Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Fatma Taşdemir

Author

Fatma Taşdemir
Faculty Member, Department of International Trade and Business, Sinop University

Fatma Taşdemir is a faculty member at Sinop University, Department of International Trade and Business since 2021. She completed her MSc in 2014 and received her PhD in 2019 from the Department of Economics at the Middle East Technical University. She is an applied economist and her main research areas include growth, international finance and macroeconomics.

Content by this Author

International and regional financial integration in MENA

What are the effects of financial integration at both the regional and international level on the domestic economies of the Middle East and North Africa? This column summarises new research evidence on this question. The results suggest that while regional financial integration offers substantial benefits, ‘too much’ international integration could hinder financial development.

Do capital inflows cause industrialisation or de-industrialisation?

There is a clear appeal for emerging and developing economies, including those in MENA, to finance investment in manufacturing industry at home with capital inflows from overseas. But as the evidence reported in this column indicates, this is a potentially risky strategy: rather than promoting industrialisation, capital flows can actually lead to lower manufacturing value added and/or a reallocation of resources towards industries with lower technology intensity.

The environmental impact of foreign direct investment in MENA

Are countries in the Middle East and North Africa ‘pollution havens’ when it comes to foreign direct investment (FDI) – or do they merit a ‘pollution halo’? This column reports evidence on how the quality of economies’ institutions and human capital influences the environmental impact of FDI.

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Global value chains and sustainable development

What is the role of exchange rate undervaluation in promoting participation in global value chains by firms in developing countries? What is the impact of the stringency of national environmental regulations on firms’ GVC participation? And how do firms’ political connections affect their participation in GVCs? These questions will be explored for the MENA region at a special session of the ERF annual conference, which takes place in Cairo in April 2025.

Adoption of decentralised solar energy: lessons from Palestinian households

The experience of Palestinian households offers a compelling case study of behavioural adaptation to energy poverty via solar water heater adoption. This column highlights the key barriers to solar energy adoption in terms of both the socio-economic status and dwellings of potential users. Policy-makers need to address these barriers to ensure a just and equitable transition, particularly for households in conflict-affected areas across the MENA region.

Migration, human capital and labour markets in MENA

Migration is a longstanding and integral part of the MENA region’s economic and social fabric, with profound implications for labour markets and human capital development. To harness the potential of migration for promoting economic and social development, policy-makers must aim to deliver mutual benefits for origin countries, host countries and migrants. Such a triple-win strategy requires better data, investment in return migration, skill partnerships, reduced remittance costs and sustained support for host countries.

Shifting gears: how the private sector can be an engine of growth in MENA

Businesses are a key source of productivity growth, innovation and jobs. But in the Middle East and North Africa, the private sector is not dynamic and the region has a long history of low growth. This column summarises a new report explaining how a brighter future for MENA’s private sector is within reach if governments rethink their role and firms harness talent effectively.




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