Using a large, original database of 385 politically connected firms under the Mubarak regime in Egypt, we document for the first time the negative impact of cronyism on economic growth. In the early 2000s, a policy shift in Egypt led to the expansion of crony activities into new, previously...

The study has surveyed the post-Arab Spring youth employment policies that have been adopted in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, and Tunisia. In addition, the study examines whether and how the economic policies implemented in these countries led to high levels of youth unemployment prior to the Arab...

This paper analyzes that past growth was characterized by a suboptimal allocation of the factors of production and a lack of dynamism in the private sector. By identifying the main constraints to private sector-led growth and higher employment generation, it suggests policies to further shift...