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on MENA - Middle East and North Africa |
| By: | Adar, Sinem |
| Abstract: | Turkey's popularity in the MENA region has increased since the AKP's rise to power in 2002. People-to-people contacts, economic progress, and a perceived European lifestyle have contributed to Turkey's popularity in the MENA region. Turkey's seemingly competitive political system and strong participation in elections are sources of appreciation. However, the meanings attributed to the Turkish political system have changed over time. Ankara's confrontational rhetoric on the perceived double standards of Western states and its calls for reform of the international system are welcomed. Turkey's increased popularity does not easily translate into broad regional influence. Ankara's credibility has deteriorated in the eyes of the region's elites. Its support of Sunni Islamists in the of the Arab uprisings antagonised the region's autocratic elites, ushering in a period of isolation between 2013 and 2020. Turkey's recent efforts to reintegrate in the region have thawed relations with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, but incurred reputational costs vis-à-vis Sunni Islamists. Authoritarian practices and rising xenophobia against Syrian refugees and other Arab citizens also constrain Turkey's influence in the region. |
| Keywords: | Turkey, MENA region, United States, European Union, NATO, Justice and Development Party (AKP), Recep Tayyip Erdoægan |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:swprps:287737&r=ara |
| By: | Koray Alper; Tanju Capacioglu |
| Abstract: | This paper documents how a system-wide deterioration in funding quality, which we argue to be underpinned by macroeconomic conditions, can have a substantial effect on the pricing of deposit and loan rates. The study is motivated by a puzzling observation from the Turkish banking system. During 2015-2016, retail rates of Turkish banks displayed a persistent upward trend while the policy and money market rates remained unchanged. We conjecture that the underlying reason was the continued deterioration in the structural liquidity positions of Turkish banks, reflected as rising loan-to-deposit ratios (LDR). Our results show that in the presence of increasing pressures from worsening funding quality, banks with high LDRs tried to attract more deposits while trying to slow loan growth rates. To this end, these banks offered higher rates to deposits, particularly to more stable deposit types. Similarly, evidence suggests that banks with worse funding quality raised the rates more on the loans side. As expected, banks increased the rates for the clients/segments where they had more market power. On the other side, despite the increasing pressures on interest rate margins, high LDR banks do not seem to have opted for risky loans. |
| Keywords: | Funding quality, Turkish banking system, Structural liquidity position, Loan-to-deposit ratio |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tcb:wpaper:2403&r=ara |
| By: | Rami H. Kacem (Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management of Nabeul, University of Carthage, Tunisia; LEGI, Tunisia Polytechnic School); Abir Khribich (Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, GREDEG, France); Damien Bazin (Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, GREDEG, France) |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this paper is to explore how social development affects renewable energy consumption. The proposed methodology derives from the Social Development Index (SDI) which is calculated by aggregating several indicators associated with social well-being. In addition, the added value of this paper, compared to the literature, is to consider a possible non-linear relationship between social development and renewable energy consumption, based on the nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach. Using Tunisian data for empirical validation, the proposed procedure provides original results. Indeed, it provides more details about the impact of increasing versus decreasing portions of social development on renewable energy consumption in the short and long run. Thus, it is found that renewable energy consumption is particularly sensitive to the decrease in social development. Indeed, according to our estimation and for the Tunisian case, a 1% decrease in social development leads to a decrease in renewable energy consumption by 3.235%. The proposed procedure merit to be validated for different cases and contexts. |
| Keywords: | ARDL, Capabilities, Causality, Renewable energy, Social development, Tunisia |
| JEL: | C20 Q20 Q28 |
| Date: | 2024–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gre:wpaper:2024-07&r=ara |
| By: | Gourene, Grakolet (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa); Hamouda, Samia Mansour (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)); Brixiova, Zuzana (UNECA) |
| Abstract: | Decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation and climate change, increasing resource efficiency, and promoting both sustainable production and sustainable lifestyles is a challenge in North Africa, a region where even a relative decoupling of income growth and carbon (CO2) emissions has not been achieved. This chapter aims to examine recent trends in emissions and the main drivers of improvement in the region's carbon intensity (carbon emissions per unit of GDP), energy intensity (energy use per unit of GDP), and per capita emissions. It also analyzes the effect of policies such as energy taxes and energy standards on the energy efficiency of SMEs in North Africa and suggests actions and policies to encourage structural transformation and ensure better energy efficiency. |
| Keywords: | carbon emission, carbon intensity, energy intensity, inclusive growth, SMEs |
| JEL: | D22 G21 G32 |
| Date: | 2024–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16854&r=ara |
| By: | Ahmet Duhan Yassa |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the role of urban sprawl and urban mobility on long-term fuel consumption after the 2011 Van earthquake in Türkiye. Both province-level synthetic control and firm-level difference-in-differences (DID) analyses indicate a statistically significant increase in fuel consumption in Van after the earthquake, even though there was no dramatic change in the main determinants of fuel consumption in the province in this period. Findings from the satellite-supported population density images and sensor-level traffic density data reveal that rising population density in peripheral regions and increasing urban mobility within the province are the potential drivers of the rise in fuel consumption. While the impact of the Van earthquake on fuel consumption, the foreign trade deficit and greenhouse gas emissions was limited given the size of the city, the results highlight the potential impact of other major disasters that have occurred in the recent past and are expected to occur in the future. |
| Keywords: | Urban sprawl, Fuel consumption, Earthquake, Synthetic control, Greenhouse gas emissions, Trade deficit |
| JEL: | Q54 R11 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tcb:wpaper:2401&r=ara |
| By: | Ndevu, Zweli Julian,; Manga, Mary S.,; Carrion-Crespo, Carlos,; Kapya, Davis, |
| Keywords: | regional government, civil servant, working conditions |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ilo:ilowps:995352492302676&r=ara |
| By: | Sarami Foroushani, Taraneh; Balali, Hamid; Movahedi, Reza; Partelow, Stefan |
| Abstract: | Sustainable access to groundwater remains a key challenge for local users, managers and policy makers, particularly in arid agricultural regions such as Iran. Identifying and assessing the status of diverse sustainability indicators using local knowledge can act as a step in the right direction for often invisible and hard to measure resources, especially when developed through inclusive approaches that include expert stakeholder inputs. In this article, we apply Ostrom's social-ecological systems framework (SESF) to assess how the local knowledge of key informant stakeholders can be used to assess the sustainability of groundwater resources on the Hamadan-Bahar plain in Iran. We evaluate the importance of each of the SESF’s first-tier variables based on 52 indicators attained from literature review and expert insights. Local knowledge is used to assess the sustainability status of each indicator through a survey of 22 key informants. For data analysis, we use the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and the Shannon Entropy methodologies to weight and rank indicators based on the data provided on their influence on sustainability. Findings suggest that the Resource System (RS) and Resource Unit (RU) indicators have the most positive influence on sustainability. In contrast, the Governance System (GS), Actor (A) and Interaction (I) first-tier variables were evaluated as less stable, along with Outcomes (O). This suggests that social factors and diverse outcomes may need further attention in the region to ensure management and policy development that can better enable sustainable outcomes. This analysis also demonstrates the usefulness of a comprehensive science-based framework for organizing, analyzing and presenting a wide range of complex information to inform policymakers and planners. |
| Keywords: | Groundwater management, local knowledge, knowledge co-production, sustainability indicators, socio-ecological systems (SES), stakeholder inclusion, water governance, commons |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esprep:289209&r=ara |
| By: | Khlil, Brahim (Independent researcher) |
| Abstract: | This white paper delineates Mauritania’s strategic economic and social blueprint for 2024-2030, aimed at fostering sustainable growth, economic diversification, and resilience. It underscores the nation’s initiative to leverage its rich natural resources and the strategic pivot towards diversifying its economy, with special emphasis on the emerging gas sector and renewable energy ventures. Central to this strategy are pivotal initiatives such as the Tekavoul program, TAAZOUR’s comprehensive health insurance project, and SNDP’s role in bolstering the fisheries sector, each playing a crucial role in enhancing the living standards of Mauritania’s populace and steering the country towards its ambitious 2030 vision. Through these strategic endeavors, Mauritania is poised to navigate the complexities of global economic shifts, underscoring its commitment to sustainable development and prosperity. This document serves as an essential guide for stakeholders and investors looking into Mauritania’s concerted efforts towards a resilient and prosperous future. |
| Date: | 2024–03–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:africa:hgn46&r=ara |