Comparative Study: Tax Systems in Six Arab Countries

This paper is one in a series of papers published by the Arab NGO Network for development (ANND) as part of its work on monitoring IFIs’ policies in the Arab region. This work falls within ANND’s aims of strengthening the analysis and research on public policies in the Arab region, in addition to supporting the process of building a strong role for civil society in developing alternatives, specifically on the economic and social fronts, based on choices that are rooted in the local and national priorities and needs.

Enabling Environment National Assessment - Case of Lebanon

The report offers a thorough examination of the legal, regulatory, and policy environment in which Civil Society Organizations operate in Lebanon. It underlines the progress made and most importantly the weaknesses and obstacles still facing civil society’s work today in 9 main dimensions. The study was carried out by ANND in partnership with CIVICUS, ICNL, article 19 and the World Movement for Democracy with the support of the Government of Sweden.

Guidebook to the European Neighbourhood instrument and the international Financial Institutions

This guidebook will be beneficial for civil society organisations, human rights defenders and local activists monitoring the impacts of the European Neighbourhood Policy, both in the social and economic contexts as well as including its financial instruments. While the type of organisations may vary from country to country, the document will be of particular importance to organisations engaged in monitoring and advocacy on the issues of development and human rights.

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IMFs Trade and Investment related advice to Arab countries: Trends and implications

This paper is one in a series of papers published by the Arab NGO Network for development (ANND) as part of its work on monitoring IFIs’ policies in the Arab region.This work falls within ANND’s aims of strengthening the analysis and research on public policies in the Arab region, in addition to supporting the process of building a strong role for civil society in developing alternatives, specifically on the economic and social fronts, based on choices that are rooted in the local and national priorities and needs.  The following paper focuses on the IMF’s structural policy advice to Arab countries, which is one dimension of the policy advice presented to governments in the region along macroeconomic policy advice. The paper and the figures it presents focus on trends in middle-income non-oil exporting counties. The paper gives an overview of the challenges of production, wages, poverty, and inequalities in the Arab region. It reviews the narrative of the IMF post the revolutions in the Arab countries and discusses the IMF’s role in the area of trade and investment policies.

Arab uprisings and Social Justice, implications of IMF subsidy reform policies

This paper traces the evolution of IMF recommendations on fuel and food subsidies from the onset of the global financial crisis (2007-2008) through the aftermath of the 2011 Arab uprisings. During this period, the IMF has intensified its calls for the reduction of food and, in particular, fuel subsidies in the MENA. In addition to conducting a comprehensive review of IMF staff reports from 2007 to 2013, the authors of this paper interviewed representatives of over 11 development and human rights-focused organizations based in Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, and Yemen.4 By consulting civil society perspectives, this paper seeks to highlight the concerns of societies in the Arab region over the socio-economic consequences of IMF-backed subsidy reforms.