Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Goran M. Muhamad

Author

Goran M. Muhamad
Lecturer in Economics and Finance, University of Kurdistan Hewler

Dr. Goran Muhamad, born in Sulaimanya. He has well academic qualifications in economics, including BSc, Higher Diploma and MSc. His Master degree is from Nottingham University, one of the most prestigious universities in the UK. He recently earned PhD in economics at University of Kurdistan, Hawler in July 2020. His focus was on economic diversification in natural resource rich countries to reduce the degree of dependency on resource revenue extractions. He was also attended Jonkoping University (Sweden) whilst he was a PhD student. Dr. Goran is a well experienced economist with a demonstrated history of working in the government administration industry as well as private sectors, who is confident in his ability. He is also participated in the evaluation and analyzing of some critical projects on IDPs and Refugees in Kurdistan region for donors and international agencies. His last career, in the government industry, was at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers/KRG as a senior manager. He involved in leading and managing some critical projects and delivering the best qualities and analysis from using quantitative skills to simplify complex topics to draw conclusions (in policy and governance). He has been well reviewed for what he had provided by the KRG leaders including his excellency the ex-prime minister Mr. Nichervan Barzani during his mandate. Dr. Goran have designed and led high-quality taught courses, supervision/advising and examination and teaching management, including EMBA, MSc and undergraduate programmes. So far, Dr. Goran has produced three papers for publications. One has been recently published at Global Economic review titled The Dynamics of Private Sector Development in Natural Resource Dependent Countries. One more article is under review at high ranked economic journal of Resource Policy and the third one is also under review at Human and Social Science Journal.

Content by this Author

Aid in the development of the Kurdistan region of Iraq

Since the establishment of the Kurdistan region of Iraq in 1992, international aid has played an important role in development of the region. This column outlines the effects before and after the war.

Dependency on natural resources and diversification of economies in MENA

It is widely understood that natural resource dependency can have a significant negative impact on a country’s long-term economic growth. This column explores evidence for how such outcomes arise – as well as potential diversification strategies that could help to reduce the resource curse in the economies of the Middle East and North Africa.

Most read

EU climate policy: potential effects on the exports of Arab countries

The carbon border adjustment mechanism aims to ensure that Europe’s green objectives are not undermined by the relocation of production to parts of the world with less ambitious climate policies – but it could impose substantial costs on developing countries that export to the European Union. This column examines the potential impact on exporters in the Arab world – and outlines possible policy responses that could mitigate the economic damage.

Green hydrogen production and exports: could MENA countries lead the way?

The Arab region stands at the threshold of a transformative opportunity to become a global leader in green hydrogen production and exports. But as this column explains, achieving this potential will require substantial investments, robust policy frameworks and a commitment to technological innovation.

Financial development, corruption and informality in MENA

Reducing the extent of informality in the Middle East and North Africa would help to promote economic growth. This column reports evidence on how corruption and financial development influence the size of the informal economy in countries across the region. The efficiency of the financial sector in MENA economies reduces the corruption incentive for firms to seek to join and stay in the formal sector.

Climate change threats and how the Arab countries should respond

The Arab region is highly vulnerable to extreme events caused by climate change. This column outlines the threats and explores what can be done to ward off disaster, not least moving away from the extraction of fossil fuels and taking advantage of the opportunities in renewable energy generation. This would both mitigate the potential for further environmental damage and act as a catalyst for more and better jobs, higher incomes and improved social outcomes.

Freedom: the missing piece in analysis of multidimensional wellbeing

Political philosophy has long emphasised the importance of freedom in shaping a meaningful life, yet it is consistently overlooked in assessments of human wellbeing across multiple dimensions. This column focuses on the freedom to express opinions, noting that it is shaped by both formal laws and informal social dynamics, fluctuating with the changing cultural context, particularly in the age of social media. Data on public opinion in Arab countries over the past decade are revealing about how this key freedom is perceived.

Child stunting in Tunisia: an alarming rise

Child stunting in Tunisia seemed to have fallen significantly over the past two decades. But as this column reports, new analysis indicates that the positive trend has now gone dramatically into reverse. Indeed, the evidence is unequivocal: the nutritional health of the country’s youngest citizens is rapidly deteriorating and requires immediate and decisive action.

Exchange rate undervaluation: the impact on participation in world trade

Can currency undervaluation influence participation in world trade through global value chains (GVC)? This column reports new evidence on the positive impact of an undervalued real exchange rate on the involvement of a country’s firms in GVCs. Undervaluation acts as an economy-wide industrial policy, supporting the competitiveness of national exports in foreign markets vis-à-vis those of other countries.

New horizons for economic transformation in the GCC countries

The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have historically relied on hydrocarbons for economic growth. As this column explains ahead of a high-level ERF policy seminar in Dubai, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain and robotics – what some call the fourth industrial revolution – present a unique opportunity for the region to reduce its dependence on oil and make the transition to a knowledge-based economy.

Shifting public trust in governments across the Arab world

The Arab Spring, which began over a decade ago, was driven by popular distrust in governments of the region. The column reports on how public trust has shifted since then, drawing on survey data collected soon after the uprising and ten years later. The findings reveal a dynamic and often fragile landscape of trust in Arab governments from the early 2010s to the early 2020s. Growing distrust across many countries should raise concerns about future political and social instability.

Corruption in Iran: the role of oil rents

How do fluctuations in oil rents influence levels of corruption in Iran? This column reports the findings of new research, which examines the impact of increases in the country’s oil revenues on corruption, including the mechanisms through which the effects occur – higher inflation, greater public spending on the military and the weakness of democratic institutions.




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