Is MENA a Region? The Scope for Regional Integration

Is MENA a Region? The Scope for Regional Integration PDF

Author: Mr.Stanley Fischer

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 1996-04-01

Total Pages: 26

ISBN-13: 1451980361

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The paper analyzes the scope and implications of greater economic integration in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). After reviewing whether MENA satisfies the defining characteristics of a region, it documents the low level of regional economic interaction. It argues that gains from greater regional interactions will depend primarily on implementing domestic reform and external policies that, in any case, are needed for the region to benefit from the broader process of globalization of the world economy. It also discusses measures aimed directly at facilitating regional interaction.

Regional Integration in the Middle East and North Africa

Regional Integration in the Middle East and North Africa PDF

Author: Tarik Oumazzane

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Published: 2022-04-09

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 9789813364547

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This book analyses and assesses the Agadir Agreement’s impact on economic integration, its effect on political cooperation, and its role in promoting peace between participating countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Since the ‘Arab Spring’ of 2011, the geo-political situation in MENA has further drifted towards instability and uncertainty. Expert analysis of the region seems to lurch from one crisis to another without moving beyond a focus on conflict. Few scholars have recognised that the MENA governments have long regarded regional economic integration as a chief policy objective to facilitate intra-regional trade and promote political cooperation and peace. Realising the shortcomings of the various integrative processes, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan signed the Agadir Agreement in 2004. To this date, it stands as one of the most significant economic agreements in the MENA region. Taking into account this variety of factors, this book offers a new assessment of the pull between unity and disunity in the Middle East and North Africa region

Arab Economic Integration

Arab Economic Integration PDF

Author: Ahmed Galal

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2003-05-15

Total Pages: 188

ISBN-13: 9780815796015

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A Brookings Institution Press and the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies (ECES) publication Improving the economic performance of Arab countries is now more critical than ever. The region faces high population growth rates, rising unemployment, and modest economic growth coupled with increasingly intense competition from emerging markets in eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Meeting these challenges requires finding ways to overcome political obstacles that impede socially beneficial economic reforms. Despite fifty years of repeated attempts at Arab economic integration, the results in terms of intraregional trade and investment flows have been very modest. This book explains why and discusses possible ways forward. The authors draw especially on the success of the European Union to assess the scope of Arab economic integration as an instrument for narrowing the persistent gap between the region¡¯s economic potential and its performance.

Trade Policy Developments in the Middle East and North Africa

Trade Policy Developments in the Middle East and North Africa PDF

Author: Bernard M. Hoekman

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2000-01-01

Total Pages: 292

ISBN-13: 9780821346143

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"While very diverse in many respects, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries nevertheless also share some common characteristics, including a number of important shared challenges for policymakers."The Middle East and North Africa region has great potential for economic growth and prosperity in the 21st century. Yet, this potential will not be realized unless governments and private sector leaders in the region forge partnerships for development. An indispensable resource for all those working within the international development community, especially within the Middle East and North Africa region, Trade Policy Developments in the Middle East and North Africa offers policy and institutional alternatives to help both parties achieve that goal.This volume describes and analyzes recent trade policy developments in the Middle East and North Africa. Contributors—almost all economists from the region—review recent trends in trade performance, assess current trade and investment regimes, and discuss some of the emerging microeconomic policy challenges that confront governments and firms seeking to export and trade. Topics addressed include the need and scope for using regional integration and economic free zones as a tool of development, mobilization of non-trade tax bases, efficient enforcement of product standards to ensure health and safety of citizens, and implementation of modern information technologies to facilitate customs clearance.This book is the second in a series from the Mediterranean Development Forum, a partnership of 10 Middle East and North Africa Region think tanks and the World Bank Institute. This volume will be of interest to development specialists, policymakers, and investors.

Regional Integration in the Union for the Mediterranean Progress Report

Regional Integration in the Union for the Mediterranean Progress Report PDF

Author: OECD

Publisher: OECD Publishing

Published: 2021-05-27

Total Pages: 201

ISBN-13: 9264504621

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Regional Integration in the Union for the Mediterranean: Progress Report monitors major trends and evolutions of integration in the Euro-Mediterranean region. The Report examines five domains of regional integration, namely trade integration, financial integration, infrastructure integration, movement of people, as well as research and higher education.

Economic Integration in MENA

Economic Integration in MENA PDF

Author: Shamshad Akhtar

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Though the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has weathered the recent global financial and economic crisis relatively well, it still faces daunting medium-term challenges. These include high unemployment (especially among young people), vulnerability to oil and food price shocks and water scarcity and inefficiencies of public sectors. Integration of the region into the global economy has been slow. Of particular concern is the stagnation in the region's share of global non-oil exports, an indication of missed opportunities for diversification and growth. Integration within the region, while rising, is also on the low side when compared with other middle- and high-income regional blocs. To start off the removal of intraregional tariffs under the Pan-Arab Free Trade Area (PAFTA) and the adoption of low common tariffs by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) which coupled with improvements in infrastructure, especially roads and telecommunications is generating benefits. But much remains to be done, especially in reducing nontariff barriers to trade, harmonizing policies and procedures, and facilitating cross-border trade through development of infrastructure links and trade facilitation. Fortunately, trade in services has recently emerged on the agenda of national and regional authorities; this is an area of substantial potential welfare gain for the region.

Middle East Dilemma

Middle East Dilemma PDF

Author: Michael C. Hudson

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 360

ISBN-13: 9780231111393

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From the unification of North and South Yemen, to the struggle for Mahgreb unity, and the experiences of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, this book presents a complex portrait of the history and prospects for Arab integration.

Images of the Arab World and Middle East, Debates About Development and Regional Integration

Images of the Arab World and Middle East, Debates About Development and Regional Integration PDF

Author: Michael Fakhri

Publisher:

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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Recently, the United Nations Development Programme Regional Bureau of Arab States (UNDP RBAS) and the World Bank produced thoroughly researched and clearly written reports addressing development and regional integration in the Arab/Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. Both reports were written for a broad, non-specialist audience and have garnered significant public attention. Both the UNDP RBAS and World Bank reports call for increased regional integration amongst Arab or MENA states but for different reasons - the UNDP RBAS report for purposes of norm building based on Arab identity and the World Bank report to gain economic growth from trade liberalization. In this paper, I examine how each report's definition of development relates to its reasoning for increased regional integration. The UNDP RBAS employs a human development/development as freedom approach and the World Bank considers economic growth paramount for development; this difference is exemplary of the current tension between competing development paradigms. I also draw out each reports understanding of law and describe the legal framework implicit in each report's prescriptions. By outlining the legal framework behind each report, I point out inconsistencies, tensions and ambiguities within each report and note the similarities between the two.

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