ABSTRACT

The recent globalization trends have revived a long-standing interest in regional integration in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Despite numerous attempts to encourage economic integration in MENA in the past few decades, there is broad consensus that progress has been painstakingly slow and the record of economic integration in the MENA region largely beset by failure.
This book examines the impact of recent changes in the world economy on trade policy within the MENA region and its economic relations with the rest of the world. It considers regional integration and prospects for trade blocs; trade liberalization and economic restructuring; resource endowments and employment trends; and changes in economic boundaries, especially as a result of labour migration and regional conflicts.

part |1 pages

Part II Integration patterns, trade blocs, and regional policy

chapter 2|9 pages

Intra-regional trade integration in the Middle East

Past performance and future potential

chapter 3|5 pages

Exchange rate regime and competitiveness of manufactured exports

The case of MENA countries

chapter 4|2 pages

Agriculture and trade liberalization in the MENA region

Dynamic impacts of future scenarios

part |1 pages

PART III Trade and restructuring: lessons and outcomes

chapter 5|5 pages

Restructuring and economic performance

The experience of the Tunisian economy

part |1 pages

Part IV Resource endowments, factor markets, and employment issues

part |1 pages

Part V Economic boundaries in flux

chapter 10|3 pages

Defining boundaries

Kuwait’s economic reconstruction, 1991–2001

chapter 12|9 pages

Turkey after Helsinki

Economic challenges

chapter |2 pages

Table 12.2 EMU convergence criteria

chapter 13|19 pages

Economic foundation for peace?

The case of trade policy in the Oslo Agreement