Economic Integration in the Mashreq
This report reviews the status of Mashreq countries' economic integration with the world, with the Arab world, and within the Mashreq sub-region itself. It examines the drivers of progress to date and barriers to further integration. It focuse...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
Washington, DC
2017
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/929821468278677551/Economic-integration-in-the-Mashreq http://hdl.handle.net/10986/27832 |
| Summary: | This report reviews the status of
Mashreq countries' economic integration with the world,
with the Arab world, and within the Mashreq sub-region
itself. It examines the drivers of progress to date and
barriers to further integration. It focuses on Mashreq
countries' participation in integration agreements;
integration through trade, labor, and capital flows; and
physical infrastructure. The main findings are that Mashreq
countries trade more with the European Union (EU) than with
other countries in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) or
among themselves, but account for a significant share of
MENA's trade in services. With the exception of Iraq, a
major oil exporter, the Mashreq countries export a
relatively large share of manufactured goods-surpassed only
by Tunisia and Morocco. Mashreq exports are relatively less
concentrated than other MENA countries, with the exception
of Tunisia and Morocco. Regional economic integration would
be enhanced through better trade facilitation procedures and
by better transport infrastructure. Policies relating to
further improving the investment climate and private sector
development also matter. |
|---|