Challenges of Economic Development in the Middle East and North Africa Region

This book surveys major economic issues in the development of countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region since World War II. It presents a framework of analysis highlighting underlying continuities in the region's approach to issues of growth, management of oil and natural resources, post-conflict environments, progress in trade liberalization and regional integration, the use of industrial policy, labor market adjustment and unemployment, educational attainment and poverty incidence. At the same time, this book focuses on emerging differences across countries in the region in the prevailing approach to addressing such challenges most notably between the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council and other MENA countries.This book also incorporates a discussion of tools and methods used by development practitioners and briefly examines issues of aid effectiveness. The approach used is intended to appeal to a wide audience including students of economic development, political scientists and development practitioners.

Overview and Framework; Characteristics of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Economies; Growth and Accumulation, 1960-1985; Towards Markets and the Global Economy, 1985-Present; Oil, OPEC and Fiscal Policy in MENA Countries; Challenges of Development in Post-Conflict Environments; Water and Agriculture; Population, Education and Human Capital Development; Labor Markets and Unemployment; Private Sector Development and the Climate for Investment; Trade, Regional Integration and Migration; Industrial Policy and Productivity; Poverty, Inequality and Social Protection; Development Effectiveness.