scholarly journals Developing public-private partnership initiatives in the Middle East and North Africa: From public debt to maximizing finance for development

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rabah Arezki
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Public Debt ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Public Private Partnerships ◽  
Private Partnership ◽  
Strong State ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Development Approach ◽  
Financing Infrastructure

This paper argues for a novel approach to financing infrastructure needs in Arab countries. It first describes the context of rising public debt in the region, contrasting it with the vast infrastructure needs. It then discusses the challenges in meeting these needs with traditional financing. The paper then makes the case for maximizing finance for development by using public-private partnerships and presents a few successful examples in Arab countries. Finally, the paper explores the way forward and concludes on the need for strong state capacity and integrity to promote the “maximizing finance for development” approach.

Events in Northern Africa and Middle East: Causes and Consequences

2011 ◽  
pp. 11-25
Author(s):  
I. Labinskaya
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Northern Africa ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Oriental Studies

Political developments in North Africa and the Middle East that have begun in January 2011 are gaining strength and involve an increasing number of Arab countries. The participants of the Roundtable – experts from IMEMO, Institute of Oriental Studies (RAS), Institute of the USA and Canada (RAS) and Mrs. E. Suponina from “Moscow News” newspaper analyzed a wide range of issues associated with these events. Among them are: 1) the reasons for such a large-scale explosion, 2) the nature of the discussed developments (revolutions, riots?) and who are the subjects of the current “Arab drama”, 3) the role of Islam and political Islamism, 4) the role of external factors.

Government spending and economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa region

2020 ◽  
pp. 002085232096980
Author(s):  
Bassam Abdullah Albassam
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Government Spending ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
The Public ◽  
Vision 2030 ◽  
The Relationship

In 2011, during the Arab Spring, citizens in some Arab countries marched in the streets, demanding decreased corruption, increased public participation in running state affairs, and provision of jobs for citizens. In response, governments in the Middle East and North Africa region initiated strategic plans to meet the people’s demands (e.g. Morocco Vision 2030, Saudi Vision 2030). One of the main parts of these plans is related to reforming the public finance sector. Recently, in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, most Middle East and North Africa countries have taken loans or withdrawn from reserves (both considered sources of funding for government expenditures) to support the economy and fund the healthcare plans to fight the disease. Thus, the efficiency and effectiveness of government spending is very important in utilizing the available resources at all times. Using data for the Middle East and North Africa region from 1990 to 2019, and utilizing a scatterplot technique and the general linear modeling procedure, this article explores the relationship between public expenditures and economic growth. The results show that the current public expenditure system is inefficient and that efficient public spending has to be combined with other factors that influence the economy (e.g. enhancing public participation in running state affairs, controlling corruption, and supporting good governance practices in the public sector). Points for practitioners Government spending is one of the most important elements in managing state affairs toward achieving advanced levels of development and providing high-quality services to beneficiaries. This research explores the relationship between government spending and economic growth; the result of this study confirms that non-financial factors, such as fighting corruption, promoting democracy and freedom, enhancing public institutions’ quality, and supporting the productivity and accountability of the public sector, are important dimensions in promoting economic growth, especially in developing countries.

Dementia caregiving in the Middle East and North Africa: A scoping review

2021 ◽  
pp. 136346152110364
Author(s):  
Tanya Kane ◽  
Suzanne H. Hammad ◽  
Nazmul Islam ◽  
Noor Al-Wattary ◽  
Justin Clark ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Domestic Workers ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Burden Of Care ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Arab Muslim

Care for persons with dementia in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is undertaken predominantly by family members, domestic workers, and private nurses within the home. Domestic caregivers possess different understandings and varying degrees of knowledge of dementia that are influenced by complex socio-cultural and religious factors. With much of the burden falling on the shoulders of “invisible” caregivers, the role and needs of these individuals require deeper scrutiny. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the empirical studies published on caring for persons with dementia in Arab countries of the MENA region. Using a systematic review technique, searches were conducted on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar using database-specific terms associated with caregiving, dementia, aging, and the MENA region. To ensure local and regional research was captured, hand searches of regional journals, reference lists of included articles, and Arabic databases Al-Manhal and e-Marefa were also searched. No date restrictions were imposed. Twenty studies met inclusion criteria and the following themes were identified: caregiving experiences and the burden of care; barriers to caregiving; and caregiver recommendations to improve care. Results demonstrate that studies about informal caregivers and dementia within Arab-Muslim populations are underrepresented in the research. This review highlights the paucity of literature on service users’ experiences and underscores the need for future research specific to dementia care within the Arab-Islamic sociocultural context. These trajectories are especially pertinent given the unprecedented aging demographics of the MENA populations.

The World Bank Financial Intermediary Funds as a Multilateral Mechanism to Channel Assistance to Politically Unstable Regions: The Case of the Middle East and North Africa Transition Fund

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 72-108
Author(s):  
Vladimir Bartenev ◽  
◽  
Alexey Solomatin ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
World Bank ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Fragile States ◽  
Political Climate ◽  
Financial Intermediary ◽  
The World Bank ◽  
The World

In recent years there has been a steady growth of “multi-bilateral aid,” or voluntary earmarked contributions transferred by international donors through multilateral organizations. The World Bank Group’s financial intermediary funds (FIFs) and trust funds have gained an especially wide recognition and have been particularly instrumental in channelling aid to fragile states — a priority group of partners for achieving the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. But researchers have paid much less attention to FIFs than to trust funds.This article identifies characteristic features of World Bank IFIs as a multilateral mechanism to channel aid to politically unstable regions, focusing on the Middle East and North Africa Transition Fund (MENA TF) established in 2012 to support Arab countries undergoing political transitions as a result of the Arab Awakening. The introductory section examines the particularities, benefits and risks of establishing FIFs as multilateral mechanisms to transfer development assistance. These parameters are illustrated in subsequent sections which discuss the MENA TF’s establishment procedures, governance structure, and mobilization and allocation of funds.The article concludes that for each of the parties involved, hypothetically, World Bank FIFs are a quite convenient mechanism for supporting fragile states. However, the example of the MENA TF conclusively shows that everything depends on the concrete political context of their establishment and operation. In terms of some key parameters (establishment procedure, governance structure) the MENA TF mechanism is very similar to other funds of the same type, but its operation is strongly affected by challenges uncommon to the majority of FIFs, which are focused on more politically neutral sectors. These challenges stem from several factors, including the predominance of political decisions within the Deauville Partnership, a unique list of contributors, and a severity of discord among them given the drastic deterioration of the political climate in the Arab world and beyond in 2014. This not only disrupted plans to engage more donors and mobilize the planned amount of funds, but it also stipulated a visible politicization of aid allocation. Political risks which materialized in the MENA TF operations might occur in other FIFs focused on fragile states and situations. The establishment of additional multilateral mechanisms, thus, requires learning from experience and prioritizing risk assessment and mitigation.

A Story of Two Transnationalisms: Global Salafi Jihad and Transnational Human Rights Mobilization in the Middle East and North Africa

2007 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawn Wiest
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Political Regime ◽  
Political Rights ◽  
Transnational Terrorism ◽  
World Polity ◽  
Movement Mobilization ◽  
The Impact

Into the 1990s, Arab countries witnessed a rise in the number of terrorist attacks perpetrated by Islamist militants against governments, foreign targets, and citizens. In response to terrorism, governments throughout the Middle East and North Africa suppressed the civil and political rights of all citizens. This clampdown on civil society transpired on the heels of political reforms in several countries and coincided with the increasing integration of these states into international treaty regimes, signaling a willingness to comply with world standards on human rights. Engaging the literatures on terrorism, world polity, and social movements, I first analyze the relationship between political regime type and movement mobilization. Next I examine the impact of transnational terrorism on human rights mobilization. I use network analysis to show that, contrary to expectations of world polity theory and the boomerang hypothesis, activists' ties to the transnational rights network thinned over the same time period (1980-2000) that these states became more integrated into international society through treaty ratification and memberships in intergovernmental organizations. The findings indicate that while the globalization of human rights has empowered human rights movements in nondemocratic societies, state power continues to set limits on mobilizing capacities.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Attempted Suicide in the Middle East and North Africa Region: The Mediating Role of Arab Culture and Religion

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Arab Culture ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Suicidal Attempts ◽  
Arab Societies

The general lack of awareness of mental health in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, particularly within its Arab countries, accounts for limited mental health services and stigmatization of psychiatric conditions in the region. Suicide is a drastic consequence of mental health neglect. Suicidal attempts are one form of presentation to emergency departments (ED) in healthcare centers across the Arab countries in the MENA region. We collected data from various research studies in the region to narrate such presentations. This epidemiological country-by-country summary includes the characteristics of suicidal attempts in the Arab region, with a focus on methods, causes, and management of cases. The summary demonstrates that suicidal attempts in this part of the world share sociocultural and logistic grounds. The prominent archetypes of suicidal attempts are middle-aged Arab women ingesting poisonous substances secondary to familial or interpersonal stressors. We also link these presentations to the Arab culture and its associated beliefs, which at times can dictate privacy and stigmatization of mental health and suicide. Even though religion plays a role in mollifying suicidal attempts, it might exacerbate stigma regarding suicide among Arab societies. Lastly, we recommend management measures that enhance suicide risk detection in the ED and provide an ameliorated understanding of suicidal ideations and behaviors of patients in the Arab countries of the MENA region.

scholarly journals Trends, wealth inequalities and the role of the private sector in caesarean section in the Middle East and North Africa: A repeat cross-sectional analysis of population-based surveys

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0259791
Author(s):  
Stephen J. McCall ◽  
Aline Semaan ◽  
Noon Altijani ◽  
Charles Opondo ◽  
Mohamed Abdel-Fattah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Caesarean Section ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Wealth Index ◽  
Healthcare Facility ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Cross Sectional

Objective To examine trends and variations of caesarean section by economic status and type of healthcare facility in Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Methods Secondary data analysis of nationally representative household surveys conducted between 2008–2020 across nine Arab countries in the MENA region. The study population was women aged 15–49 years with a live birth in the two years preceding the survey. Temporal changes in the proportion of deliveries by caesarean section in each country were calculated using generalised linear models and presented as risk differences (RD) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Caesarean section was disaggregated by household wealth index and type of healthcare facility. Results Use of caesarean section ranged from 57.3% (95%CI:55.6–59.1%) in Egypt to 5.7% of births (95%CI:4.9–6.6%) in Yemen. Overall, the use of caesarean section has increased across the MENA region, except in Jordan, where there was no evidence of change (RD -2.3 (95%CI: -6.0 ‒1.4)). Across most countries, caesarean section use was highest in the richest quintile compared to the poorest quintile, for example, 42.8% (95%CI:38.0–47.6%) vs. 22.6% (95%CI:19.6–25.9%) in Iraq, respectively. Proportion of caesarean section was higher in private sector facilities compared to public sector: 21.8% (95%CI:18.2–25.9%) vs. 15.7% (95%CI:13.3–18.4%) in Yemen, respectively. Conclusion Variations in caesarean section exist within and between Arab countries, and it was more commonly used amongst the richest quintiles and in private healthcare facilities. The private sector has a prominent role in observed trends. Urgent policies and interventions are required to address non-medically indicated intervention.

scholarly journals EPIDEMIOLOGY OF METHICILLIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN ARAB COUNTRIES OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICAN REGION

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. e2021050
Author(s):  
Hussam Tabaja ◽  
Joya-Rita Hindy ◽  
Souha S. Kan
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
African Region ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Clonal Type ◽  
Pubmed Search

Available data suggests a high burden of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Arab countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). To review the MRSA prevalence and molecular epidemiology in this region, we used PubMed search engine to identify relative articles published from January 2005 to December 2019. Great heterogeneity in reported rates was expectedly seen. Nasal MRSA colonization ranged from 0-32% in healthy volunteers but 4-73% in healthcare workers. Infective MRSA rates ranged between 6%-66% in Saudi Arabia, 12%-29% in United Arab of Emirates, 13%-21% in Qatar, 14%-37% in Oman, 20%-72% in Lebanon, 56% in Gaza, 32%-68% in Jordan, 34%-88% in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan, 47%-77% in Egypt, 19-86% in Algeria, and 18-40% in Tunisia. In the GCC, [PVL-] ST239-III, [PVL+] ST80-IV, [PVL+] ST30-IV, [PVL-] ST22-IV and its [PVL+] and [tst1+] variants, [PVL-] CC6-IV, [PVL-] CC5-IV, and [PVL-] ST5-II had a significant presence. In the Levant region, [PVL+] ST80-IV, [PVL+] ST30-IV, [PVL-] ST239-III, [PVL-] ST22-IV were prevalent in Lebanon, Jordan, and Gaza; [PVL-] ST22-IVa-t223 (“Gaza strain”) was prevalent in Gaza and Jordan; USA300, and USA800 were prevalent in Iraq. In North Africa, [PVL+] ST80-IV and [PVL-] ST239-III was commonly reported in Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia. Finally, significant antimicrobial resistance was seen in the region with variation in patterns depending on location and clonal type. For a more accurate assessment of MRSA epidemiology and burden, the Arab countries need to implement national surveillance systems.

Implications of the Findings and Prospects for Further Coordination

2013 ◽  
pp. 278-296
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Health Education ◽  
North Africa ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Social Benefits ◽  
Government Interventions ◽  
Socioeconomic Outcomes ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Access To Health

This last chapter summarizes the most important findings from the previous chapters of this book. It places emphasis on fragmentation and scatted decisions as likely sources of economic and social inefficiencies when externalities or interdependencies are present. Coordination, including government interventions, is underlined to be the means for re-establishing economic and social benefits. In this context, new technologies and especially ICTs can be important inputs for better coordination and enhancement of the levels of the overall social benefits. However, further research is needed to identify the levels of causality besides all the factors that influence the access to health, education, and socioeconomic outcomes in different contexts and situations. The economies in the South Mediterranean Countries (SMC), Middle East, and North Africa, besides the Arab countries are shown having to account for further interdependencies between health, education, and the socioeconomic situations. The roles and impacts of ICTs are found to be promising for the achievement of higher socioeconomic performances.

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