Rabat, 28 September 2018 (ECA) – At the conclusion of its expert group meeting on quality of institutions and structural transformation, the ECA Office for North Africa called on countries to facilitate researchers’ access to their microeconomic data for a better understanding of the causes of distortions and productivity losses within their economies.
Participants in the meeting also concluded that accelerating the productivity of North African economies will require a better allocation of intra-sectorial resources, to foster higher productivity as well a sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
North African economies are currently suffering from market imperfections and a lack of efficiency in institutions, which are causing distortions, triggering resource misallocations and depriving countries from significant productivity gains.
After a general study of distortions observed within North African credit markets, job markets, uncertainties and issues caused when privileges are given to certain companies at the expense of more profitable and efficient ones, the experts agreed on the need to explore this topic further, for a deeper understanding of these distortions, their impact on total factor productivity and the policies needed to rectify the situation.
“The exchanges we have had during the workshop have shown how important it is to facilitate researchers’ access to existing data within each country. Such data would enable researchers to come up with a methodology for the analysis of the distortions North African economies are suffering from. Such a tool would help countries fight productivity losses and implement the solutions needed to reorient development policies towards productive sectors in accordance with their needs”, said Lilia Hachem Naas, director of the ECA office for North Africa at the meeting.
The expert group meeting was held on 26-27 September 2018 under the theme: “Quality of institutions and structural transformation: distortions and resource allocations in North Africa”. About thirty governance and public policy specialists as well as International organization, country and private sector representatives took part in this event. The meeting aimed to examine the links between the quality of institutions and structural transformation.
The ECA Office for North Africa will publish a report on this topic in the coming months. The final document will include the conclusions and recommendations presented at the meeting.
For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.uneca.org/iqst-egm-2018.
Communication Team
Economic Commission for Africa
Office for North Africa
Tel: +212 (0) 537 548 749
Email: filali-ansary@un.org; cea.an.coms@gmail.com