Growth Academy MENA 2025
What could policymakers, think tanks, researchers, and development practitioners do to shape the future of policymaking in middle-income countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)? This special three-day workshop aimed to give them a clear roadmap. Its goal was to share strategies essential for navigating the complexities of economic growth, enhancing productivity, and overcoming the middle-income trap..
Welcome video from Rania Al-Mashat
Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation
Growth Academy: Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The Growth Academy, a flagship initiative of the Global Center for Economic Growth (GCEG), launched a regionally focused program tailored to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This initiative brought together policymakers, researchers, and experts to address the unique growth challenges and opportunities across the region.
In response to regional priorities, the program also highlighted climate adaptation, digital transformation, and cross-border trade—leveraging both global research and region-specific policy experiences. By fostering a collaborative network of leaders across MENA, the Growth Academy supported evidence-based policymaking that catalyzed sustainable growth across the region.
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, participated in the Growth Academy MENA workshop held in Cairo. The four-day event, organized in collaboration with the World Bank, the University of Chicago, and the Economic Research Forum, convened high-level representatives from across the MENA region to explore solutions for overcoming the middle-income trap.
In her remarks, Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the Academy’s role in strengthening Egypt’s longstanding partnership with the World Bank and advancing evidence-based policymaking. She highlighted the importance of innovation, gender equity, and digital transformation in addressing today’s complex development challenges.
This high-level dialogue marked a pivotal moment in regional cooperation—connecting research, policy, and practice to support sustainable growth in middle-income economies.
Featured Presentations
Philippe Aghion
Professor of Economics, INSEAD; London School of Economics; and Collège de France
“The Power of Creative Destruction” (Slides)
Altan Cakir
Professor, Istanbul Technical University
“The Applied AI Toolkits for Future: Leveraging AI for Economical Developments“
Indermit Gill
Chief Economist of the World Bank Group; Senior Vice President for Development Economics
“Growing Enterpreneruial Clusters” (Slides)
Somik Lall
Senior Advisor, Office of the Senior Vice President, World Bank
Director of the World Development Report 2024; Co-Director, Growth Academy
“Energy, Emissions, and Creative Destruction” (Slides)
Norman Loayza
Director, Global Indicators Group, Development Economics, World Bank
“Economic Growth: A Practitioner’s Perspective and Applications of the Long-Term Growth Model to Egypt and Syria“
Paul Makdissi
Professor, University of Ottawa
“Creative Destruction and
Distance to Frontier: Implications for Emerging Economies” (Slides)
Javier Miranda
Professor, Friedrich Schiller University Jena;Head of the Center for Business and Productivity Dynamics, Halle Institute for Economic Research
“Business Dynamism and Productivity” (Sides)
Roberta Gatti
Chief Economist for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), World Bank
“Growth in MENA”
