Jointly organized by the Institute of Financial Economics (AUB), Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, and the United Nation Economic Commission of Western Asia UN-ESCWA
The Institute of Financial Economics at the American University of Beirut is pleased to host the 1st MENA Energy Economics Conference co-organized with the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies and the United Nation Economic Commission of Western Asia. The theme of the conference is “Oil price Dynamics and Energy Transitions in the MENA region”. There is widespread consensus that the low oil price environment has had negative effects on the economies ofMENA countries, and especially the oil exporters among them. Even net oil importers have been adversely affected via spillovers from neighboring oil-exporting countries. Given that many MENA countries hold massive hydrocarbon reserves and are highly reliant on oil revenues, oil prices are of utmost relevance to the region. This has led many countries to revisit their subsidy schemes, and a few countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE to introduce new taxes. As the world transitions to cleaner, more sustainable energy systems, the MENA countries are also experiencing major changes in their own energy markets--triggered by the need to diversify the energy mix and in some cases to augment the share of exported oil--that will impact their development, industrialization strategies, and energy policies. Another important development that is of relevance to the region, is the recent (potential) discovery of oil and gas offshore fields in countries such as Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon and potential shale oil and gas in Algeria. Against this backdrop, a rigorous investigation of the effect of low oil prices and the changing energy structure on the economies, financial markets, and energy policies of MENA countries is imperative. This conference aims to bring together academics, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the oil price fluctuations and the energy transition in MENA countries, and come up with key policy recommendations that will help mitigate any negative impacts and help ensure a smooth energy transition.Main Themes
The conference welcomes submissions in the following areas or related areas for the MENA countries:
- Oil prices and the macroeconomy: gdp growth, financial markets, trade
- Energy and environmental policies: energy pricing reform, renewable energy, energy efficiency, power sector reform, climate change mitigation and adaptation
- Energy transition: energy mix, diversification strategies, nuclear energy, renewable energy, clean technologies.
- Leila Dagher
- Bassam Fattouh
- Ibrahim Jamali
- Radia Sedaoui