Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Ahmad Awad

Author

Ahmad Awad
General Director, Phenix Center for Economic and Informatics Studies

Ahmad Awad is the founder and director of the Phenix Center for Economic and Informatics Studies, based in Amman, Jordan. He has dedicated most of his professional life to the promotion and defending of human rights, with particular emphasis on socio-economic human rights. Ahmad Awad holding an MA in International Political Economy. He is a member of many civil society networks and coalitions locally, regionally and internationally. In 2018 honored by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as an exceptional defender of human rights on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In addition, Ahmed writes a weekly economic column in the Al-Ghad Jordanian newspaper, and in November 2020, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of Arab Watch Coalition.

Content by this Author

The hidden potential of Jordan’s small firms for driving a green transition

For Jordan, a green transition represents an enormous transformative opportunity. But a decade-long increase in the use of renewable energy has not freed the country of its economic woes. This column explores the currently underused yet potentially powerful force of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises – and proposes policies that could improve the investment climate and clear legislative and regulatory barriers.

Most read

The political economy of stalled structural reforms in MENA

There is a persistent pattern to the structural reforms that are required to underpin economic progress in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa: ambitious strategies are announced and partially implemented, but ultimately they are diluted or reversed. This column argues that the repeated stalling of reform is not primarily a failure of economic design. Rather, it reflects deep-seated political economy constraints rooted in rent dependence, elite bargaining and weak institutional credibility. Without addressing these underlying dynamics, reform efforts are likely to remain symbolic rather than transformative.

Untapped talent, unrealised growth: jobs and women in the MENAAP region

Only around one in five women of working age participate in the labour markets of the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan. As this column explains, the region can no longer afford to leave half its human capital underused. Expanding women’s labour force participation is central to growth and resilience in the face of looming demographic change.

Closing the gender gap in political participation in MENA

Women across the Middle East and North Africa participate less than men in politics – not only in political parties and elections, but also in petitions, boycotts, protests and strikes. This column reports evidence from ten countries showing that differences in education, employment and political attitudes explain part of this disparity, yet a significant gender gap remains.

Labour demand and informal employment in Egypt’s manufacturing sector

Egypt’s manufacturing sector faces a dual challenge of weak job creation and persistent informality. Drawing on survey evidence on business behaviour and labour market dynamics, this column explains why job creation is limited and informal work remains such an integral part of how firms organise production. The generation of more formal jobs requires a comprehensive policy approach, one that goes beyond enforcement of labour regulations to reshape the economic environment in which firms and workers make decisions.




Linkedin