The Mena region has definitely changed in the aftermath of the Arab uprising. Although the ascendance of Islamist parties to power might not be to the satisfaction of some, there is no doubt that it has become a reality.
The question is what kind of economic policies Islamist parties are going to come up with and whether their visions are the right ones for development.
The ERF 19th Annual Conference provided a platform where economists and political scientists were able to share their views and address different questions, particularly: how political Islam has arisen; how Islamist parties won the elections; how they are likely to behave once in power; how they have been economically performing so far; and finally what is likely to politically happen in the future, and consequently on the economic front.
ERF's Managing Director Ahmed Galal, reflects on the highlights of the 2013 Annual Conference.
http://youtu.be/nOmS7qlz20E
