa can reap the benefits of already existing market opportunities to accelerate economic growth and job creation. An effective economic integration strategy requires complementing reductions in trade barriers with policy reforms to ensure that markets become more competitive (contestable for new entrants) and that operating and transactions costs for firms fall. This paper argues that there are two overarching priority areas for trade-related reforms in many Arab countries: reducing formal trade barriers further, and lowering trade costs through trade facilitation measures and improving "connectivity" for firms, including deeper regional economic integration.
Download or read book Trade Policy and Economic Integration in the Middle East and North Africa written by Hassan Hakimian and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This important 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.
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 Is the Middle East and North Africa Region Achieving Its Trade Potential written by Ludvig Söderling and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper analyzes export performance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) using a gravity model applied to panel data. It addresses two questions: (i) are there significant unexploited export markets for the MENA region?; and (ii) have integration efforts with the EU since the mid-1990s yielded positive results? The results suggest that several MENA countries are substantially underexploiting the United States as an export market. Moreover, the impact of integration efforts with the European Union has been moderate overall but significant in individual cases.
Download or read book Agricultural Trade and Rural Development in the Middle East and North Africa written by Dean A. DeRosa and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1997 with total page 54 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
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 Exports to Improve Labor Markets in the Middle East and North Africa written by Gladys Lopez-Acevedo and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2023-06-26 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), trade liberalization measures have coincided with stable economic growth, and GDP per capita growth has surpassed that of other developing regions. However, MENA's labor-market outcomes--such as average wage levels, informality rate, and female labor force participation--continue to underperform. Why has rising trade failed to produce better labor market outcomes in low- and middle-income countries in the region? 'Exports to Improve Labor Markets in the Middle East and North Africa' focuses on the impact of trade policy on trade-flows and their relationship with local labor market outcomes in three low- and middle-income countries--the Arab Republic of Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. Given their idiosyncratic labor markets, export diversification, and trade policy history, these three countries other important lessons for economic development in the region. Policy makers and stakeholders can use these findings to design policies to improve the chances that higher trade flows will deliver better labor market outcomes and ensure that the benefits are more equally shared. 'This report, led by Gladys Lopez-Acevedo and Raymond Robertson, pushes forward the frontier of knowledge about the relationship between trade and the labor market in MENA. Although focusing on three countries (the Arab Republic of Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia), it gives us broader lessons on how to solve the apparent puzzle of greater exposure to trade not being followed by greater labor market outcomes in the region. It points out, among other factors, how market segmentation by gender shapes the effects of trade shocks like higher exports. Policy makers in the region will definitely benefit from the evidence and analysis conveyed by the report on how to turn trade integration into a lever for shared prosperity.' --Otaviano Canuto, Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, and former Vice President of the World Bank 'This timely report attempts to understand why trade expansion did not produce the desired improvements in labor market outcomes in three non-oil-exporting countries in MENA. The main reason for the weak link between trade expansion and widely shared labor market improvements appears to be the segmented nature of labor markets in the three countries, by gender as well as by formality status. In Morocco and Tunisia, the highly segmented labor markets along gender lines, in combination with the concentration of trade in male-dominated capital-intensive sectors, led to few employment benefits accruing to women. In Egypt, the limited impact of trade on formal employment is attributable to the small size of the nation’s export sector and its lack of integration with the rest of the economy. These findings are critical to understanding how barriers to widely shared prosperity can be tackled in the region.' --Ragui Assaad, Professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
Download or read book Transformation in the Middle East and North Africa written by Werner Weidenfeld and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book identifies the factors that stand in the way of constructing stable political and economic structures in the Middle East and North Africa.
