Papers

An Economic Ultimatum for the Arab World

If Middle Eastern countries do not start making real progress on fundamental political and economic reforms, further regional turmoil is inevitable. With the rentier systems that governments have maintained for decades now at a breaking point, policymakers must begin the difficult, but not impossible, process of establishing new social contracts. That contract in Arab countries […]

Papers

Business Model for Cross-Border Interconnections in the Mediterranean basin

The existing Mediterranean energy infrastructure  was  mostly designed and built  more than 50  years ago and were based on the national-level energy policies and security of supply priorities of the time. Since  then,  the  energy  landscape  has  changed  dramatically.  Now,  national  dynamics  must  be harmonised with regional and global developments and policies. In particular, climate […]

Papers

Towards a Green Economy in the Mediterranean

All Mediterranean countries still have a long way to go to mainstream green and sustainable development principles into their economies. While some countries have well defined Green Economy/Sustainable Development strategies (such as France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Tunisia), they still lack concrete implementation mechanisms, stakeholders’ commitment and systematic follow-up and evaluation. Several countries have not […]

Papers

Europe in a Changing World–Inclusive, Innovative and Reflective Societies

The European Union is currently faced with manifold challenges within and beyond its borders. Internally, growing inequality undermines its potential to create prosperity and provide stability. Six million people lost their job during the crisis, more than 120 million people are at risk of poverty and fourteen million youth (15-29 years) are not in education, […]

Papers

Restoring EU Competitiveness

Decisive measures are needed to raise Europe’s competitiveness in order to support higher levels of productivity, employment and prosperity. The effects of the crisis have exacerbated structural weaknesses and contributed to a legacy of economic and policy challenges that need to be tackled. These challenges have been made more pressing by the unprecedented rise in […]

Papers

Investment and Growth in the Arab World

Enhancing public and private investment, but also ensuring that this translates into higher growth and employment, have long been key policy challenges in Arab countries. Reflecting an improvement in policies and global conditions, investment rates in Arab countries have increased over the past couple of decades. In spite of this—and notwithstanding significant differences across the […]

Papers

The Performance of Banks in the MENA Region During the Global Financial Crisis

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which includes 28 countries and has a population of 357.3 million, is developing very rapidly and acquiring increasing importance in the global economy. Geographically, it is the bridge connecting Europe and Asia, and it is one of the world’s richest regions in terms of resources, since it […]

Papers

Risky Routes: Energy Transit in the Middle East

Threats to energy infrastructure occur at all scales, from individual acts of crime, sabotage, or terrorism, up to major regional wars. The MENA region is particularly crucial to the world economy because of the large volumes of oil and gas that flow from and through it. Though some authors point out that energy attracts only […]

Papers

MENA Energy Investment Outlook? Big Plans in Uncertain Times

MENA will push through critical energy projects, despite uncertainties that cloud the investment outlook for the region. Fully $289bn has already been committed to projects under execution while an additional $611bn worth of development is planned. Leading the drive will be Saudi Arabia, which along with the UAE and Kuwait will invest across the energy […]

Papers

Toward an Eastern Mediterranean Integrated Gas Infrastructure?

At a time of increased tension and violence in Syria and other countries in the broader Middle East, it may appear unrealistic to propose an initiative designed to promote regional cooperation on energy infrastructure in the Eastern Mediterranean. Energy cooperation requires a modicum of trust and cannot replace political moves to resolve international conflict. Yet […]

Papers

Motorways of the Sea. Detailed Implementation Plan

There is no doubt over the importance of shipping as the backbone supporting world trade.  In Europe, the shipping sector holds 40% of global shipping and European ships trade on all oceans, serving many markets all over the world. In addition, shipping is a central part of the intra-European transport system with ports, ferries, barges […]

Papers

Women and Gender in Middle East Politics

The barriers to women’s political participation in the Middle East have long preoccupied scholars and analysts. The Arab uprisings of early 2011 disrupted virtually every dimension of Arab  politics and societies, forcing a systematic re-evaluation of many long-held political science theories and assumptions. The place of women in politics and the public sphere were no […]

Papers

Access to Talent for MENA’s Entrepreneurs

ENP and Southern Mediterranean: Youth as the Key Element for Stability in North Africa Entrepreneurs can play a critical role in creating jobs in MENA. In seeking solutions to this challenge, governments and private sector institutions are pointing to entrepreneurship as a way to create jobs, spur innovation and diversify resource dependency.  Recently, the region […]

Papers

Youth in the MENA Region: How to Bring Them In

Young men and women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region face the highest  youth  unemployment  levels  in  the  world  and  express  lower  levels  of  trust  in  government than  their  parents.  With  the  share  of  youth  (aged 15-29)  exceeding  30%  of  the working-age population in most countries, MENA countries need to urgently develop […]

Papers

EU Youth Report 2015

Young  people’s  human  and  social  capital  is  one  of  Europe’s  greatest  assets  for  the  future.  The  European  Union  and  its  Member  States  need  to  invest  in  the  potential  that 90 million young Europeans represent in terms of skills, creativity and diversity. The  economic  crisis  has  hit  young  people  particularly  hard.  It  has  widened  the  gap  […]

Papers

Strategic Engagement for Gender Equality 2016-2019

During the crisis, unemployment reached unbearable levels for both men and women in too many countries. However, across the EU, more and more women are economically active. Women’s employment reached the highest level ever recorded (64 %) in 2014, while men’s employment (75 %) has yet to regain its pre-crisis level. As a result, more […]

Papers