Challenges of Growth and Globalization in the Middle East and North Africa

Challenges of Growth and Globalization in the Middle East and North Africa
Author: Mr.Hamid R Davoodi
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 44
Release: 2003-09-05
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9781589062290

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is an economically diverse region. Despite undertaking economic reforms in many countries, and having considerable success in avoiding crises and achieving macroeconomic stability, the region’s economic performance in the past 30 years has been below potential. This paper takes stock of the region’s relatively weak performance, explores the reasons for this out come, and proposes an agenda for urgent reforms.

Food Subsidies in Egypt

Food Subsidies in Egypt
Author: Grant MacDonald Scobie
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Total Pages: 72
Release: 1983
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9780896290419

Research report on the impact of food subsidies on foreign exchange and the industrial sector in Egypt, based on an econometric model of the balance of payments - examines the effect of food policy on exchange rates, inflation and trade structure; discusses price control, food imports and food consumption. Bibliography, graphs and statistical tables.

Economic Progress and Growth

Economic Progress and Growth
Author: H.M. Scobie
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 334
Release: 2013-03-07
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9401113068

This volume puts forward a group of models applied to different economies, capturing the progress and growth of their economic systems. The models provide a quantified framework for the formulation of economic policy. They aid the introduction of targets and policy instruments taking account of constraints in the process of development. Also, an evaluation of external and internal shocks is taken using a comparative static type of analysis. The models take into account constraints which are in the nature of institutional as well as supply constraints. Problems of data exist in any quantitative analysis and account was taken of this factor in presenting the models and the results reached. Nonetheless, the models attempt to specify, estimate and simulate a given macroeconomic system. Models of this type are not freely available to the interested reader, but only in a fragmented way. This book puts the efforts of a group of economists worldwide under one cover. It is believed that the collection will be of interest both for courses in planning and for those adviSing these countries such as international organizations, research bodies, etc. Moreover, an overview of trade policy and income distributional factors is presented. It is hoped that this collection will prove interesting and useful to economists world wide.

Inside Inequality in the Arab Republic of Egypt

Inside Inequality in the Arab Republic of Egypt
Author: Paolo Verme
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 155
Release: 2014-04-08
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1464801983

Inside Inequality in the Arab Republic of Egypt: Facts and Perceptions Across People, Time, and Space comprises four papers prepared in the framework of the Egypt inequality study financed by the World Bank. The first paper, by Sherine Al-Shawarby, reviews the studies on inequality in Egypt since the 1950s with the double objective of illustrating the importance attributed to inequality through time and of presenting and compare the main published statistics on inequality. The second paper, by Branko Milanovic, turns to the global and spatial dimensions of inequality. The Egyptian society remains deeply divided across space and in terms of welfare, and this study unveils some of the hidden features of this inequality. The third paper, by Paolo Verme, studies facts and perceptions of inequality during the 2000-2009 period, which preceded the Egyptian revolution. The fourth paper, by Sahar El Tawila, May Gadallah, and Enas Ali A.El-Majeed, assesses the state of poverty and inequality among the poorest villages of Egypt. The paper attempts to explain the level of inequality in an effort to disentangle those factors that derive from household abilities from those factors that derive from local opportunities. Inside Inequality in the Arab Republic of Egypt provides some initial elements that could explain the apparent mismatch between inequality measured with household surveys and inequality aversion measured by values surveys. This is a particularly important and timely topic to address in light of the unfolding developments in the Arab region. The book should be of interest to any observer of the political and economic evolution of the Arab region in the past few years and to poverty and inequality specialists interested in a deeper understanding of the distribution of incomes in Egypt and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. World Bank Studies are available individually or on standing order. The World Bank Studies series is also available online through the Open Knowledge Repository (https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/) and the World Bank e-Library (www.worldbank.org/elibrary). Book jacket.

Monetary Issues in the Middle East and North Africa Region

Monetary Issues in the Middle East and North Africa Region
Author: Mr.Simon Gray
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2013-05-10
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1484349032

This paper documents the main themes covered in two seminars (December 2011 and September 2012) on monetary policy and implementation at the IMF—Middle East Center for Economics and Finance, and includes country case studies. Against the backdrop of the global financial crisis and swings in cross-border capital flows, operational frameworks have become more flexible, and liquidity management has impacted the relationship between the policy rate corridor and market rates. The balance sheet structure of central banks in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) shows differences between oil exporters and others, while a few countries have exhibited notable changes since early 2011. Collateral now has a significant financial stability function. Although only one MENA country is part of the G20, implementation of the Basel III bank capital adequacy and liquidity rules will most likely impact banks’ way of doing business in MENA countries, even if indirectly.

IMF Staff papers

IMF Staff papers
Author: International Monetary Fund. Research Dept.
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 175
Release: 1967-01-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1451969139

This paper presents a study to review fluctuations in Japan’s balance of payments and the role of short-term capital flows. Based on annual data, it appears that Japan has passed through two additional cycles after the 1952-55 and 1955-58 cycles covered by Narvekar's studies. In general, the annual data show clearly that the flows of short-term capital have tended to fluctuate in a direction opposite to that of the fluctuations in the basic balance of payments. Thus, the short-term capital inflow increased substantially as the basic surplus fell sharply from 1959 to 1960 and increased further still as the basic balance went into heavy deficit in 1961. Short-term capital flows helped to moderate the fluctuations in Japan's over-all balance of payments, compared with the fluctuations in its basic balance, and thus played an anticyclical role in Japan's balance of payments during 1959–1966. During 1965, the basic balance showed a small deficit in the first quarter, a small surplus in the second quarter, and large surpluses in the third and fourth quarters. This review of monetary policy changes indicates an intimate relationship between changes in Japanese monetary policy and fluctuations in Japan's basic balance of payments during 1959–1966.

World Development Report 2019

World Development Report 2019
Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 201
Release: 2018-10-31
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1464813566

Work is constantly reshaped by technological progress. New ways of production are adopted, markets expand, and societies evolve. But some changes provoke more attention than others, in part due to the vast uncertainty involved in making predictions about the future. The 2019 World Development Report will study how the nature of work is changing as a result of advances in technology today. Technological progress disrupts existing systems. A new social contract is needed to smooth the transition and guard against rising inequality. Significant investments in human capital throughout a person’s lifecycle are vital to this effort. If workers are to stay competitive against machines they need to train or retool existing skills. A social protection system that includes a minimum basic level of protection for workers and citizens can complement new forms of employment. Improved private sector policies to encourage startup activity and competition can help countries compete in the digital age. Governments also need to ensure that firms pay their fair share of taxes, in part to fund this new social contract. The 2019 World Development Report presents an analysis of these issues based upon the available evidence.