Impact of Peace and Economic Freedom on the Prosperity of Middle East and North African Countries

2018 ◽  
pp. 50-65
Author(s):  
Yilmaz Bayar
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
North African Countries

Significant improvements have been experienced in global prosperity in the recent years, but there have been considerable differences at prosperity levels of different regions. Western Europe and North Africa were the most prosperous regions of the world in 2017, while Sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East and North Africa were the least prosperous regions of the world in 2017. However, Middle East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa are also the least peaceful regions of the world. In this regard, this chapter analyzes the effect of peace and economic freedom on prosperity in Middle East and North African countries with panel data analysis. The results of empirical analysis revealed that both peace and economic freedom are significant determinants of prosperity.

Does economic freedom improve health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa?

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 1633-1649
Author(s):  
Anand Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the impact of economic freedom on four key health indicators (namely, life expectancy, infant mortality rate, under-five mortality rate and neonatal mortality rate) by using a panel dataset of 34 sub-Saharan African countries from 2005 to 2016.Design/methodology/approachThe study obtains data from the World Development Indicators (WDI) of the World Bank and the Fraser Institute. It uses fixed effects regression to estimate the effect of economic freedom on health outcomes and attempts to resolve the endogeneity problems by using two-stage least squares regression (2SLS).FindingsThe results indicate a favourable impact of economic freedom on health outcomes. That is, higher levels of economic freedom reduce mortality rates and increase life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa. All areas of economic freedom, except government size, have a significant and positive effect on health outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsThis study analyses the effect of economic freedom on health at a broad level. Country-specific studies at a disaggregated level may provide additional information about the impact of economic freedom on health outcomes. Also, this study does not control for some important variables such as education, income inequality and foreign aid due to data constraints.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that sub-Saharan African countries should focus on enhancing the quality of economic institutions to improve their health outcomes. This may include policy reforms that support a robust legal system, protect property rights, promote free trade and stabilise the macroeconomic environment. In addition, policies that raise urbanisation, increase immunisation and lower the incidence of HIV are likely to produce a substantial improvement in health outcomes.Originality/valueExtant economic freedom-health literature does not focus on endogeneity problems. This study uses instrumental variables regression to deal with endogeneity. Also, this is one of the first attempts to empirically investigate the relationship between economic freedom and health in the case of sub-Saharan Africa.

Social conflict, civil society, and maternal mortality in African countries

Leadership ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 543-555
Author(s):  
Iyabo Obasanjo
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Maternal Mortality ◽  
Social Conflict ◽  
Control Variable ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Social Conflicts ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
North African Countries

This study looks at the association between social conflicts, civil society freedom, and democracy, and how social conflicts impact maternal mortality in African countries as a first step toward understanding how to use civil society to pressure Sub-Saharan African governments into improving maternal mortality ratios and other human development indicators. Pro-Government riots were negatively associated with civil society freedom. Organized Demonstrations and Organized Riots were positively associated with civil society freedom when North African countries were included in the data, but when they were excluded, only Organized Riots were associated with civil society freedoms. The period under study included the Arab Spring, which was characterized by high numbers of Organized Demonstrations in North African countries. I theorized that Organized Demonstrations occur less often in Sub-Saharan African countries due to lower levels of internet connectivity (used to organize) or because government forces use severe suppression, which escalates demonstrations into riots more in Sub-Saharan Africa. The fewer Pro-Government riots there are, the freer the civil society, and the more Organized Demonstrations and Organized Riots, the freer the civil society. This indicates that Pro-Government riots tend to be organized as part of the government repression of civil society. The analyses used democratization levels of countries as a control variable and found that as autocracy level increases, the level of civil society freedom decreases. Organized Demonstrations were the only form of social conflict associated with maternal mortality. It was a negative association, with rising maternal mortality associated with fewer Organized Demonstrations. The finding therefore suggests that democratic governance, with associated civil society freedom, that allows Organized Demonstrations provides the best scenario for health outcomes in African countries.

scholarly journals Dietary trends in the Middle East and North Africa: an ecological study (1961 to 2007)

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 1835-1844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahdieh Golzarand ◽  
Parvin Mirmiran ◽  
Mahsa Jessri ◽  
Karamollah Toolabi ◽  
Mehdi Mojarrad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Study Results ◽  
North African Countries

AbstractObjectiveMiddle Eastern and North African countries are undergoing nutrition transition, a transition which is associated with an increased burden of non-communicable diseases. This necessitates the evaluation of dietary patterns in these regions. The present study aimed to assess changes in dietary patterns in Middle Eastern and North African countries between 1961 and 2007.DesignAvailability of energy and fifteen main food items during 1961–2007 was examined using FAO food balance sheets from the FAOSTAT database.SettingFifteen countries including nine in the Middle East and six in North Africa were selected and the average availability of total energy and different food items in these regions were compared.ResultsOver the 47 years studied, energy and food availability (apart from animal fats and alcoholic beverages) has increased in the Middle East and North Africa. In both regions the proportion of energy derived from meat and vegetable oils has increased significantly while that from cereals decreased significantly. In addition, the proportion of energy from milk and dairy products and vegetables has shown an ascending trend in North Africa while the proportion of energy from fruits has shown a descending trend in the Middle East.ConclusionsThe study results reveal an unfavourable trend towards a Westernized diet in the Middle East and, to a certain extent, in North Africa. Tailored nutritional education encouraging healthy eating for prevention of the burden of chronic diseases in these countries seems essential.

HIV/AIDS in the Middle East and North Africa: A Brief Review of Prevention, Research, and Resources

2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Kaplan
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Main Mode ◽  
Prevention Services ◽  
Aids Epidemic ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Living With Hiv

The 2005 UNAIDS/WHO Epidemic Update reports that the number of people living with HIV last year worldwide was 40.3 million (1). In 2005, approximately 3.2 million people became newly infected by HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa, the region of the world that is considered the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic (2).Although the rates of HIV are much less in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) than in Sub-Saharan Africa, some experts believe that without appropriate implementation of surveillance and prevention services, the epidemic will spread to the general population (3). Reportedly, 67,000 people in MENA became infected with HIV in 2005; there are approximately 510,000 people living with HIV in the region (2). Because of cultural and social taboos surrounding the discussion of the acquisition of HIV around the world in general, and in MENA in particular, it is difficult to develop a clear representation of HIV's presence and risk in countries in the Middle East. Based on the information that is available, the main mode of transmission of HIV is sexual contact, with injecting drug use recognized as the second mode of increasing prevalence (2). Without sufficient implementation of surveillance in the region, however, estimated rates of infection may indeed be lower than the actual number of people infected with HIV (4).

scholarly journals North Africa in Russian Travelers Perception: Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt in Russian Travelogues

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 505-513
Author(s):  
Samiha Mulahi
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Xix Century ◽  
North African Countries

The article is devoted to the analysis of Russian travelers ideas about North African countries (Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt) in the period from the end of the XIX century to the beginning of the XX century. The paper considers the perception of this geographical area by Russian travelers in literary travelogues. North Africa in the designated period of time was considered not only as the cradle of ancient and great civilization, but also as a Europeanized, modernized territory of the Arab area. The travelogues analyzed in the article make it possible to distinguish in them two different cultural pictures of the world - North Africa and the picture of the world of Western Europe reflected in it.

scholarly journals The COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East and North Africa. Old demons in a new bottle

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-18
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Economic Situation ◽  
Social Conflicts ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Political Situation ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Gcc Countries ◽  
North African Countries

The paper presents the strategies of Middle East and North African countries in coping with COVID-19 pandemic in the first months of spring/summer 2020. It offers a categorisation of strategies basing on the available assets the countries have and political situation. According to this categorisation there are countries in which the pandemic is one more burden to bear that makes the current political or economic situation even worse (countries torn by war or serious internal social conflicts); countries that cope with the pandemic as good as it gets – taking their institutional capacities (Egypt and Morocco); the too rich to fail category of GCC countries, and two possible success stories (by that time Jordan and Tunisia).

Integrating African Migrants?

2020 ◽  
pp. 165-186
Author(s):  
Matt Buehler ◽  
Kyung Joon Han
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
African Descent ◽  
Maritime Security ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
African Migrants ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
North African Countries

Given historically amicable relations between North Africa’s native citizens of Arab and African descent, it is counterintuitive that prejudice against foreign African migrants from sub-Saharan countries seems to be rising. Discrimination seems to be intensifying against African migrants who have recently arrived from Congo, Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon, Mali, and elsewhere. Where conflict and poverty proliferate in these countries, migrants flee to North Africa seeking clandestine access to Europe by boat across the Mediterranean, or by foot through Spain’s North African enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta. In response, Spain, Italy, and North African countries have increased border and maritime security. Thus, as an alternative, many sub-Saharan African migrants have decided to resettle in North Africa. Previously, articles have appeared depicting North African states as “sender” countries of migrants. Yet, more recently, they have also become “recipient” countries of African migrants.

scholarly journals Multiple Sclerosis Epidemiology in Middle East and North Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pouria Heydarpour ◽  
Shayan Khoshkish ◽  
Shabnam Abtahi ◽  
Maziar Moradi-Lakeh ◽  
Mohammad Ali Sahraian
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Population Based ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
North African Countries

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disorders and a leading cause of nontraumatic disability in young adults in many countries. Recent reports from the Middle East and North Africa have suggested a moderate to high risk of MS in these countries. Methods: A literature search was performed in August 2014 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and IMEMR to retrieve original population-based studies on MS epidemiology in the Middle East and North African countries published between 1st January 1985 and 1st August 2014. We designed search strategies using the key words: MS, prevalence, incidence, and epidemiology. According to the inclusion criteria, 52 studies were included in this systematic review. Results: McDonald's criteria were the most widely used diagnostic criteria in the studies. Most studies were conducted in single hospital-based centers with a defined catchment area. The female/male ratio ranged from 0.8 in Oman to 4.3 in Saudi Arabia. MS prevalence ranged from 14.77/100,000 population in Kuwait (2000) to 101.4/100,000 in Turkey (2006). The overall MS prevalence in the region was 51.52/100,000. The mean age at disease onset ranged from 25.2 years in Kuwait to 32.5 years in Northeastern Iran, with an overall estimate of 28.54 years. Conclusions: Recent advances in MS registries will allow nation-wide studies and temporal comparisons between countries, provided that age- and sex-standardized estimates are available.

scholarly journals Determinants of Total Factor Productivity in the Middle East and North Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna K. Raggl
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Total Factor Productivity ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Output Growth ◽  
Factor Productivity ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
North African Countries

AbstractA decomposition of output growth rates of Middle Eastern and North African countries shows that the contributions of human capital-augmented labor and physical capital to output growth are comparably small and stable over time and that in most countries a considerable share of output growth is attributed to growth in total factor productivity. This paper empirically assesses the determinants of total factor productivity in the Middle East and North Africa region between 1980 and 2009. The findings suggest that human capital is not only an input factor of production but also a quantity that changes the efficiency by which existing input factors are used. Domestic innovations appear to be efficient only if a certain level of educational attainment is reached by a country. In addition, human capital contributes to the ability of efficient adoption of technology from abroad and allows a faster catch-up with technological leaders. Globalization, in combination with a (comparably low) threshold endowment of human capital, is estimated to increase total factor productivity in Middle Eastern and North African countries.

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