Economic Research Forum (ERF)

February

January

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The green energy transition: employment pathways for MENA

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Drivers of renewable energy adoption in Egyptian firms

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Trust in Lebanon’s public institutions: a challenge for the new leadership

December

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Education and health in Tunisia: is human capital at risk?

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The threat of cybercrime in MENA economies

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MENA’s transition to renewable energy: a new development strategy

November

October

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Poverty and plutonomy: measuring extreme bipolarisation in the Arab world

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The future of regionalism in the Arab world: a political economy view

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More jobs, better jobs and inclusive jobs: the promise of renewable energy

September

August

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

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Economic roots of early marriage in Iran

July

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Natural disaster literacy in Iran: survey evidence from Tehran

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Sanctions and carbon emissions in Iran

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

June

May

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Arab regional cooperation in a fragmenting world

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Gender differences in business record-keeping and planning in Iraq

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Self-employment in MENA: the role of religiosity and personal values

April

March

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Sustaining entrepreneurship: lessons from Iran

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Financial constraints on small firms’ growth: pandemic lessons from Iran

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Manufacturing firms in Egypt: trade participation and outcomes for workers

February

January

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Iran's globalisation and Saudi Arabia’s defence budget

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Making trade agreements more environmentally friendly in the MENA region

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Egypt and Iraq: amenities, environmental quality and taste for revolution

December

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Unemployment among young women in GCC countries

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Challenges of GCC investment in the energy transition

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Boosting trade through flexible rules of origin in preferential agreements

November

October

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The India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor: an early assessment

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MENA trade patterns and the pursuit of growth

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Risk prevention and public compliance in MENA during the Covid-19 pandemic

September

August

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Fighting poverty: innovative policy lessons from the second Arab Multidimensional Poverty Report

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The human toll: Assessing the damage caused by revolution and war in Iran

July

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Reframing sustainable finance: lessons from Lebanon

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Insiders and outsiders: the political economy of Arab labour markets

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Supporting employment opportunities for women in Egypt’s ICT sector

June

May

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Public employment in Arab countries: A Reassessment

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How can the digital economy benefit everyone in the Arab world—and prevent the region from falling farther behind?

April

March

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What is the likely impact of the earthquakes on economic growth in Türkiye?

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Measuring poverty in Lebanon in the time of economic collapse

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Social protection in Jordan: towards collaborative implementation

February

January

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Public banks and development in Egypt

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How business survives under sanctions: the experience of Iranian firms

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What will it take to achieve an energy transition in MENA?

December

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Climate change: the impact on child malnutrition in the Nile basin

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The World Bank should become the 'IMF of climate'

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MENA’s unexpectedly low inflation

November

October

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Jobs and growth in North Africa during Covid-19

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The impact of Covid-19 on the labour market in Sudan

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The way forward for Egypt

September

August

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Corruption and internal conflict in Iran

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The true size of Africa and why it matters

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Employment in MENA during the pandemic: persistent inequality

July

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Weak pass-through of growth to household incomes in Arab countries

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Challenges of digitalisation in MENA and sub-Saharan Africa

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How foreign powers could break Lebanon's gridlock

June

May

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Preventing developing economy debt disasters

April

March

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Wealth concentration rocketing in Arab countries after Covid-19

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Africa's coup wave

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What small states can learn from the Gulf – and vice versa

February

January

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Mental health in Tunisia during the Covid-19 crisis

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It is time for Africa to focus on getting vaccines in arms

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Entrepreneurship and economic development in the MENA region

December

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Financial informality among formal firms: evidence from Egypt

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Better roads improve regional economies: evidence from Turkey

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Oil price shocks, protest and the shadow economy

November

October

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Digital technology and inequality: the Impact on Arab countries

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Maternal education to curb female genital mutilation: evidence from Egypt

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Europe’s carbon pricing plans: potential effects on Turkey’s economy

September

August

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Physicians’ incentives and rising births by c-section: evidence from Iran

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In defence of regional development banks in the Covid-19 era

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Productivity, global value chains and cross-industry spillovers in Turkey

July

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The Lebanese tragedy: who is to blame?

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A looming oil price super cycle will likely be the last

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Tax policy for the post-Covid-19 era

June

May

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Oil rents and Iran’s middle class

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Improving access to finance and social cohesion in MENA

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Living with debt: how institutions can chart a path to recovery in MENA

April

March

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Shaping Africa’s post-Covid recovery: a new eBook

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E-governance for sustainable development in MENA countries

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Can preparedness for a health disaster change the game?

February

January

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How can the Biden administration help improve MENA’s economic prospects?

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A Sherman Act-like moment is needed in Africa and the Middle East

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Do coronavirus containment measures work? Worldwide evidence

December

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Covid-19, trust and rising economic challenges in the Arab world

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The Middle East and North Africa and Covid-19: gearing up for the long haul

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Bottom incomes and the measurement of poverty and inequality

November

October

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Tourism in MENA after Covid-19: from shock to structural transformation

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The impact of Covid-19 on the tourism sector in MENA

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Economic consequences of Covid-19: a counterfactual multi-country analysis

September

August

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Public sector employment in MENA: a comparison with world indicators

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Fomenting intellectual revolution in the MENA region

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Lebanon’s dysfunctional political economy

July

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Why data transparency matters for MENA economies

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Seven questions about Covid-19 and its consequences

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The case for a solidarity tax to close the poverty gap in Arab countries

June

May

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Phone surveys alone will not address the Covid-19 data gap in MENA

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Daily commuters in Egypt during the Covid-19 pandemic

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Economic challenges for the GCC countries after Covid-19

April

March

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On Lebanon’s economic crisis and recourse to IMF assistance

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Policy for the Covid-19 crisis: survey of leading economists

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Dutch disease, developing oil-exporting countries and Iraq's exchange rate

February

January

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The two arrows for growth policy in MENA

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Cronyism reduces job creation in Lebanon

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Childhood stunting in Egypt: trends, causes and solutions

December

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Distrust fuels protests in the Middle East and North Africa

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Rethinking inequality in Arab countries: the latest research evidence

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Reinforcing the re-emergence of the “missing middle” in Egypt

November

October

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How Egyptian households cope with shocks: new evidence

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Has international migration reduced internal migration in Egypt?

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The Egyptian economy is still not creating good jobs

September

August

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Formidable challenges facing the Middle East require a sea change in economic policies

June

May

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The impact of hosting refugees on the labour market

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Unemployment in Tunisia: why it’s so high among women and youth

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Economies of agglomeration and firm productivity in Egypt

April

March

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Africa’s continental free trade area: a stepping-stone to integration?

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Transformation under radical uncertainty: the challenge for MENA

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Productive jobs: rebasing growth in the MENA region

February

January

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Arab economic integration: trade and growth policy after the crises

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The African continental free trade area: an integration trilemma

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Post-conflict macroeconomic challenges: Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen

December

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Contagion vulnerability of MENA economies

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The future of work: race with – not against – the machine

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The role of state-business relations in employment growth

November

October

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Trade policy options to improve Palestine’s food security

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Chronic illness and the labour market in Arab countries

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Human capital and regional disparities in Turkey

September

August

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Inequality in the Middle East

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How the Middle East oil pricing system emerged in the 1940s

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Gaining competitiveness through trade credit: evidence from Turkey

July

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Technical and vocational education in Egypt: the missing link

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How the Middle East can escape the middle-income trap

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Asset inequality in Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan and Tunisia

June

May

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Selling hope without reward: youth unemployment in Egypt

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Prospects for a closely integrated Euro-Arab Mediterranean region

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Syrian refugees in Jordan: healthcare and food security

April

March

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Is the Middle East the world’s most unequal region?

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Shifting commodity markets in a globalised world

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Highways to growth: the impact of road upgrades on Turkish trade

February

January

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Tunisia is back on a knife edge – here’s why

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Breaking Egypt’s unsocial contract

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Financial inclusion, financial stability and inequality

December

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Low social and political returns to education in the Arab world

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Replace discretion with rules to boost economic performance

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Brain gain from return migration: evidence from Egypt

November

October

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Inequality in higher education: Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia

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Going beyond Doing Business to foster job creation

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Energy subsidy reform: progress and challenges

Most read

Trust in Lebanon’s public institutions: a challenge for the new leadership

Lebanon’s new leadership confronts daunting economic challenges amid geopolitical tensions across the wider region. As this column explains, understanding what has happened over the past decade to citizens’ trust in key public institutions – parliament, the government and the armed forces – will be a crucial part of the policy response.

Qatarisation: playing the long game on workforce nationalisation

As national populations across the Gulf have grown and hydrocarbon reserves declined, most Gulf countries have sought to move to a more sustainable economic model underpinned by raising the share of citizens in the productive private sector. But, as this column explains, Qatar differs from its neighbours in several important ways that could render aggressive workforce nationalization policies counterproductive. In terms of such policies, the country should chart its own path.

Small businesses in the Great Lockdown: lessons for crisis management

Understanding big economic shocks like Covid-19 and how firms respond to them is crucial for mitigating their negative effects and accelerating the post-crisis recovery. This column reports evidence on how small and medium-sized enterprises in Tunisia’s formal business sector adapted to the pandemic and the lockdown – and draws policy lessons for when the next crisis hits.

Economic consequences of the 2003 Bam earthquake in Iran

Over the decades, Iran has faced numerous devastating natural disasters, including the deadly 2003 Bam earthquake. This column reports evidence on the unexpected economic boost in Bam County and its neighbours after the disaster – the result of a variety of factors, including national and international aid, political mobilisation and the region’s cultural significance. Using data on the intensity of night-time lights in a geographical area, the research reveals how disaster recovery may lead to a surprising economic rebound.

The impact of climate change and resource scarcity on conflict in MENA

The interrelationships between climate change, food production, economic instability and violent conflict have become increasingly relevant in recent decades, with climate-induced economic shocks intensifying social and political tensions, particularly in resource-constrained regions like MENA. This column reports new evidence on the impact of climate change on economic and food production outcomes – and how economic stability, agricultural productivity and shared water resources affect conflict. While international aid, economic growth and food security reduce the likelihood of conflict, resource scarcity and shared water basins contribute to high risks of conflict.

Qatar’s pursuit of government excellence: promises and pitfalls

As Qatar seeks to make the transition from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a diversified, knowledge-based economy, ‘government excellence’ has been identified as a key strategic objective. This column reports what government effectiveness means in terms of delivery of public services, digitalisation of services, and control of corruption – and outlines the progress made to date on these development priorities and what the country needs to do to meet its targets.

A Macroeconomic Accounting of Unemployment in Jordan:  Unemployment is mainly an issue for adults and men

Since unemployment rates in Jordan are higher among young people and women than other groups, unemployment is commonly characterised as a youth and gender issue. However, the majority of the country’s unemployed are adults and men. This suggests that unemployment is primarily a macroeconomic issue challenge for the entire labour market. The appropriate response therefore is coordinated fiscal, monetary, structural and institutional policies, while more targeted measures can still benefit specific groups.

The green energy transition: employment pathways for MENA

The potential employment impacts of green and renewable energy in the Middle East and North Africa are multifaceted and promising. As this column explains, embracing renewable energy technologies presents an opportunity for the region to diversify its economy, mitigate the possible negative impacts of digitalisation on existing jobs, reduce its carbon footprint and create significant levels of employment across a variety of sectors. Green energy is not just an environmental imperative but an economic necessity.

Global value chains, wages and skills in MENA countries

The involvement of firms in production across different countries or regions via global value chains (GVCs) can make a significant contribution to economic development, including improved labour market outcomes. This column highlights the gains from GVC participation in terms of employment quality in Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia. Given the high unemployment, sticky wages and wide skill divides that are common in the MENA region, encouraging firms to participate in GVCs is a valuable channel for raising living standards.

Tunisia’s energy transition: the key role of small businesses

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) play a critical role in Tunisia’s economy, contributing significantly to GDP and employment. As this column explains, they are also essential for advancing the country’s ambitions to make a successful transition from reliance on fossil fuels to more widespread use of renewable energy sources. A fair distribution of the transition’s benefits across all regions and communities will secure a future where MSMEs thrive as leaders in a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable Tunisia.




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