Blog

Submission Guidelines

The ADP Blog is an open platform for practitioners and researchers working on development issues in Arab countries. The ADP welcomes blogs in Arabic, English and French.

Interested contributors are encouraged to submit their blog entries (word format, up to 700 words) by e-mail ADPblogs@arabdevelopmentportal.com, mentioning/including the following:

1Title of the blog

2Name of the author

3Link to source, if previously published

4Photos (if any – up to 500KB)

5Translated version of your blog (if available)

Please note that we reserve the right to introduce minimal edits to the submitted article to enhance the clarity of the text. Major edits will be shared with the contributors ahead of publishing.

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Egypt's Long Transition to a Modern, Private-Sector-Led Economy
Wafik Grais, 04 Mar 2015 | 0 Comments
In recent decades and with mixed results, Egypt has been grappling with the challenges of emerging as a modern, private-sector-led economy with affordable and effective social protection for vulnerable groups. The country has transformed its business environment to become more business friendly, tried to achieve sustainability in its macro balances, sought to increase its economic and employment growth performance, and achieved a degree of openness to international trade. The remaining road to travel may be difficult, but the transformation to a modern, private-sector-led, inclusive...Read More
Public and Corporate Governance in Egypt
Wafik Grais, 04 Mar 2015 | 0 Comments
Before the events of 2011, Egypt had a presidential constitutional regime with a two-chamber parliament and an independent judiciary. It allowed for a multiparty polity where competition was supposed to prevail. However, existing registered parties were perceived as ineffective at providing an alternative way. The Muslim Brotherhood operated unofficially. The then-National Democratic Party (NDP) was the leading political organization, generally towing the official line. Between 2011 and mid-2013, the transition in the country’s governance was confusing without a clear sequencing. It...Read More
A Snapshot of Egypt’s Financial System
Wafik Grais, 04 Mar 2015 | 0 Comments
Egypt’s financial system has undergone significant reforms since 2005. While important progress has been made, further work is needed for it to play an effective role in the country’s socioeconomic development. . From 2000 to 2010, regulatory and supervisory arrangements fostered stability and vibrancy. The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) ensures the banking system's safety and soundness and conducts the country’s monetary, credit, and banking policies. Nonbanking financial activity is under the purview of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (EFSA), a public...Read More
Tunisian Export Dynamism
Sofiane Ghali - Co-Author: Sami Rezgui, 04 Mar 2015 | 0 Comments
Tunisia’s manufacturing export capacity is one of most significant across the Arab World. As of 2009, there were 5,756 companies with more than 10 employees in the Tunisian manufacturing sector. More than half of these companies operated in two industries: textiles and clothing (36 percent) and food (18 percent). Approximately 48 percent of all manufacturing firms produce exclusively for export. Textile and clothing exports dominate the market in terms of sheer numbers as well as in terms of foreign ownership. Of the more than 1,184 totally foreign-owned companies active...Read More
Expanding Nonbanking Financial Intermediation in the Arab World
Wafik Grais, 04 Mar 2015 | 0 Comments
Nonbanking financial institutions (NBFIs) are a vital part of the financial landscape in developed economies. Institutions such as insurance companies, private pension funds, mutual funds, leasing institutions and factoring companies all play a role in availing financing to the real sector as they compete with and complement traditional banks. This competition increases bank efficiency and expands the range of financial services available notably to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and households. Currently, NBFIs are poorly developed in the Arab world. The...Read More
Convergence of Arab Countries and International Financial Regulatory Framework
Wafik Grais, 04 Mar 2015 | 0 Comments
With the growing integration of the international financial landscape and periodic occurrences of financial crises with international spillovers across borders, a global financial governance framework is gradually emerging. (IMF 2012b) The international framework’s principles are coordination, harmonization, peer review, and monitoring by global international agencies, most notably the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Bank for International Settlements, and the World Bank for issues of financial inclusion and development. Standards and codes have been developed reflecting...Read More
Entrepreneurship and Development in the Arab World: Challenges and Opportunities, Supporting and Strengthening Entrepreneurship – Part II
Julia Devlin, 04 Mar 2015 | 0 Comments
An Ecosystem for Entrepreneurship—Challenges and Opportunities The entrepreneurial ecosystem determines the conditions under which entrepreneurs can enter markets and thrive—including capital availability, property rights, and many other factors. A strong business and regulatory environment can encourage entrepreneurial activity, particularly with respect to levels of capture and monitoringcorruption. For entrepreneurs, the most critical elements are accessible markets, human capital and workforce, and funding. The Arab world's entrepreneurial ecosystem is...Read More
Entrepreneurship and Development in the Arab World: Entrepreneurial Activity – Part I
Julia Devlin, 04 Mar 2015 | 0 Comments
Innovation is an important driver at the heart of the development process. Innovation creates new products, new uses for existing products, and more efficient use of inputs. Entrepreneurs are catalysts for implementing new ideas. Entrepreneurship is increasingly prevalent on the global development agenda as an important vehicle for both productivity growth and job creation. Entrepreneurial Activity in the Arab world In Arab countries, there were about 0.77 newly registered corporations per 1,000 working-age people (aged 15–64) in 2011, with Morocco, Oman,...Read More
State Banks and Limited Banking Competition in the Arab World
Wafik Grais, 04 Mar 2015 | 0 Comments
For a long time, in most of the Arab world, the dominance of state banks and often weak regulatory environments have significantly limited competition among financial services providers. State banks continue to overshadow private institutions particularly in countries such as Algeria, Libya, and Syria. The same holds true for Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia, despite the significant role now played by private banks in financial intermediation. Restrictive entry requirements inhibit market contestability. Inadequate credit information...Read More
Tunisia: Mineral Resources and the Energy Deficit
Sofiane Ghali - Co-Author: Sami Rezgui, 04 Mar 2015 | 0 Comments
Compared to its neighbors Algeria and Libya, Tunisia’s energy resources are relatively modest. Since 2000, Tunisia has had a primary energy deficit, (including oil and natural gas), estimated at 1.6 million tons equivalent oil (Mteo) (2012), representing 19 percent of primary energy demand. Natural gas accounts for 53 percent of energy consumption, followed by oil (44 percent). The main energy consumers are industry (36 percent), transport (31 percent), and residential (25 percent). Primary energy consumption per capita is estimated at 0.78 tons equivalent oil (teo). ...Read More