nep-ara New Economics Papers
on MENA - Middle East and North Africa
Issue of 2021‒11‒22
nine papers chosen by
Paul Makdissi
Université d’Ottawa

  1. How Can Energy Storage Catalyze the Electricity Policies of Gulf Cooperation Council Members? Issues and Options By Rolando Fuentes; Shahid Hasan; Frank Felder
  2. This study reviews the comprehensive strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and China and the interconnection between China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Saudi Vision 2030. These connections have significantly improved cooperation in trade, investment, energy and new technology development over the last seven years. Saudi Arabia can further its cooperation with China on the circular carbon economy (CCE) through both bilateral and multilateral frameworks. By Dongmei Chen
  3. Does Universal Electrification Shield Firms from Productivity Loss? By Kehinde Abiodun; Ben Gilbert
  4. Anker Living Income Reference Value: Rural Turkey (2020) By Azfar Khan; Ian Prates; Martha Anker; Richard Anker
  5. Anker Living Wage Reference Value: Rural Egypt (2020) By Mamkoottam Kuriakose; Valsala Kuriakose; Ian Prates; Martha Anker; Richard Anker
  6. Projecting Saudi Sectoral Electricity Demand in 2030 Using a Computable General Equilibrium Model By Salaheddine Soummane; Frederic Ghersi
  7. The impact of age-specific minimum wages on youth employment and education: A regression discontinuity analysis By Dayioglu, Meltem; Kucukbayrak, Muserref; Tumen, Semih
  8. A Field Study of Donor Behavior in the Iranian Kidney Market By Kelishomi, Ali Moghaddasi; Sgroi, Daniel
  9. The transport sector has always had high energy demand and is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change. To improve energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions, Riyadh is introducing an integrated public transport system. Per capita energy consumption is much lower for public transport than for private vehicles, such as cars and taxis. This study investigates the potential impact of Riyadh’s proposed public transport system on car and taxi trips. By Abu Toasin Oakil; Abdelrahman Muhsen

  1. By: Rolando Fuentes; Shahid Hasan; Frank Felder (King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center)
    Abstract: Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members are working in parallel to reform their electricity markets and achieve ambitious renewable energy deployment goals. The motivation for this agenda is multifaceted, and increasing economic efficiency is one of several reasons for these efforts. By introducing markets in the power sector (i.e., liberalizing this sector), these countries aim to reduce the sector’s reliance on the public budget.
    Keywords: Battery storage, Electricity, Electricity markets, Energy transitions
    Date: 2021–09–27
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:prc:dpaper:ks--2021-dp15&r=
  2. By: Dongmei Chen (King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center)
    Keywords: Economic growth, Sustainability
    Date: 2021–10–24
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:prc:dpaper:ks--2021-dp016&r=
  3. By: Kehinde Abiodun (Department of Economics and Business, Colorado School of Mines); Ben Gilbert (Department of Economics and Business, Colorado School of Mines)
    Abstract: Universal electrification is a necessary but not sufficient condition for reliable electricity supply. We examine the effect of power outages on firm performance in four middle-income countries with universal electrification. Using data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey on over 8,000 firms from 39 regions across Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Indonesia, we find no discernable average effect on firm performance. There is considerable cross-country heterogeneity, however. Firms in Tunisia and Egypt --- the two countries in our sample with the greatest frequency of outages --- suffer statistically and economically significant losses from outages, while firms in Indonesia and Morocco show no effect. The losses are high in both Tunisia and Egypt, where outages reduce total annual sales by 15 and 25 percent, respectively. These findings suggest that while universal electrification is an important development goal, it should be considered together with investments in reliability.
    Keywords: universal electrification, power outages, reliability, middle-income countries
    JEL: D24 H54 O13 O14
    Date: 2021–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mns:wpaper:wp202103&r=
  4. By: Azfar Khan (Anker Research Institute); Ian Prates (Social Accountability Internacional); Martha Anker (Anker Research Institute); Richard Anker (Anker Research Institute)
    Abstract: This report estimates a Living Income Reference Value for Rural Turkey for 2020. The report is part of a series of living wage reports for the Global Living Wage Coalition (GLWC) using the Anker methodology to estimate living wages in rural and urban areas around the world.
    Keywords: Living Wage, Turkey, Rural, Anker Methodology.
    JEL: D10 J13 J22 J30 J80
    Date: 2020–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iad:glliwa:200326&r=
  5. By: Mamkoottam Kuriakose (Ambedkar University Delhi); Valsala Kuriakose (Ambedkar University Delhi); Ian Prates (Social Accountability Internacional); Martha Anker (Anker Research Institute); Richard Anker (Anker Research Institute)
    Abstract: This report estimates a Living Wage Reference Value for Rural Egypt for 2020. The report is part of a series of living wage reports for the Global Living Wage Coalition (GLWC) using the Anker methodology to estimate living wages in rural and urban areas around the world.
    Keywords: Living Wage, Egypt, Rural, Anker Methodology.
    JEL: D10 J13 J22 J30 J80
    Date: 2020–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iad:glliwa:200313&r=
  6. By: Salaheddine Soummane; Frederic Ghersi (King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center)
    Abstract: Projecting future demand for electricity is central to power sector planning, as these projections inform capacity investment requirements and related infrastructure expansions. Electricity is not currently economically storable in large volumes. Thus, the underlying drivers of electricity demand and potential market shifts must be carefully considered to minimize power system costs.
    Keywords: Electricity, Electricity demand growth, electricity markets, Energy efficiency
    Date: 2021–09–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:prc:dpaper:ks--2021-dp012&r=
  7. By: Dayioglu, Meltem; Kucukbayrak, Muserref; Tumen, Semih
    Abstract: We exploit an age-specific minimum wage rule - which sets a lower minimum wage for workers of age 15 than the adult minimum wage paid to workers of age 16 and above - and its abolition to estimate the causal effect of a minimum wage increase on youth employment and education in Turkey. Using a regression discontinuity design in tandem with a difference-in-discontinuities analysis, we find that increasing the minimum wage reduces the employment probability of young males by 2.5-3.1 percentage points. We also document that, initially, the minimum wage increase does not lead to a major change in high school enrollment, while the likelihood of transitioning into "neither in employment nor in education and training" (NEET) category notably increases. However, in the medium term, the NEET effect is transitory; school enrollment increases over time and absorbs the negative employment effect. We argue that policy effects have mostly been driven by demand-side forces rather than supply side.
    Keywords: Age-specific minimum wages,youth employment,education,regression discontinuity design
    JEL: J21 J24 J31 J38
    Date: 2021
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:glodps:973&r=
  8. By: Kelishomi, Ali Moghaddasi (Loughborough University); Sgroi, Daniel (University of Warwick, ESRC CAGE Centre & IZA Bonn)
    Abstract: Iran has the world’s only government-regulated kidney market, in which around 1000 individuals go through live kidney-removal surgery annually. We report the results of the first field study of donor behavior in this unique and controversial market. Those who enter the market have low income, typically entering to raise funds. They have lower risk tolerance and higher patience levels than the Iranian average. There is no di erence in rationality from population averages. There is evidence of altruism among participants. This might shed light on the sort of people likely to participate if other nations were to operate such markets.
    Keywords: kidney donation ; Iranian kidney market ; risk ; patience ; rationality ; altruism ; generalized axiom of revealed preference ; field experiment JEL Classification: I11 ; I12 ; I18 ; C93 ; D03
    Date: 2021
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wrk:warwec:1381&r=
  9. By: Abu Toasin Oakil; Abdelrahman Muhsen (King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center)
    Keywords: Alternative fuels, Carbon market, Clean technology, Climate change
    Date: 2021–10–13
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:prc:dpaper:ks--2021-dp17&r=

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