Seminars, Webinars, & High-level Events
Seminar on Boosting Competitiveness in the Arab Region: Industrial Policy vs. Structural Reforms
January 19, 2026
PRESS RELEASE
Monday January 19, 2026
The International Monetary Fund-Middle East Center for Economics and Finance and The Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait co-organized High-Level Event on Boosting Competitiveness in the Arab World.
The IMF-Middle East Center for Economics and Finance (IMF-CEF), in partnership with the Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait (API), co-organized a high-level event titled "Boosting Competitiveness in the Arab Region: Industrial Policy vs. Structural Reforms." This hybrid event convened experts from the IMF, academia, and policymakers from the region, and hybrid audience comprising representatives from the public and private sectors, civil society, international organizations, the press, and the diplomatic community. Dr. Belkacem Laabas, Senior Advisor at API, moderated the event.
Following a welcome speech by Dr. Walid Abdmoulah the Deputy Director of the API, Dr. Sami Ben Naceur, Director of the IMF–CEF, opened the event by underscoring its aim: to advance an open and policy-relevant discussion on how Arab countries can strengthen competitiveness amid persistent productivity challenges, limited economic diversification, and a rapidly shifting global environment. The session featured brief presentations examining the effectiveness of industrial policies relative to broader structural reforms, drawing on long-run development perspectives (Dr. Giovanni Federico, New York University Abu Dhabi), regional policy and development-finance experience (Dr. Mahmoud-Sami Nabi, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development), and frontier research on innovation and industrial policy (Dr. Sandra Baquie, IMF). A panel discussion followed, featuring insights from the presenters and addressing audience questions.
Dr. Belkacem Laabas thanked IMF-CEF and API for co-organizing this timely event. He also thanked the panelists and audience members for their insightful and lively discussions.
For more details about the seminar, please refer to the following links:
