Washington, DC – Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, and Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement:

The inaugural conference, Steering Macroeconomic and Structural Policies in A Shifting Global Economic Landscape, will be co-organized with Onsi Sawiris School of Business at The American University in Cairo and take place in Cairo on May 18-19, 2025. It will feature presentations and panel discussions by leading economists and policymakers.

“The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces an increasingly uncertain economic landscape shaped by global shocks and regional challenges. Conflicts, trade tensions, volatile commodity prices, climate change, energy transitions, and rapid technological advancements are transforming the region, presenting both significant challenges and opportunities for bold reforms. These reforms are critical to ensuring macroeconomic stability, building resilience, and improving living standards for all. High-quality economic research is vital to deliver reliable analysis and innovative policy solutions.

“We are delighted to announce the launch of the IMF’s Annual Economic Research Conference on MENA, in collaboration with leading regional universities. This conference will serve as a dynamic platform for dialogue on critical economic issues, fostering policy-oriented academic research tailored to the MENA region’s unique challenges. It will also facilitate the exchange of ideas among academics, researchers, and policymakers from the region and beyond.

“The inaugural conference, Steering Macroeconomic and Structural Policies in a Shifting Global Economic Landscape, will be co-organized with the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at The American University in Cairo and held in Cairo on May 18-19, 2025. The event will feature presentations and panel discussions by prominent economists and polic