Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Noha El-Mikawy

Author

Noha El-Mikawy
Dean, School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP), American University in Cairo (AUC)

Noha El-Mikawy is the Dean of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) at the American University in Cairo (AUC). Noha is the former Regional Director of the Ford Foundation, Middle East and North Africa office (2012-2022). From 2005-2007 and again 2009- 2012 Noha served as Team Leader for Governance at the UNDP Regional Center (based in Lebanon then Egypt) where she provided support on governance reform in Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Jordan, Kuwait. In June 2011, her team organized UNDP’s first international conference on transitions to democracy. That was an occasion for officials and civil society actors in Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen to share experiences with counterparts from Latin America, Asia, and Africa. From 2007-2009, Noha was policy advisor at the UNDP Oslo Governance Center (Norway), where she supervised UNDP’s global project on governance assessments, organized international convenings on UNDP’s legal empowerment of the poor and edited a UNDP-UN Women guidebook on governance and gender sensitive service delivery. Before 2005, Noha led comparative research on the political economy of MENA at the Centre for Development Research at the University of Bonn (Germany) and lectured on politics of the Middle East at the American University in Cairo, Free University of Berlin, and Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany). Noha holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles (USA), and has three books and multiple articles published by reputable international publishers on institutional reform and governance in MENA.Noha El-Mikawy

Content by this Author

It’s too early to tell what happened to the Arab Spring

Did the Arab Spring fail? This column presents a view the consensus view from ERF’s recent annual conference in Morocco: careful analysis of the fundamental drivers of democratic transitions suggests that it’s too early to tell.

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Reformed foreign ownership rules in UAE: the impact on business entry

In an effort to stimulate economic growth and diversify the economy, the government of the United Arab Emirates has recently implemented regulatory reform that allows 100% foreign ownership of companies operating in the country. This column examines the implications of the reform for entry of new firms in Dubai, using unique data on new business licences in the emirate.

Conflict and debt in the Middle East and North Africa

With the global economy is in its third year of deceleration amid declining inflation and oil prices, the Middle East and North Africa grew by just 1.9% in 2023, with a forecast for growth in 2024 at 2.7%. In addition to heightened uncertainty brought on by the conflict centred in Gaza, many countries in the region are also grappling with pre-existing vulnerabilities, including rising debt levels. This column summarises a new report that unpacks the nature of debt in MENA – and explains the critical importance of keeping rising debt stocks in check.

Sanctions and carbon emissions in Iran

How are Iran’s energy use and emissions of carbon dioxide affected by the imposition of economic sanctions? This column summarises new research that analyses a range of different scenarios and which takes account of multiple economic, social and environmental dimensions, notably what happens to growth and energy intensity, and whether sanctions are lifted.

Making aid-for-trade more effective in the MENA region

Aid-for-trade represents an important opportunity for developing countries to enhance their trade capacities. But the positive effect of aid-for-trade on exports can hinge on the quality of institutions in recipient countries. According to research reported in this column, in the Middle East and North Africa, it is specific aid types – such as aid to support trade policy reform and aid to enhance productive capacities – that matter most for exports.

Can a free trade area in services boost trade within the Arab region?

With trade in goods among Arab countries remaining modest, trade in services could play the pivotal role of an engine of growth in economic integration within the region, as well greater participation in global value chains. This column outlines progress to date and what needs to be done to make a success of AFTAS, the Arab free trade area in services.

Natural disaster literacy in Iran: survey evidence from Tehran

The frequent floods, earthquakes, and heat waves in the Middle East and North Africa underscore the urgent need to assess the region's preparedness for natural disasters. This column summarizes the state of 'natural disaster literacy' in various parts of Tehran, the capital of Iran and one of the most populous metropolitan areas in MENA. Data from a survey conducted in the winter of 2020/21 enabled the development of a disaster literacy index, which helps to identify the city's most vulnerable districts.

Economic roots of early marriage in Iran

Despite the documented harms of being married off before the age of 18, particularly for girls, early marriage remains common in parts of Iran. This column summarises research that sheds light on the economic factors that drive this practice, using unique provincial data to show that poverty, inflation and income inequality are key determinants –while religiosity is not. The findings suggest that economic policies can play a crucial role in reducing the prevalence of child marriage.

Should Arab countries join the WTO’s agreement on government procurement?

Not all members of the World Trade Organization are signatories of the institution’s Agreement on Government Procurement – the GPA. Indeed, although many developing economies are now joining the agreement or at least acquiring observer status, it has long been thought that the costs outweigh the benefits. This column re-evaluates the pros and cons of GPA accession for Arab countries.




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