{
  "title": "2026 IMF MENA Research Conference",
  "publication": "IMF Seminars",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/news/seminars/conferences/2026/06/29/2026-imf-mena-research-conference",
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  "summary": "The conference will bring together academics and policy makers to explore how the region can respond to external shocks through macroeconomic and financial policies; harness digitalization and AI to boost productivity and regional connectivity; and mobilize energy and infrastructure investment to support growth.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Conference overview",
      "content": "- Title: Rethinking MENA Integration in a Fast-Changing Global Environment\n- Host institutions: International Monetary Fund (IMF) in partnership with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University\n- Location: Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Rabat, Morocco\n- Dates: June 29–30, 2026\n- Purpose: Bring together academics and policy makers to explore how the region can respond to external shocks through macroeconomic and financial policies; harness digitalization and AI to boost productivity and regional connectivity; and mobilize energy and infrastructure investment to support growth.\n- Focus areas:\n  - Implications for the region of evolving global trade patterns, geoeconomic fragmentation, and technological transformation, including artificial intelligence.\n  - Role of monetary, fiscal, and labor market policies in maintaining macroeconomic stability and supporting resilient and inclusive growth.\n- Series context: Second annual MENA Economic Research Conference; series aims to establish a forum for dialogue and knowledge exchange among academics, researchers, and policymakers and to strengthen economic research capacities in ministries of finance and central banks in the region."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Program committee, organizers, and coordinators",
      "content": "- Program Committee:\n  - Giovanni Melina, IMF\n  - Antonio Spilimbergo, IMF\n  - Touhami Abdelkhalek, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University\n  - Francesco Grigoli, Georgetown University in Qatar\n  - Kamiar Mohaddes, University of Cambridge\n  - Nisreen Salti, American University of Beirut\n- Organizing Committee:\n  - Roberto Cardarelli, IMF\n  - Asmaa El-Ganainy, IMF\n  - Sascha Buetzer, IMF\n  - Zeina Hasna, IMF\n  - Angham Al Shami, IMF\n- Conference Coordinators:\n  - Joanna Zaffaroni, IMF\n  - Sofia Cerna Rubinstein, IMF\n  - Hana Benslimane, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University\n  - Zineb Idrissi, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University"
    },
    {
      "heading": "Day 1: June 29, 2026 — Sessions and schedule (local time: Rabat, Morocco)",
      "content": "- 9:00–9:30 AM — Welcome and Opening Remarks\n  - Karim El Aynaoui, Executive Vice-President and Dean (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University)\n  - Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department (IMF)\n- 9:30–11:00 AM — Session 1 – Geoeconomic Fragmentation and Economic Integration\n  - Chair: Karim El Aynaoui (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University)\n  - Papers and authors:\n    - The Remains of the Trade: The U.S.–China Trade War and its Aftermath; Pol Antràs (Harvard University) and Andrea Presbitero (IMF)\n    - Connector economies in a fragmenting world; Chuan-Han Cheng (University of Cambridge), Oleg Konovalov (EBRD), and Alexander Plekhanov (EBRD)\n    - Connectedness Without Complexity? Geoeconomic Fragmentation and Structural Transformation in the MENA Region; Zein Alamah (Concordia University) and Ali Fakih (Lebanese American University)\n  - Discussant: Francesco Grigoli (Georgetown University in Qatar)\n- 11:30 AM–1:00 PM — Session 2 – Artificial Intelligence\n  - Chair: Ferid Belhaj (Policy Center for the New South and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University)\n  - Papers and authors:\n    - Technological Change, Occupations, and Labor Markets in MENA; Gustavo Leyva (Center for Latin American Monetary Studies) and Carlos Urrutia (Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, ITAM, Mexico City)\n    - AI in a Fragmenting World; Barry Eichengreen (University of California, Berkeley), George Cui (IMF), Asmaa ElGanainy (IMF), Yevgeniya Korniyenko (IMF), Elyad Shojaei (IMF), Li Zeng (IMF), and Frank Zhang (IMF)\n    - AI and Productivity in the MENA Region and Beyond: Opportunities and Challenges; Filiz Unsal (OECD), Francesco Filippucci (OECD), Peter Gal (OECD), and Matthias Schief (OECD)\n  - Discussant: Antonio Spilimbergo (Deputy Director, Research Department, IMF)\n- 2:30–4:00 PM — Session 3 – Trade Policies\n  - Chair: Dorothée Boccanfuso (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University)\n  - Papers and authors:\n    - What Do Market-Access Subsidies Do? Experimental Evidence from Tunisia; Nadia Ali (Columbia University), Giacomo De Giorgi (University of Geneva), Aminur Rahman (Asian Development Bank), and Eric Verhoogen (Columbia University)\n    - Conditional Trade Policy: Economic Effects of Qualifying Industrial Zones in the Middle East; Ayman Tibi (University of Mannheim)\n    - The Impact of Global Trade Policies on MCD Countries and Regional Integration Prospects; Koralai Kirabeva (IMF), Lorenzo Rotunno (IMF), and Michele Ruta (IMF)\n  - Discussant: Mehdi Bartal (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University)\n- 4:30–5:30 PM — Session 4 – Labor Market Policies\n  - Chair: Taline Koranchelian (Deputy Director, Middle East and Central Asia Department, IMF)\n  - Papers and authors:\n    - Job Amenities, Adverse Selection, and Women's Labor Supply in Jordan; Bailey Palmer (University of California, Berkeley)\n    - Do Employment Subsidies Affect Skill Intensity and Capital Formation? Evidence from Turkish Manufacturing Firms; Güneş Aşık (Middle East Technical University, Ankara) and Çağlar Yüncüler (TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara)\n  - Discussant: Nisreen Salti (American University of Beirut)\n- 5:30–6:30 PM — Keynote Lecture\n  - Title: \"Economic Principles for the 21st Century\"\n  - Keynote Speaker: Andrés Velasco (Dean of the School of Public Policy, London School of Economics)"
    },
    {
      "heading": "Day 2: June 30, 2026 — Sessions and schedule (local time: Rabat, Morocco)",
      "content": "- 9:00–9:15 AM — Best Graduate Student Paper Award and Acknowledgment of Graduate Students\n  - Laudatio: Jihad Azour (Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, IMF)\n  - Winner: Bailey Palmer (University of California, Berkeley)\n  - Special Mentions: Nadia Ali (Columbia University) and Ayman Tibi (University of Mannheim)\n- 9:15–10:15 AM — Policy Panel\n  - Moderator: Jihad Azour (Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, IMF)\n  - Panelists:\n    - Nadia Fettah Alaoui (Minister of Finance, Morocco)\n    - Rania Al-Mashat (Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UNESCWA)\n    - Hasan Alhasan (Senior Fellow for Middle East Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies)\n    - Andrés Velasco (Dean of the School of Public Policy, London School of Economics)\n- 10:45 AM–12:15 PM — Session 5 – Monetary and Fiscal Policies\n  - Chair: Mohamed Taamouti (Bank Al-Maghrib)\n  - Papers and authors:\n    - Transmission of Global Monetary Shocks in MENA and CCA Economies; Giancarlo Corsetti (European University Institute, Florence), Michele Castegini (European University Institute, Florence), Zeina Hasna (IMF), Simon Lloyd (Bank of England), and Nadine Yamout (American University of Beirut)\n    - Does Inflation Targeting Matter in Achieving Long-term Price Stability? Evidence from Egypt and Georgia; Nasser Badra (American University of Beirut), Salim Chahine (Central Bank of Lebanon), and Ugo Panizza (Geneva Graduate Institute)\n    - Fiscal Rules at Risk: Debt Structure and Fiscal Adjustment in Times of Geopolitical and Economic Uncertainty; Sami Ben Naceur (IMF), Abdelhamid Moustabchir (Hasan II University, Casablanca), and Sara Loukili (Bank Al-Maghrib)\n  - Discussant: Roberta Gatti (Chief Economist for the MENAP region, World Bank)\n- 12:15–12:45 PM — Closing Remarks\n  - Nadia Fettah Alaoui (Minister of Finance, Morocco)\n  - Jihad Azour (Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, IMF)"
    },
    {
      "heading": "Outputs and materials",
      "content": "- Papers and slides approved for distribution from the conference are available for download.\n- Conference recordings: Watch Day 1 and Watch Day 2 available for replay."
    }
  ],
  "bullets": [
    "Title: Rethinking MENA Integration in a Fast-Changing Global Environment",
    "Host institutions: International Monetary Fund (IMF) in partnership with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University",
    "Location: Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Rabat, Morocco",
    "Dates: June 29–30, 2026",
    "Purpose: Bring together academics and policy makers to explore how the region can respond to external shocks through macroeconomic and financial policies; harness digitalization and AI to boost productivity and regional connectivity; and mobilize energy and infrastructure investment to support growth.",
    "Focus areas:",
    "Series context: Second annual MENA Economic Research Conference; series aims to establish a forum for dialogue and knowledge exchange among academics, researchers, and policymakers and to strengthen economic research capacities in ministries of finance and central banks in the region.",
    "Program Committee:",
    "Organizing Committee:",
    "Conference Coordinators:",
    "9:00–9:30 AM — Welcome and Opening Remarks",
    "9:30–11:00 AM — Session 1 – Geoeconomic Fragmentation and Economic Integration",
    "11:30 AM–1:00 PM — Session 2 – Artificial Intelligence",
    "2:30–4:00 PM — Session 3 – Trade Policies",
    "4:30–5:30 PM — Session 4 – Labor Market Policies",
    "5:30–6:30 PM — Keynote Lecture",
    "9:00–9:15 AM — Best Graduate Student Paper Award and Acknowledgment of Graduate Students",
    "9:15–10:15 AM — Policy Panel",
    "10:45 AM–12:15 PM — Session 5 – Monetary and Fiscal Policies",
    "12:15–12:45 PM — Closing Remarks",
    "Papers and slides approved for distribution from the conference are available for download.",
    "Conference recordings: Watch Day 1 and Watch Day 2 available for replay."
  ],
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  "generatedAtUtc": "2026-10-02T03:27:09.078Z"
}