nep-ara New Economics Papers
on MENA - Middle East and North Africa
Issue of 2020‒12‒21
seventeen papers chosen by
Paul Makdissi
Université d’Ottawa

  1. North Africa's export economies and structural fragility: the limits of development through European value chains By Azmeh, Shamel; Elshennawy, Abeer
  2. School to Work Transition and Macroeconomic Conditions in the Turkish Economy By Doruk, Ömer Tuğsal; Pastore, Francesco
  3. Turkey: an emerging middle power By Susler, Bugra
  4. Institutional quality and FDI inflows: an empirical investigation for Turkey By Kechagia, Polyxeni; Metaxas, Theodore
  5. The weaponisation of the dollar: policy options for small countries By Sen, Julius
  6. Design of Financial Support and Capacity-Building Program for Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic in Turkey By World Bank
  7. Income Inequality under Colonial Rule: Evidence from French Algeria, Cameroon, Tunisia, and Vietnam and comparisons with British colonies 1920-1960 By Facundo Alvaredo; Denis Cogneau; Thomas Piketty
  8. Women's Economic Empowerment in Jordan By Meriem Ait Ali Slimane; Jonna Lundvall; Komal Mohindra; Shereen Al Abbadi; Nato Kurshitashvili; Ola Hisou
  9. Tunisia – Skills Development for Employment By World Bank
  10. Sudan; Staff-Monitored Program-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Sudan By International Monetary Fund
  11. Iraq Economic Monitor, Spring 2020 By World Bank
  12. Distributed Power Generation for Lebanon By Ali Ahmad
  13. Lebanon Cost?of?Service and Tariff Design Study By World Bank
  14. Morocco Infrastructure Review By World Bank Group
  15. Rapid Fishery and Aquaculture Sector Diagnosis Using Fishery Performance Indicators in the Gaza Strip By World Bank
  16. Mauritania Country Economic Memorandum By World Bank
  17. L’agencification est-elle génératrice de performance pour les politiques publiques locales ? Une étude de cas dans le contexte marocain By Samir Damou; David Carassus

  1. By: Azmeh, Shamel; Elshennawy, Abeer
    Abstract: Over recent decades, three North African economies – Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt – have been regional pioneers in adopting integration in global value chains as a path to economic development and transformation. Reflecting their geographical proximity to Europe, preferential access to the EU market, and large wage gap between them and European economies, each have emerged as important locations for labour-intensive activities in European value chains in the garments, electronics and automotive sectors. Reflecting the range of incentives offered, the coastal areas in the three economies witnessed a relatively large influx of foreign and domestic investment. As a result, the three economies experienced important economic transformation processes with an increase in their manufacturing sectors, manufacturing jobs and manufactured exports. Notwithstanding this relative success, the reliance on low-cost labour as a source of competitive advantage, in addition to these economies and their firms’ weak position in European value chains, has limited the wider economic and social benefits of this growth and also left these countries in a structurally fragile position vis-à-vis shifts in the European market. This fragility was illustrated in recent years following the global economic crisis and the European debt crisis on one hand, and the protest movements of the Arab Spring on the other. In recent years, the exhaustion of this low-cost platform model has driven a divergence in the three economies with Morocco succeeding in upgrading its position in a number of European value chains while Egypt and Tunisia have been forced to maintain competitiveness though successive currency devaluations.
    JEL: R14 J01 L81 N0
    Date: 2020–12–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:107885&r=all
  2. By: Doruk, Ömer Tuğsal (Adana Alpaslan Türkeş Science and Technology University); Pastore, Francesco (Università della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli)
    Abstract: In emerging market economies, young people feel like little boats in the ocean, due to the low and uncertain macroeconomic context. In the present study, we examine the school-to-work transition in Turkey over the period 2014-2017 by using a monthly dataset. As most emerging market economies, the Turkish one faces a set of different macroeconomic conditions which make it a very hard task for many young graduates to find a job. We use panel logit models which allow studying the determinants of the probability of school-to-work transition completion with a time variant model. We look at such macroeconomic factors as GDP growth, industrial production index, real sector confidence index, real exchange rate and interest rate. In addition, we use some classifications for estimating the wage model for the new graduates and estimate by panel logit models the probability for young graduates of getting a white-collar job. Besides, the estimates are repeated for boom and bust periods, and in credit expansion periods.
    Keywords: school to work transition, macroeconomic conditions, developing economy, Turkish economy
    JEL: J64 O57
    Date: 2020–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13921&r=all
  3. By: Susler, Bugra
    Abstract: Turkey has increased its international presence in recent years and attracted wide academic attention. In this Strategic Update, Dr Buğra Süsler discusses Turkey’s engagement with global politics, questioning whether and how Turkey fits into the international system as an “emerging middle power”.
    JEL: N0
    Date: 2019–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:107799&r=all
  4. By: Kechagia, Polyxeni; Metaxas, Theodore
    Abstract: Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows are fundamental and strong drivers of the global economic system. Mostly for the developing countries in several geographic region, the attraction of FDI is considered a catalyst for economic growth, under the condition that the recipient economies present institutional conditions that encourage foreign investors. The present study aims at providing empirical evidence and at investigating the impact of institutional quality on the amount of FDI inflows during 2002 – 2017, focusing on the case of Turkey. The country applied institutional reform programs and made significant efforts in order to attract more foreign investors. The present paper contributes to the existing knowledge since it is the first empirical research to study the impact of institutional quality indicators on the amount of FDI inflows in Turkey, using time series analysis, as well as panel data analysis in selected countries of the region. The study concludes that upgraded quality of the studied institutional indicators in Turkey, except for government effectiveness, during the specific time period is positively related to FDI inflows. Suggestions for future research and policy implications are discussed.
    Keywords: Foreign direct investment, Institutional quality, Turkey, Case study, Time series analysis, panel data analysis
    JEL: O1 O43 O5 O53
    Date: 2020
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:104309&r=all
  5. By: Sen, Julius
    Abstract: The decision by the Trump administration to withdraw from the Iran deal and to amplify its sanctions regime against Iran has demonstrated how a relatively unused and untested tool available uniquely to the US: the dollar as a currency, together with the infrastructure of the global payments system, is being weaponised.
    JEL: N0
    Date: 2019–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:107797&r=all
  6. By: World Bank
    Keywords: Energy - Electric Power Energy - Energy Finance Energy - Energy Policies & Economics Energy - Renewable Energy Energy - Solar Energy
    Date: 2020–06
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:34142&r=all
  7. By: Facundo Alvaredo (PSE - Paris School of Economics, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, WIL - World Inequality Lab); Denis Cogneau (PSE - Paris School of Economics, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Thomas Piketty (PSE - Paris School of Economics, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, WIL - World Inequality Lab)
    Abstract: In this article we assess income inequality across French and British colonial empires between 1920 and 1960. For the first time, income tax tabulations are exploited to assess the case studies of French Algeria, Tunisia, Cameroon, and Vietnam, which we compare to British colonies and dominions. As measured by top income shares, inequality was high in colonies. It fell after WWII, but stabilized at much higher levels than in mainland France or the United Kingdom in the 1950s. European settlers or expatriates comprised the bulk of top income earners, and only a minority of autochthons could compete in terms of income, particularly in Africa. Top income shares were no higher in settlement colonies, not only because those territories were wealthier but also because the average European settler was less rich than the average European expatriate. Inequality between Europeans in colonies was similar to (or even below) that of the metropoles. In settlement colonies, the post-WWII fall in income inequality can be explained by a fall in inequality between Europeans, mirroring that of the metropoles, and does not imply that the European/autochthon income gap was reduced.
    Keywords: Inequality,Top incomes,Colonialism,Africa,Asia
    Date: 2020–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:psewpa:halshs-03022276&r=all
  8. By: Meriem Ait Ali Slimane; Jonna Lundvall; Komal Mohindra; Shereen Al Abbadi; Nato Kurshitashvili; Ola Hisou
    Keywords: Gender - Gender and Development Gender - Gender and Economic Policy Poverty Reduction - Inequality Social Development - Social Inclusion & Institutions
    Date: 2020–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:33587&r=all
  9. By: World Bank
    Keywords: Social Protections and Labor - Labor Markets Social Protections and Labor - Skills Development and Labor Force Training Social Protections and Labor - Vocational & Technical Education
    Date: 2020–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:34068&r=all
  10. By: International Monetary Fund
    Abstract: The transitional government has requested a Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) to help address major macro imbalances, lay the groundwork for inclusive growth, and establish a track record of sound policies that is a requirement for eventual HIPC debt relief. Major challenges lie ahead. Economic contraction since 2018 is set to intensify sharply in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fiscal and external imbalances are large, inflation is high and rising, the currency is overvalued, and competitiveness is weak. The humanitarian situation is dire with large numbers of internally displaced people and refugees. Despite the desperate situation, Sudan cannot access Fund financial assistance on account of (i) arrears to the Fund, (ii) arrears to other IFIs and other creditors, and (iii) unsustainably large external debt. Sudan remains on the U.S. state sponsors of terrorism list (SSTL), which effectively hinders progress toward HIPC debt relief. While there is broad agreement between the authorities and staff about the key reform priorities, public tolerance for painful reforms is fragile given prolonged economic hardship. Notably, donor financial assistance has been well short of the amounts needed to facilitate gradual orderly adjustment. Hence, risks to the SMP are high.
    Keywords: Exchange rates;External debt;Banking;Public debt;Commercial banks;ISCR,CR,government,government securities market,Sudan's Staff-Monitored Program,development partner
    Date: 2020–10–23
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfscr:2020/289&r=all
  11. By: World Bank
    Keywords: Information and Communication Technologies - Digital Divide Information and Communication Technologies - ICT Economics Information and Communication Technologies - Information Technology Macroeconomics and Economic Growth - Economic Growth Macroeconomics and Economic Growth - Fiscal & Monetary Policy
    Date: 2020–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:33676&r=all
  12. By: Ali Ahmad
    Keywords: Energy - Electric Power Energy - Energy Demand Energy - Energy Markets Energy - Energy Policies & Economics Energy - Power & Energy Conversion Energy - Renewable Energy Energy - Solar Energy
    Date: 2020–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:33788&r=all
  13. By: World Bank
    Keywords: Energy - Electric Power Energy - Energy Demand Energy - Energy Policies & Economics Energy - Fuels
    Date: 2020–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:33791&r=all
  14. By: World Bank Group
    Keywords: Transport - Ports and Waterways Infrastructure Economics and Finance - Infrastructure Economics Infrastructure Economics and Finance - Infrastructure Finance Infrastructure Economics and Finance - Infrastructure Regulation Infrastructure Economics and Finance - Private Participation in Infrastructure
    Date: 2020–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:33965&r=all
  15. By: World Bank
    Keywords: Agriculture - Fisheries & Aquaculture Water Resources - Coastal and Marine Resources
    Date: 2020–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:33839&r=all
  16. By: World Bank
    Keywords: Agriculture - Agricultural Sector Economics Agriculture - Food Security Macroeconomics and Economic Growth - Economic Growth Poverty Reduction - Inequality Urban Development - National Urban Development Policies & Strategies Urban Development - Urban Economic Development Urban Development - Urban Governance and Management
    Date: 2020–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wboper:33803&r=all
  17. By: Samir Damou (CREG - Centre de recherche et d'études en gestion - UPPA - Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour); David Carassus (CREG - Centre de recherche et d'études en gestion - UPPA - Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour)
    Abstract: SYMPOSIUM 2020 « Un demi-siècle de réformes administratives : quels effets sur la gouvernance des organisations de l'État ? » L'agencification est-elle génératrice de performance pour les politiques publiques locales ? Une étude de cas dans le contexte marocain
    Date: 2021–04–16
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02427595&r=all

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