Jobs and growth in North Africa during Covid-19
At the onset of the pandemic, employment rates contracted sharply in North African countries. As the column explains, employment rates have generally recovered since then, but hours of work and incomes have not. Informal wage workers, farmers and the self-employed have faced a particularly hard struggle. In anticipation of future crises, the region requires a robust and shock-responsive social protection system.
Economic resilience in Morocco during Covid-19
Policy responses to the severe pandemic-driven downturn in Morocco have sought to preserve jobs and businesses, and promote economic recovery. This column outlines the results of analysis assessing the effects of government actions during Covid-19 on economic variables, and raising questions about the design of future monetary and fiscal policies, and their interaction in an environment of high public debt.
Digitalisation: what’s needed in business responses to Covid-19 in MENA
The pandemic caused severe disruptions to the global business environment. This column reports evidence on how different sectors in the Middle East and North Africa have been responding. The focus is particularly on firms’ adoption of digital technologies, as well as policies that might encourage greater digitalisation as an essential business strategy to mitigate the consequences of Covid-19 for the economy.
Wealth concentration rocketing in Arab countries after Covid-19
The concentration of the Arab region’s wealth in the hands of just a small percentage of its residents should be a wake-up call for a renewed regional and national policy dialogue on inclusive growth strategies – and for immediate policy action. This column argues for revisiting governance frameworks and macroeconomic policies to enact pro-poor fiscal policies that are supported by modest annual contributions from the wealthiest decile. This would reduce wealth concentration and support dwindling fiscal space for social protection and development expenditure in many Arab countries.
The impact of Covid-19 on labour markets in MENA
Employment is recovering but income losses persist in MENA countries in the second year of the pandemic. Two recent ERF policy briefs summarised in this column illustrate the mix of recovery and ongoing challenges for households and firms.