Alumni were invited to the presentation of the joint report of the EBRD, European Investment Bank (EIB) and the World Bank (WB) on

What’s Holding Back the Private Sector in MENA?

Lessons from the Enterprise Survey

The report pays special attention to the policies needed to support private enterprise in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to ensure job creation and entrepreneurship in the region which has considerable potential to grow the formal private sector, with resulting benefits to economic growth and shared prosperity. Based on a thorough analysis of enterprise surveys conducted in eight countries, the report finds that while political instability is widely viewed as a constraint on firms’ productivity and competitiveness, there are many other issues that must be addressed to promote faster private sector growth and job creation. These include tackling corruption and unreliable electricity supplies, facilitating firms’ access to finance, improving systems of education and training, supporting work opportunities for women and young people, and creating greater openness to international trade.