First Independent Mena Newspaper
Women in MENA countries have made big strides over the past four decades in the fields of education and health coverage, but they still face serious hurdles in the labor market, says a World Bank report. The progress made by countries of the region to bridge gender gaps has not been matched by increases in […]
World Bank has pumped a quarter of a billion dollar in Egypt to create job opportunities. The money is channeled through labor-intensive projects with the objective of developing skills and easing the employment of people. Priority is being given to those in the poorest areas of the country such as Upper Egypt. The bank’s country […]
The World Bank has extended Morocco a $160 million loan designed to support reforms in Morocco’s business environment to spur competitiveness and boost growth and job creation in an increasingly competitive global economy. The First Economic Competitiveness Development Policy Loan approved this week by the World Bank will improve transparency and accountability in investment procedures […]
Governor Hisham Ramez of the central bank has said that the foreign cash reserve recession rate may decline by next month. The central earlier on this month announced that the reserves had reached US$13.6 billion, which would amount to a 16-year low, compared to $36 billion on the eve of the 2011 uprising that ousted […]
Doing business in North Africa seems to be very challenging and still largely for the intrepid. The World Bank’s annual survey ‘Doing Business’ provides data on the relative easiness (or difficulty) of running a business around the world. A high ranking on the ease of doing business index means the regulatory environment is more conducive […]
After decades of elusive quest for a common Arab economic space and EU-promoted trials with the fluky Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Agreement (EU-MFTA), the economies of the MENA region are facing the challenge of deciding whether to bury or revive the ‘frozen’ regional integration processes. Prior to the events of the Arab Spring, the MENA member […]
Moroccan real estate group Alliances Développement Immobilier (ADI) has won a housing deal under which it will build some 7000 dwellings in Côte d’Ivoire, mainly in capital city Abidjan and surrounding areas. The deal related partnership agreement was signed earlier this week in the World Bank headquarters in Paris on the sidelines of the meeting […]
The minister responsible for investment has voiced out that the country’s actual economic situation might force the government to ask for a precautionary standby credit line worth $2.5 billion from the International Monetary Fund. He said they not completely ruling out the idea because they need the sum in order to give assurances to their […]
The gap between the Algerian regime favourites and the majority of the population, which is living in rather difficult conditions, is increasingly widening although the country’s oil resources generate huge resources. While the Arab Spring wave swept over many neighboring countries in the region, Algeria has largely been spared large-scale unrest. Nonetheless, the government has […]
Huge financial challenges lie ahead according to Finance Minister Slim Besbes with estimations pegged around 7 billion dinars. The country is struggling to stand on its feet and it is hoping to raise the amount through loans and aids. The economy and revenue earning ventures are suffering from the effects of the revolution and the […]