## Is MENA a Region? The Scope for Regional Integration

_IMF Working Papers, April 1, 1996_

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**Canonical URL:** [Is MENA a Region? The Scope for Regional Integration](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/is-mena-a-region-the-scope-for-regional-integration-2019)

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## Bibliographic details
- Authors: Stanley Fischer, Mohamed A. El-Erian
- Published: April 1, 1996
- Series: IMF Working Papers
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451980363.001

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### Overview
- Authors: Stanley Fischer, Mohamed A. El-Erian
- Date: April 1, 1996
- Core focus: analyzes the scope and implications of greater economic integration in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
- Approach: reviews whether MENA satisfies the defining characteristics of a region, documents the low level of regional economic interaction, and discusses measures aimed directly at facilitating regional interaction.

### Main findings
- The paper documents a low level of regional economic interaction within MENA.
- Gains from greater regional interactions will depend primarily on implementing domestic reform and external policies.
- These domestic reforms and external policies are, in any case, needed for the region to benefit from the broader process of globalization of the world economy.
- The paper also discusses measures aimed directly at facilitating regional interaction.

### Policy implications and recommendations
- Priority should be given to domestic reforms and external policy adjustments as the main route to realizing gains from regional integration.
- Measures that directly facilitate regional interaction are discussed as complementary steps to domestic and external reforms.

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/is-mena-a-region-the-scope-for-regional-integration-2019_