Regional integration

African countries were severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, which quickly drove the continent into its worst recession in fifty years. According to the 2022 African Development Bank African Economic Outlook (AEO), real GDP declined by -1.5% in 2020 compared to growth of 3.3% in 2019. Africa has recovered quickly from the recession, but this has not translated into favorable debt prospects for many countries. To make a challenging situation even worse, the Russia/Ukraine crisis has ...

Nothing better illustrates the positive contribution of the integration of national economies into global value chains than the fact that in the 1990s, the automotive sector barely existed in Morocco. Now, it is the leading export sector, with a production and assembly capacity of 700,000 vehicles, making it an attractive and competitive hub linking Africa and Europe in the automotive value chain. However, the automotive industry is on the cusp of change, with advances in electric a ...

This policy paper examines India’s growing engagement in North Africa, focusing on five countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. Despite lacking a distinct regional policy for North Africa, India has amplified its bilateral engagement with these countries, underpinned by a steadfast commitment to the principle of South-South cooperation. Through its strategic moves in North Africa, India has established a powerful southern-west axis for its foreign policy that stretch ...

The contemporary global energy landscape is experiencing noteworthy changes in demand, supply, technology, markets, and investment. These developments transcend conventional oil and gas security considerations. Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, have become increasingly cost-effective compared to fossil fuels, and the minerals required to produce them are gaining importance. Nevertheless, recent events such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine ha ...

In an attempt to bring the World Cup back to Europe and Africa, Morocco has joined Spain and Portugal in a three-way bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. While there are still talks of Ukraine remaining in the bid, the three confirmed countries are hoping to score big with major economic, cultural, and political benefits. Although not as large as the Olympics in terms of logistics, the FIFA World Cup is one of the most prestigious and watched sporting events in the world. Early figu ...

The North Sea has been an important energy hub for many European countries for centuries. It is home to many natural resources, from oil and natural gas, to wind and wave energy, making it a powerhouse of energy production. In recent decades, the North Sea has seen significant investment in energy infrastructure and innovation, allowing many of these resources to be harnessed and used to supply energy to much of Europe. Furthermore, the North Sea has become more important for Europe ...

Le rôle des Investissements directs étrangers (IDE), comme catalyseur de croissance économique et facteur fondamental d’intégration dans l’économie mondiale, fait l’objet d’un grand consensus. Ce Policy Brief se focalise sur une dimension des IDE qui est le réinvestissement des bénéfices comme, non seulement une source de financement supplémentaire à travers l’expansion des IDE existants, mais également un fort signal des opportunités d’investissement pour les nouveaux i ...

There is a long tradition in transportation planning research in quantifying remoteness in the context of accessibility indicators. Considering an existing system’s network structure and its components’ performance, it is possible to assess the socio-economic impacts of changes in the physical characteristics of specific links that affect critical locations. Nonetheless, the connection between changes in accessibility and their socio-economic consequences frequently relies on using ...

If the recent peaceful transfer of power in Madagascar heralds a new trend, then the Malagasy people can dream big. For decades, the exercise of economic-cum-political power in the hands of a tiny elite has held the entire nation hostage. Today, the high poverty rate—around 80% (2021) stands in stark contrast to the natural resource abundance of this huge enormous island. There is hope, however, that with political stability, the Plan d’Émergence Madagascar (PEM) President Andry R ...

In the chaotic global post-COVID-19 economy, with the ongoing war in Ukraine, the challenge of adjusting to the global stagflation that is engulfing the world is particularly hard for the oil importing countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A regional commission of experts, working under the auspices of the Economic Research Forum (ERF), and the Finance for Development Lab (FDL), was asked to evaluate the macro-economic risks ahead, and to make recommendations ...

This Policy Brief addresses the question of Europe's interest in the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project. The paper advances six arguments to support this interest and its relevance. 1) The project effectively diversifies European gas resources and provide greater scope for action. 2) Building the pipeline helps create a new generation of measures to curb the asymmetric risks Europe faces. 3) The project mitigates the risk of replacing European dependence on Russian gas with anothe ...

Le présent Policy Brief tente d’apporter une réponse à la question de l’intérêt de l’Europe dans la réalisation du projet de Gazoduc Nigeria-Maroc. Six arguments sont avancés pour fonder l’existence et la pertinence d’un tel intérêt. 1) Le projet participerait efficacement à la diversification des ressources gazières des pays européens et leur donnerait plus de marge de manoeuvre. 2) La mise en place du gazoduc participerait à l’édification d’une nouvelle génération de mesures qui a ...