Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Jihad Azour

Author

Jihad Azour
Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund

Jihad Azour is the Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund. Mr. Azour served as Minister of Finance, Lebanon in 2005-08. He held a wide range of positions in the private sector, including McKinsey and Booz and Co. where he was a Vice-President and Senior Executive Advisor. Prior to joining the IMF in March 2017, he was a Managing Partner at investment firm Inventis Partners. Mr. Azour holds a PhD in International Finance and a post-graduate degree in International Economics and Finance, both from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris.

Content by this Author

How the Middle East can prepare for the coming economic storm

How can policy-makers prepare for the challenging years ahead and protect their populations? This column, originally published in The National, concludes that a lot can be achieved if action is taken quickly.

Cooperation and recovery in the Middle East and Central Asia

The road to post-pandemic recovery for the Middle East and Central Asia will hinge on Covid-19 containment measures, access to and distribution of vaccines, the scope of policies to support growth, and measures to mitigate economic scarring from the pandemic. This column, originally published on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) blog, argues that cooperation will be critical to reducing divergent paths to recovery among countries in the region.

Confronting the Covid-19 pandemic in the Middle East and Central Asia

Countries of the Middle East and Central Asia region have been hit by two large and reinforcing shocks, resulting in significantly weaker growth projections in 2020. This column summarises the International Monetary Fund’s April 2020 Regional Economic Outlook on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the plunge in oil prices; the short- and longer-term policy priorities; and how the IMF is helping the region cope with the crisis.

COVID-19 pandemic and the Middle East and Central Asia

The number of confirmed COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East and Central Asia began rising sharply in late February. At the same time, oil prices have been forced downwards owing to falling global demand (due to the pandemic) and rising supply (stemming from a price war between suppliers). With the intertwined shocks expected to deal a severe blow to economic activity in the region, this column originally published on the blog of the International Monetary Fund, outlines the channels of economic impact and the policy priorities.

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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.

Challenges of conflict and industrial policy for development

How effective is industrial policy as a tool for long-term economic growth and development? Against the backdrop of the conflict currently engulfing the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP), a new report argues that while industrial policies are widely used across the region, they can only address market failures and foster growth when they are aligned with country capabilities, implemented with accountability and backed by capable institutions.




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