Is MENA a Region? The Scope for Regional Integration

Download or read book Is MENA a Region? The Scope for Regional Integration written by Mr.Stanley Fischer and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 1996-04-01 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The paper analyzes the scope and implications of greater economic integration in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). After reviewing whether MENA satisfies the defining characteristics of a region, it documents the low level of regional economic interaction. It argues that gains from greater regional interactions will depend primarily on implementing domestic reform and external policies that, in any case, are needed for the region to benefit from the broader process of globalization of the world economy. It also discusses measures aimed directly at facilitating regional interaction.