A report from FEMISE (the Marseilles-based Euro-Mediterranean Forum of Economic Institutes) has identified the elements that determine the export performances of countries in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) by comparing the performances of the two countries in which trade is considered the most dynamic: Turkey and Israel.
"The main objective of this paper is to verify whether the transition of firms in the selected MENA countries to the requirements of globalised market economies is already completed or not yet", the EU-financed study states, which was written by the University of Warsaw and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In particular, the study "compares the export behaviour" of these firms with that of firms from countries of central and eastern Europe (CEE).
The first conclusion is that "there are many similarities, in terms of transition", between the two neighbouring areas of Europe. However, in terms of progress, that of CEE is quicker (development compared with the performances of similar European firms). "If the aim of the MENA governments is to improve export performance, fighting corruption does not seem to help a lot. It seems that a policy of privatisation of firms, such as the one practised after 1989 in CEE, is not going to help much in improving export performance (maybe with the exception of Egypt)."
These differences are reduced the older the firm becomes. It is clear that "over time the export performance shall improve as a result of accumulated experience".
Two ideas in particular are put forward: "efficient intermediaries can increase exporting potential of MENA countries" and so can diversifying the range of products to be exported. Innovation should also be a target. (Original version in French by Fathi B’Chir)