Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Conflicts hindering development in the Arab region

Conflicts in the Arab region over the past decade have had a devastating impact, giving rise to illegal migration flows ...


The impact of Covid-19 on labour markets in MENA

Employment is recovering but income losses persist in MENA countries in the second year of the pandemic. Two recent ERF ...


The impact of loans and grants on development: Evidence from Egypt

Evaluations of grant programmes have shown that the return to capital is high in developing countries, but the impacts of ...


Gender and economic vulnerability in Egypt’s labour market

The past decade has presented both new challenges and new opportunities for the Egyptian labour market. This column outlines the ...


Mental health in Tunisia during the Covid-19 crisis

Social restrictions imposed in response to the pandemic and job losses from the economic downturn all take their toll on ...


It is time for Africa to focus on getting vaccines in arms

Rates of vaccination against Covid-19 are still disappointingly low in Africa. This column, originally published at Al Jazeera, argues that ...


Entrepreneurship and economic development in the MENA region

Entrepreneurship has come to be considered one key to countries’ economic development. This column assesses the connection between entrepreneurship and ...


Financial informality among formal firms: evidence from Egypt

A significant number of small and medium-sized enterprises stay disconnected from credit markets even after they become formal firms – ...