Towards more justice for disadvantaged people: count on civil society Two years on, post-Arab spring democracies debate courses of action that must deliver results to their people, against a backdrop of heightened expectations. Perhaps no issue is more pressing than the improvement of government accountability and ensuring full respect of citizens...

Background In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges in countries already struggling to manage the additional social and economic pressure of hosting refugees and displaced. The lockdown measures put in place in many countries led to closure of businesses and halt of economic activities. Although social support measures were put in...

Rationale   The Metropolitan Workshops is an initiative by the Agency for Sustainable Mediterranean Cities and Territories (AViTeM), the Center for Mediterranean Integration (CMI) and the French Development Agency (AFD). It consists in a series of three immersive and interactive trainings targeting urban practitioners, urban planners,...

Background COVID-19 has had severe economic impacts on local economies and communities, particularly the most vulnerable. The pandemic has disrupted supply chains and led to reverse migration, stagnant rural non-farm economies, and devastating consequences for community/women groups, youth, and informal workers.  Extreme poverty is likely to...

Background Following HMLN members’ requests, the CMI and the GIZ Connective Cities Program have been working together to increase municipal capacities in finding alternative sources of funding. Among the activities, Connective cities led a Practitioners’ Workshop on “Local Economic Development and Job Creation in the Middle East and North Africa...

Rationale   The coronavirus has proved to be a serious threat not only to people’s health but also to economies and societies of all countries, regardless of their level of development. This crisis presents a real test to the resilience of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries, as it came at a time when they were challenged to keep...

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has not only led to human casualties but also generated a severe global economic downturn. Governments have responded with economic stimulus packages to mitigate the adverse effects of this downturn. In this paper, we analyze the economic policy responses adopted by 21 Mediterranean countries.   Our analysis...

Given the growing impact of COVID-19, the initial measures taken by the Tunisian authorities failed to address the second wave effectively. After providing an overview of the Tunisian public debt situation prior to the pandemic and of the subsequent challenges posed by the Covid-19 crisis, the brief suggests additional measures to counter the...

Trade and integration — within MENA and with the rest of the world — will be critical to lowering poverty, empowering the poor, and igniting economic growth in the post-COVID era, according to the World Bank’s latest regional economic update.   The report, titled Trading Together: Reviving Middle East and North Africa Regional Integration in...

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation strategy of firms, which have followed the technological path to support business continuity online, in response to government restrictions. The effectiveness of these business strategies depends on the familiarity and awareness of consumers with the use of online channels and...

Background   The Mediterranean is one of the most affected regions by climate change. Building territorial resilience has become essential to adapt to stresses and shocks, whether the stresses are climatic, socio-economic, or pandemic related. One of the key elements of territorial resilience pathways includes youth empowerment....