How to Read Jobs or Privileges: Unleashing the Employment Potential of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA Development Report) PDF
The report Jobs or Privileges: Unleashing the Employment Potential of the Middle East and North Africashows that policies that lower competition and create an uneven playing field are common andconstrain private sector job creation. These policies take different forms across countries and sectorsbut share several common features: They limit free entry in the domestic market, exclude certain firmsfrom government programs, increase regulatory burden and uncertainty on the majority of firms,insulate certain firms and sectors from foreign competition, and create incentives that discouragedomestic firms from competing in international markets.Jobs or Privileges demonstrates that these policies are often captured by a few privileged firms withdeep political connections and persist despite their cost to society. As such, MENA countries face acritical choice as they strive to generate greater private sector growth and more jobs: promotecompetition, provide equal opportunities for all entrepreneurs, and dismantle the current system ofprivileges for connected firms or risk perpetuating the current equilibrium of low job creation.However, the millions of workers, consumers, and the majority of entrepreneurs who bear the brunt ofthat cost are often unaware of the adverse effects of such policies on the jobs and economicopportunities to which they aspire. This lack of information and awareness limits the scope for theinternal debate and policy dialogue necessary for reform.
