Amira El-Shal
Associate Director of Research, J-PAL MENA
Amira is Associate Director of Research for J-PAL MENA and an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University. At J-PAL MENA, she leads research activities aimed at generating rigorous evidence to advance understanding of whether and how programs reduce poverty in the MENA region. Prior to joining J-PAL MENA, she worked as a Consultant at the World Bank, Senior Consultant at the African Development Bank, Economic Consultant at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Economic Consultant at the Office of the Economic Affairs Advisor to the President of Egypt, and Economic Expert at Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation. She holds a PhD in Economics from City, University of London, and an MSc in Economics from University College London.
- Health Economics
- Development Economics
- Gender Economics
- Environmental Economics
- Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London, 2017
- MSc Economics, University College London (UCL), 2010
- MSc Economics (Coursework); Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University, 2008
- Senior Policy Manager; The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Cambridge), 2021-Present
- Assistant Professor of Economics; Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University (Giza), 2018-Present
- Senior Consultant; Microeconomics, Institutional, and Development Impact Division, African Development Bank (AfDB) (Abidjan), 2018-2020
- “Indirect Impact of Health Disasters on Maternal and Child Mortality.” Economic Analysis and Policy, 74, 477–493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eap.2022.03.003. Co-authored with Mahmoud Mohieldin and Eman Moustafa. 2022
- “Discontinuation of Performance-Based Financing in Primary Health Care: Impact on Family Planning and Maternal and Child Health.” International Journal of Health Economics and Management. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10754-022-09333-w. Co-authored with Patricia Cubi-Molla and Mireia Jofre-Bonet.2022
- “Are User Fees in Health Care Always Evil? Evidence from Family Planning, Maternal, and Child Health Services.” Economic Analysis and Policy, 72, 0–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eap.2021.08.009. Co-authored with Patricia Cubi-Molla and Mireia Jofre-Bonet. 2021
Egypt’s Economy in the Age of Permacrisis
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
May, 2026
Conference PaperBeyond The Norms: Innovation, Productivity, and Gender in Egyptian Firms
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
October, 2024
Working PapersBeyond the Norms: Innovation, Productivity, and Gender in Egyptian Firms
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
March, 2024
Conference PaperSovereign Risk Mispricing and Investor Herding: MENA Debt Markets
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
March, 2024
Conference PaperWho Pay Bribes and How Much? Gender and Firm-Level Corruption in MENA and Egypt
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
May, 2023
Conference PaperFiscal Sustainability in the MENA Region in Light of COVID-19 Crisis
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
2020-01-01
ERF 32nd Annual Conference – Parallel Sessions on Macroeconomics
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
Jun 14, 2026
ERF 30th Annual Conference: Parallel Sessions
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
Apr 21, 2024
Reimagining Social Protection in MENA
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
Nov 19, 2023
ERF 29th Annual Conference – Parallel Sessions
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
May 04, 2023
The Impact of Covid-19 on Households and Firms in the MENA Region
Areas of Interest: Health Economics Development Economics Gender Economics Environmental Economics Education: Ph.D., Economics; City, University of London,... Read More
May 23, 2022