The Middle East

Essential Reading from the Institute

Peterson Perspective: Egypt's $4.8 Billion IMF Loan: Could It Affect Gaza? [pdf]
by Arvind Subramanian, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Arvind Subramanian explains how an IMF loan being negotiated with Egypt could become the United States' best leverage in seeking Cairo's help to stabilize the violent attacks between Israel and Gaza.
November 20, 2012

Peterson Perspective: Iran's Bizarre Dilemma: Hyperinflation and a Currency Shortage [pdf]
by Anders Aslund, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Anders Åslund explains how countries cope with hyperinflation and a currency shortage: Vodka, cigarettes, and other commodities become the new ersatz currency.
October 17, 2012

Peterson Perspective: Sanctions Are Finally Hitting Iran Hard: Part I [pdf]
by Gary Clyde Hufbauer, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Gary Clyde Hufbauer says that banking, insurance, and oil sanctions are causing huge currency and economic problems in Iran.
October 3, 2012

Article: Economic Sanctions Against Iran: Is the Third Decade a Charm?
by Jeffrey J. Schott, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Article in Business Economics. Reposted with permission.
July 2012

Peterson Perspective: Outlook in Egypt: Shariah, Populism, or Reform? [pdf]
by Mohsin S. Khan, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Mohsin S. Khan assesses the economic implications of the recent parliamentary election victory scored by the Islamic parties in Egypt.
December 14, 2011

Book: The Arab Economies in a Changing World, Second Edition
by Marcus Noland and Howard Pack
November 2011

Peterson Perspective: In Egypt, Politics Trumps Economic Reforms [pdf]
by Mohsin S. Khan, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Mohsin S. Khan describes Egypt's refusal of aid from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund as a setback for economic reform in the post-Mubarak era.
July 6, 2011

Paper: Australia, Canada, EU, Japan, NATO, UN, US v. Libya (2011– : Gadhafi, human rights) [pdf]
by Gary Clyde Hufbauer, Peterson Institute for International Economics
and Jeffrey J. Schott, Peterson Institute for International Economics
and Julia Muir, Peterson Institute for International Economics
and Milica Cosic, University of California, Santa Barbara
Economic Sanctions Case Study 2011-1
February 2012
Revised

Paper: EU, US v. Syrian Arab Republic (2011– : human rights, democracy) [pdf]
by Gary Clyde Hufbauer, Peterson Institute for International Economics
and Jeffrey J. Schott, Peterson Institute for International Economics
and Kimberly Ann Elliott, Peterson Institute for International Economics
and Julia Muir, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Economic Sanctions Case Study 2011-2
July 2011

RealTime Economic Issues Watch: A Marshall Plan for Egypt
by Anders Aslund
May 20, 2011

RealTime Economic Issues Watch: What Will the Post-Mubarak Egyptian Economy Look Like? 
by Mohsin S. Khan and Svetlana Milbert
April 27, 2011

RealTime Economic Issues Watch: Middle East Protests: Can Money Buy Peace?
by Mohsin S. Khan and Svetlana Milbert
March 9, 2011

RealTime Economic Issues Watch: Will Political Liberalization Produce a New Peronism in the Middle East?
by Marcus Noland
March 7, 2011

Peterson Perspective: Libyan Turmoil, Oil Prices, and the Global Economy [pdf]
by Mohsin S. Khan, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Mohsin S. Khan sees a continuing economic threat posed by instability in Libya and other oil producing states.
March 3, 2011

Peterson Perspective: Freezing Libyan Assets: It's Complicated [pdf]
by Edwin M. Truman, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Edwin M. Truman explains the impact of the freeze on Libya's assets and suggests that other sovereign wealth funds in the region might take umbrage.
March 3, 2011

Op-ed: Arab Spring Will Not See an Economic Boom
by Arvind Subramanian, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Op-ed in the Financial Times
February 21, 2011

RealTime Economic Issues Watch: What the United States Can Do to Help a Post-Mubarak Egypt
by Jeffrey J. Schott and Barbara Kotschwar
February 4, 2011

Peterson Perspective: Economic Repercussions of the Turmoil in Egypt [pdf]
by Mohsin S. Khan, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Mohsin S. Khan says the fear of spreading instability in the region, potentially affecting oil producers, is causing jitters in oil markets and some financial markets.
February 3, 2011

RealTime Economic Issues Watch: Egypt: Heading Toward Macroeconomic Destabilization
by Anders Aslund
February 25, 2011

RealTime Economic Issues Watch: Egypt's Rent Curse
by Arvind Subramanian
February 22, 2011

Book: Reengaging Egypt: Options for US-Egypt Economic Relations
Policy Analyses in International Economics No. 90
by Barbara Kotschwar and Jeffrey J. Schott
January 2010

RealTime Economic Issues Watch: Dangers of Rapid Political Change in the Middle East
by Howard Pack
February 9, 2011

Book: A US-Middle East Trade Agreement:
A Circle of Opportunity?
Policy Analyses in International Economics No. 81
by Robert Z. Lawrence
November 2006

Book: Anchoring Reform with a US-Egypt Free Trade Agreement
Policy Analyses in International Economics No. 74
by Ahmed Galal and Robert Z. Lawrence
May 2005