Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Labour market flexibility, unemployment and social protection

There are concerns that greater flexibility in the labour market will lead to more layoffs, higher unemployment and increased public ...


Learning about long-term consequences of armed conflict

What do outbreaks of armed conflict mean for households in war-torn areas? This column presents findings from data on Iraq ...


Rising temperatures, melting ratings

Enthusiasm for ‘greening the financial system’ is welcome, but does the explosion of ‘green’ finance indicators reflect the science? This ...


Managing divergent recoveries

Recoveries from the Covid-19 crisis are diverging dangerously across and within countries, as economies with slower vaccine rollout, more limited ...


The construction industry and economic growth in MENA countries

Does the construction industry still lead economic growth in countries in the Middle East and North Africa? This column reports ...


No sticks, just carrots: a negative income tax for Egypt

Egypt’s government has provided cash assistance to vulnerable workers during the Covid-19 crisis. As this column explains, there is an ...


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

While most African countries have been largely spared so far from the direct health effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ...


E-governance for sustainable development in MENA countries

Efforts to create digital government in the Middle East and North Africa are typically perceived as technical support activities and ...