scholarly journals Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19 in MENA region and the Role of Islamic Finance

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kabir Hassan ◽  
Mustafa Raza Rabbani ◽  
Yomna Abdulla
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Islamic Finance ◽  
Public Fund ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Domestic Markets ◽  
Supply Shock ◽  
The World ◽  
Socio Economic Impact

This paper analyses the socio-economic impact of the noble Corona virus (COVID-19) on ‘Middle East and North Africa’ (MENA) region as well as the role and opportunities of Islamic finance post COVID-19. The findings show that pandemic has affected the MENA region massively like any other region in the world. Since around 69% of the word’s crude oil supply is from this region alone, this causes it to suffer from dual shocks of COVID-19 pandemic as well as the declining crude prices that is caused by shocks from both ends, negative supply shock and a negative demand shock. The 19 countries in MENA region include from some of the richest countries of the world such as, Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, to some of the most vulnerable, poor and war ridden countries like Yemen, Syria, and Morocco. To mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic, we suggest some immediate actions that can be taken such as a public fund to support health system, financial support to individuals and SME’s, financial support to corporations in order to prevent job loss and layoff and assurance of liquidity in domestic markets to prevent liquidity crunch. Finally, the paper analyses the role of Islamic finance in the region in recovery post COVID-19 and show that Islamic finance can be utilized as an alternative financial system in providing the relief to the COVID-19 affected people and entrepren 

Towards a Paradigm Shift in Higher Education in the MENA Region

2014 ◽  
pp. 8-30
Author(s):  
Hayat Al-Khatib
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Youth Unemployment ◽  
University Graduates ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
The World ◽  
Knowledge And Technology Transfer

Higher education in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has not been able to deliver the needed knowledge and technology transfer to generate productivity and innovation in this part of the world (Arab Economic and Social Summit, 2009; Thomson and Reuters, 2007). Youth unemployment in the MENA region remains the highest in the world, with the Middle East rating 21% and North Africa rating 25%, out of whom one-third are university graduates (World Bank, 2013). The chapter aims to address issues pertaining to the need to shift perspective in higher education in the MENA region, in the light of its growing importance as a developing entity with natural and human resources. The chapter identifies the role of higher education, in policies and practice, in addressing the needs of the region and transforming its resources, human and physical, to further its economic development.

scholarly journals The Fragility-Grievances-Conflict Triangle in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): An Exploration of the Correlative Associations

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 120
Author(s):  
Timo Kivimäki
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Political Legitimacy ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Conceptual Foundation ◽  
Post Cold War ◽  
State Fragility ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

The intention of this special issue of Social Sciences is to study state fragility and its relationship with conflict and grievances in the post-Cold War Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This article will lay the foundation for such a study by offering a conceptual foundation, data and the identification of the correlative associations that are specific to the MENA region. This article suggests that the relationship between political legitimacy, factionalism of the state, and conflict needs special, MENA-specific emphasis, as this relationship seems more prominently different in the MENA region, compared to the rest of the world. While in the rest of the world, different aspects of state fragility all relate to grievances and conflict dynamics, in the MENA region political factionalism has a disproportionate role in the explanation of conflict grievances and violence. Moreover, the role of oil dependence, and the impact of external intervention requires attention of specialists of the region.

scholarly journals Diet, Genetics, and Disease: A Focus on the Middle East and North Africa Region

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akl C. Fahed ◽  
Abdul-Karim M. El-Hage-Sleiman ◽  
Theresa I. Farhat ◽  
Georges M. Nemer
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Mena Countries ◽  
Nutritional Genomics

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region suffers a drastic change from a traditional diet to an industrialized diet. This has led to an unparalleled increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases. This review discusses the role of nutritional genomics, or the dietary signature, in these dietary and disease changes in the MENA. The diet-genetics-disease relation is discussed in detail. Selected disease categories in the MENA are discussed starting with a review of their epidemiology in the different MENA countries, followed by an examination of the known genetic factors that have been reported in the disease discussed, whether inside or outside the MENA. Several diet-genetics-disease relationships in the MENA may be contributing to the increased prevalence of civilization disorders of metabolism and micronutrient deficiencies. Future research in the field of nutritional genomics in the MENA is needed to better define these relationships.

scholarly journals State Fragility, Social Contracts and the Role of Social Protection: Perspectives from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 447
Author(s):  
Markus Loewe ◽  
Tina Zintl
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Information Campaign ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
State Fragility ◽  
Social Contracts ◽  
Government Provision ◽  
Two Sides

Social contracts and state fragility represent two sides of one coin. The former concept highlights that governments need to deliver three “Ps”—protection, provision, and political participation—to be acceptable for societies, whereas the latter argues that states can fail due to lack of authority (inhibiting protection), capacity (inhibiting provision), or legitimacy. Defunct social contracts often lead to popular unrest. Using empirical evidence from the Middle East and North Africa, we demonstrate how different notions of state fragility lead to different kinds of grievances and how they can be remedied by measures of social protection. Social protection is always a key element of government provision and hence a cornerstone of all social contracts. It can most easily counteract grievances that were triggered by decreasing provision (e.g., after subsidy reforms in Iran and Morocco) but also partially substitute for deficient protection (e.g., by the Palestinian National Authority, in pre-2011 Yemen) or participation (information campaign accompanying Moroccan subsidy cut; participatory set-ups for cash-for-work programmes in Jordan). It can even help maintain a minimum of state–society relations in states defunct in all three Ps (e.g., Yemen). Hence, social protection can be a powerful instrument to reduce state fragility and mend social contracts. Yet, to be effective, it needs to address grievances in an inclusive, rule-based, and non-discriminatory way. In addition, to gain legitimacy, governments should assume responsibility over social protection instead of outsourcing it to foreign donors.

Features, genetics and their correlation in Jalili syndrome: a systematic review

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 358-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousef Daneshmandpour ◽  
Hossein Darvish ◽  
Fariba Pashazadeh ◽  
Babak Emamalizadeh
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Protein Structure ◽  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Functional Role ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Genetic Disorder ◽  
Phenotype Correlation ◽  
The World

Jalili syndrome is a rare genetic disorder first identified by Jalili in Gaza. Amelogenesis imperfecta and cone-rode dystrophy are simultaneously seen in Jalili syndrome patients as the main and primary manifestations. Molecular analysis has revealed that theCNNM4gene is responsible for this rare syndrome. Jalili syndrome has been observed in many countries around the world, especially in the Middle East and North Africa. In the current scoping systematic review we searched electronic databases to find studies related to Jalili syndrome. In this review we summarise the reported clinical symptoms,CNNM4gene and protein structure,CNNM4mutations, attempts to reach a genotype-phenotype correlation, the functional role ofCNNM4mutations, and epidemiological aspects of Jalili syndrome. In addition, we have analysed the reported mutations in mutation effect prediction databases in order to gain a better understanding of the mutation’s outcomes.

scholarly journals POSITIONING ISLAMIC LEGAL THEORY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC FINANCE

JURISDICTIE ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Nuha Qonita
Keyword(s):  
Islamic Law ◽  
Legal Theory ◽  
New Product ◽  
Islamic Finance ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Modern Time ◽  
Islamic Legal Theory ◽  
Islamic Jurisprudence ◽  
The World

<p>Islamic finance continues to grow over the world, the development of technology plays a crucial role to support Islamic finance. The great innovation of technology may come to dig up the potential of Islamic financing, yet digital system needs for sharia compliance, both are in similar needs for sharia overviews regardless different opinions of ijtihad in this modern time. Emphasizing case by case of Islamic finance has been done by the sharia scholars in producing the new product of Islamic banking and financing. The Islamic jurisprudence however should consider the substence and maqasid form of sharia. The objective of this paper is to enlight some vital parts of Islamic legal theory as part of Islamic law in implementing sharia compliance. Furthermore, provide the role of legal system which takes a crucial place in implementing the system, it should be harmonized in the existing condition of Islamic finance. This paper is qualitative methods with deep analysis on Islamic legal theory among muslim scholars.</p>

scholarly journals The role of vaccination in global health

2014 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 17-19
Author(s):  
Keegan Guidolin ◽  
Gaby Meglei
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Preventable Death ◽  
Eradication Program ◽  
The World ◽  
The Future

Perhaps the greatest medical advancement in history was the development of the vaccine. While previously helpless to stop the spread of deadly infectious diseases, humanity has since harnessed the power of vaccination and decreased the incidence of infectious disease across the globe. Smallpox was the first disease to be eradicated—the greatest of our triumphs. This success was due to the global coordinated effort of the Intensified Smallpox Eradication Program. Presently, measles is the top cause of vaccine-preventable death in the world, and despite enormous vaccination efforts, eradication is still distant. This is due in part to the antivaccination movement, which was fueled by an article by Wakefield, published in the Lancet in 1998. The future of vaccination is an ambitious and unclear one—with tremendous financial support and involvement, the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) aims to eliminate vaccine preventable illness within what they call the “Decade of Vaccines”.

The Nile Waters Issue

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terje Tvedt
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
North Africa ◽  
African History ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
The World ◽  
Nile Water ◽  
History Of

To understand the role of the modern Nile in African history, it is first necessary to have familiarity with the premodern “natural” Nile, including both its hydrology and societal importance. It is well known that no river basin in the world has a longer, more complex, and more eventful history. The Nile water issue in modern times is a history of how economic and political developments in East and North Africa have been fundamentally shaped by the interconnectedness of the Nile’s particular physical and hydrological character; the efforts of adapting to, controlling, using, and sharing the waters of the river; and the different ideas and ambitions that political leaders have had for the Nile.

Multiple large shareholders and bank stability: the case of MENA banks

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rim Boussaada
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Bank Stability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mena Countries ◽  
Large Shareholders ◽  
Method Of Moments Estimation ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how multiple large shareholders individually and interactively influence Middle East and North Africa (MENA) bank stability.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical framework is based on a generalized dynamic two-step system and utilizes the method of moments estimation to analyze a panel dataset of 532 bank-year observations over the 2004–2017 period.FindingsThe estimation results show that large shareholders are crucial in explaining the differences in bank stability among MENA banks. Specifically, the first- and second-largest shareholders exacerbate bank instability. However, we found that the third-largest shareholder enhances bank stability. Additionally, the coalition between the two largest shareholders increases the moral hazard problem in MENA banks and significantly decreases stability. Meanwhile, the interaction between the three largest shareholders is associated with a control contestability problem, which impels better bank stability. The results support the dispersion effect of multiple large shareholders in MENA countries.Originality/valueThe role of large shareholders in corporate governance is widely recognized. However, very little is known about the role and the real impact that multiple large shareholders may have on the banking sector. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this work is the first to analyze the relationship between multiple large shareholders and bank stability in the MENA region.

Attitudes of Students in the GCC Region towards the Arab Spring

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Naufal ◽  
Ismail Genc ◽  
Carlos Vargas-Silva
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
South Asia ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Gcc Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
The Arab Spring

The purpose of this chapter is to present new empirical research on the Arab Spring and, specifically, to focus on the attitudes of residents of one country in the Middle East towards the Arab Spring. This research was conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has been one of the main migrant destinations in the world for the last two decades. This allows for comparisons regarding attitudes towards the Arab Spring across individuals from different regions of origin such as GCC, South Asia, and Western countries. The attitudes of university students are important because the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has experienced a substantial increase in the 17 to 23 years of age population. Existing reports suggest that, by far, those involved in Arab Spring protests were young individuals. The analysis places particular emphasis on the correlation of attitudes towards the Arab Spring with three key aspects: religiousness, attachment to the GCC countries, and attachment to country of origin.

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