Podcasts

Back

A Path to Strengthening the Global Financial Architecture

02
February 2024
Youssef El Jai & Ferid Belhaj
Related topics: 
Economy

In this podcast, Mr. Ferid Belhaj, Vice President - Middle East North Africa, World Bank Group shares his insights around the key takeaways from the Annual Meetings 2023 as well as his vision of the global financial architecture and the transformative potential of the Marrakesh Declaration to improve the outcomes on global public goods and development. In this episode, we also adress questions on what efforts can the bank do in that respect to mobilize more private capital in climate resilience/development projects.

RELATED CONTENT

  • Exploring the African Policy of India
    Abdessalam Jaldi and Samir Bhattacharya
    March 28, 2025
    In recent years, India has strengthened its ties with Africa, focusing on economic development and trade exchanges. With initiatives aimed at promoting commerce, investments, and technolo ...
  • Le protectionnisme, entre panacée et poison
    Authors
    Dominique Bocquet
    March 26, 2025
    Ce commentaire a été publié initialement sur commentaire.fr   La question du protectionnisme ne date pas du retour triomphal de Donald Trump, ni même de sa première élection : elle hante la mondialisation depuis le début du xxie siècle. Le nouveau programme du Président américain oblige toutefois à y réfléchir plus attentivement qu’on ne l’a fait jusqu’à présent. C’est l’objet de cet article.   ...
  • Download PDF
    Global Implications of the Tariff War: A Focus on the New South
    Authors
    Hung Q. Tran
    March 25, 2025
    When President Donald Trump gave his State of the Union address to a joint session of the United States Congress on March 4, 2025, many of his announced tariffs went into effect. These included a 25% levy on most goods imports from Canada (10% on oil and gas) and Mexico (though Trump subsequently exempted Canadian and Mexican imports that satisfy USMCA rules of origin requirements); and 20% (doubling the 10% implemented in February) on all imports from China. A 25% tariff has been i ...
  • Download PDF
    African Macroeconomics Under Trump 2.0
    Authors
    Sampawende J. Tapsoba
    March 24, 2025
    The return of President Donald Trump could significantly impact macroeconomic policy in Africa. The effects may vary across the continent. Nations that remain neutral towards U.S. influence are likely to benefit, while those aligned with the U.S.'s rivals or lacking immediate economic advantages may be deprioritized in U.S. foreign policy. In this article, we examine the channels through which U.S. policies and the change in political discourse could affect macroeconomic policies in ...
  • Download PDF
    The Water-Energy Nexus: The Path to Solving the Water Crisis in the Middle East and North Africa
    Authors
    Ferid Belhaj
    March 21, 2025
    MENA faces a severe water crisis, with 12 of the world’s 17 most water-stressed countries. Climate change, population growth, inefficient water management, and weak governance drive this challenge. Water production, treatment, and distribution require high energy inputs, while energy generation depends on water for cooling and refining. The region must integrate renewable energy, especially solar power, into water solutions like desalination. Inaction could shrink GDP by up to 14% ...
  • Download PDF
    Feuille de route pour l'emploi: Optimiser l'opérationnalisation pour une relance inclusive et durable
    Authors
    Aomar Ibourk
    Tayeb Ghazi
    March 20, 2025
    Le marché du travail marocain traverse des défis structurels majeurs, avec un taux de participation relativement faible (43,5 %) et encore plus marqué chez les femmes, dont la participation reste inférieure à 20 %. Le chômage, quant à lui, est élevé, particulièrement parmi les jeunes diplômés, atteignant 30 %, et une grande partie de l'emploi urbain se trouve dans le secteur informel, représentant entre 20 et 40 % des emplois. Ce marché est également marqué par des d ...
  • Reforming International Financial Institutions: Why Good Policies Matter More for Developing Countries
    Authors
    Karim El Aynaoui
    Hinh T. Dinh
    Akram Zaoui
    March 20, 2025
    This paper (see pages: 152-164), included in the report 'The Reckoning Regression or Renaissance?' was originally published on orfonline.org   Calls for reforms of the International Financial Architecture (IFA) are foregrounded by the growing financing needs of developing countries, driven by mounting climate-related challenges; conflict and violence; rising numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs); and macroeconomic imbalances, including crippling debt service and debt dist ...
  • حديث الثلاثاء : واقع الطبقات الوسطى والقدرة الشرائية في المغرب
    March 18, 2025
    كشفت المندوبية السامية للتخطيط في نتائج البحث الوطني الأخير حول معيشة الأسر المغربية معطيات تثير النقاش، أبرزها وضع الطبقة الوسطى التي تُعد ركيزة أساسية للاستقرار الاقتصادي والاجتماعي ومحركًا رئيسيًا للنمو. لكن هذه الطبقة تواجه اليوم تحديات غير مسبوقة، وأهمها تصاعد غلاء المعيشة. فما هو ...
  • Download PDF
    From Financing to Investing for Development: The End of ODA as We Know It
    Authors
    Ferid Belhaj
    March 14, 2025
    The traditional model of Official Development Assistance (ODA) has not only entrenched financial dependence but also served as a tool for geopolitical influence, often prioritizing donor interests over genuine economic self-sufficiency in developing nations. The 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) envisioned a shift towards private investment, but this strategy has largely failed. Capital flight, rising debt burdens, and systemic financial asymmetries have ensured that investm ...
  • Why Libya’s Businesses Struggle to Raise Finance
    Authors
    Mohamed Elmagbri
    March 13, 2025
    Libya faces a paradox: it has a bloated public sector employing millions, yet a crippling unemployment crisis, especially among young people. According to the Libyan Audit Bureau’s 2023 report[1], over two million people work for the government, a figure that excludes state-owned enterprises such as oil companies, banks, and utilities companies. With a total labor force of 2.5 million[2], out of every ten Libyan adults, eight are employed by the government. This massive public workf ...