Breaking or building bridges? : the trade story of the MENA region / Fida Karam, Chahir Zaki

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Karam, Fida, 1982- author.

Zaki, Chahir, author.

Series:

Cambridge elements. Cambridge elements in international economics

Cambridge elements. Elements in international economics, 2753-9326

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Africa, North--Commercial policy.

Africa, North.

Africa, North--Commerce.

Middle East--Commercial policy.

Middle East.

Middle East--Commerce.

Commercial policy.

Commerce.

North Africa.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2026

Summary:

"This Element presents the main characteristics of international trade in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by analyzing whether its trade policy managed to build or break bridges among MENA countries and with the rest of the world. Its objective is threefold. First, it provides an overview of trade theories from the MENA region perspective. Second, it analyzes the main trends and features of trade flows and trade policies. Third, it shows how trade policies had different development outcomes related to gender, informal employment, and the composition of labor demand. The main findings show that trade policies and domestic characteristics explain the relatively poor performance of trade flows in most of the diversified MENA economies. Also, the MENA region is highly affected by world business cycles given that this region is the largest exporter of oil. Finally, development outcomes still need to be streamlined within trade policies"-- Cambridge Core

Contents:

A heterogeneous region

Historical background

A refresher of international trade theories: MENA perspective

Overview of trade flows in the MENA region: a macro approach

Trade and firm dynamics: a micro approach

Potential explanations of trade patterns

Trade, business cycles, and growth in the MENA region

Trade and development outcomes

Summary and conclusions

Policy implications

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references

Online resource; title from PDF title page (Cambridge Core, viewed May 8, 2026)

Other Format:

Print version: Karam, Fida Breaking or building bridges?

ISBN:

9781009516327

1009516329

9781009516334

1009516337

OCLC:

1547477741

Publisher Number:

CIPO000308041

CIPO000298777

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license