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Harnessing Trade Opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa

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  • Jean-Pierre Chauffour
  • Bernard M.

Abstract

Greater integration into the international economy is a key means through which countries in the Middle East and North Africa can reap the benefits of already existing market opportunities to accelerate economic growth and job creation. An effective economic integration strategy requires complementing reductions in trade barriers with policy reforms to ensure that markets become more competitive (contestable for new entrants) and that operating and transactions costs for firms fall. This paper argues that there are two overarching priority areas for trade-related reforms in many Arab countries: reducing formal trade barriers further, and lowering trade costs through trade facilitation measures and improving “connectivity” for firms, including deeper regional economic integration.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean-Pierre Chauffour & Bernard M., 2013. "Harnessing Trade Opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa," RSCAS Working Papers PP2013/07, European University Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:rsc:rsceui:pp2013/07
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Bank, 2009. "From Privilege to Competition : Unlocking Private-Led Growth in the Middle East and North Africa," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 13524.
    2. Guillaume Daudin & Christine Rifflart & Danielle Schweisguth, 2011. "Who produces for whom in the world economy?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(4), pages 1403-1437, November.
    3. repec:wbk:wbpubs:13523 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Zaki, Chahir, 2009. "Towards an Explicit Modeling of Trade Facilitation in CGE Models: Evidence from Egypt," Conference papers 331897, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    5. Richard Baldwin, 2011. "Trade And Industrialisation After Globalisation's 2nd Unbundling: How Building And Joining A Supply Chain Are Different And Why It Matters," NBER Working Papers 17716, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Hirut Wolde & Ms. Rina Bhattacharya, 2010. "Constraints on Trade in the MENA region," IMF Working Papers 2010/031, International Monetary Fund.
    7. World Bank, "undated". "Middle East and North Africa Economic Developments and Prospects, January 2011 : Sustaining the Recovery and Looking Beyond [Région du Moyen-Orient et de l’Afrique du Nord – Maintenir la reprise et," World Bank Publications - Reports 12438, The World Bank Group.
    8. Elena Ianchovichina, 2011. "MENA's Non-Oil Export Performance in the Last Decade," World Bank Publications - Reports 10891, The World Bank Group.
    9. Bourdet, Yves & Persson, Maria, 2011. "Reaping the Benefits of Deeper Euro-Med Integration Through Trade Facilitation," Working Paper Series 881, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    10. Sekkat, Khalid, 2010. "Arab Economic Integration: Missing links," CEPR Discussion Papers 7807, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Chahir Zaki, 2011. "Assessing the Global Effect of Trade Facilitation: Evidence from the MIRAGE Model," Working Papers 659, Economic Research Forum, revised 12 Jan 2011.
    12. Chauffour, Jean-Pierre, 2011. "Trade integration as a way forward for the Arab world : a regional agenda," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5581, The World Bank.
    13. Rina Bhattacharya & HirutWolde, 2010. "Constraints on Trade in the MENA Region," Aussenwirtschaft, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economics Research, vol. 65(3), pages 251-272, September.
    14. Jose R. Lopez-Calix & Peter Walkenhorst & Ndiame Diop, 2010. "Trade Competitiveness of the Middle East and North Africa : Policies for Export Diversification," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2466.
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    Cited by:

    1. Esmat Mostafa Kamel, 2021. "The MENA region's need for more democracy and less bureaucracy: A gravity model controlling for aspects of governance and trade freedom in MENA," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(6), pages 1885-1912, June.

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    Keywords

    Trade and development; Arab economies; economic integration;
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