Economic Research Forum for Arab Countries

• Research unit: SDC
• Project number: 7F-03518.01

Key words (German)

ERF
Economic Research Forum for Arab Countries
Iran
Türkey
Gesellschaftliche Strukturen und Beziehungen
Ausland
Wissenschaft

Short description (English)

The Economic Research Forum for the Arab Countries, Iran and Turkey has been created in June 1993 as an independent, self sustaining institution that would help to improve the quality and increase the quantity of applied policy-oriented economic research on the Arab region. From the beginning it has been supported by the Arab Fund for economic and social development, the European Commission, the World Bank and the Ford Foundation, subsequently followed by the International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada.
The three main objectives of ERF - production of quality research, informing the policy debate, and building capacity for front-line, have as their goal to create a strong MENA research Community that interacts with the policy communities of the region and the international community of researchers and development agents.

Project aims (English)

The ultimate goal is the creation of a strong MENA research community that interacts with the policy-communities of the region and the international community of researchers and development agents. The aim is to foster economic growth with equity and the effective integration of the region into the world economy. ERF is now able to initiate joint research programmes with other specialised institutions, to coordinate comparative cross-country research and to assist its constituency in assessing data and information. Interdisciplinary programmes have become possible, with potentially critical outputs and recommendations that address the practical concerns of governments in the region.

ERF's main objectives are: (1) the production of quality research, (2) informing the policy debate, (3) building capacity in front-line research and those through the publications and dissemination of newsletters both in English and Arabic, working papers reaching institutions and individuals, and books useful to researchers, academia and development specialists. Regional indicators reports, known as "Economic trends in the MENA region", are essential references. A strong network has been established with the so-called "country chapters" to establish economic profiles of the countries.