Breaking the Barriers to Higher Economic Growth: Better Governance and Deeper Reforms in the Middle East and North Africa (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780821374153)

The world's attention to the countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has often been dominated by headline issues: conflict, sanctions, political turmoil, and rising oil prices. Little of this international attention has considered the broad range of development challenges facing this diverse group of countries. 'Breaking the Barriers' reflects the collected thinking of the World Bank's Office of the Chief Economist for the MENA Region on the long-term development challenges facing the region and the reform priorities and strategies for effectively meeting these challenges. It is a comprehensive reform agenda to "break the barriers" to higher economic growth, to ensure sufficient jobs can be created for the region's rapidly growing labor force. At its core, it requires the region's public sector-dominated economies to move to private sector-driven economies, from closed economies to more open economies, and from oil-dominated and volatile economies to more stable and diversified economies. This book examines some of these reforms and the complex issues surrounding their successful implementation. In order for the countries of the MENA region to successfully implement the reforms needed for higher growth and job creation, they will also need to address the fundamental weaknesses in governance throughout the region.

Author: Mustapha Kamel Nabli
ISBN-10: 082137415X
ISBN-13: 9780821374153
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Language: English
Published: 02/29/2008
Pages: 476
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.85lbs
Size: 10.05h x 6.90w x 1.08d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 07/01/2008 pg. 160
Reference and Research Bk News 05/01/2008 pg. 121