ERF-GDN MENA Regional Research Competition

The Global Development Network (GDN) grant facility offered through the World Bank has been an important part of ERF’s activities during the past 15 years. ERF has been operating this yearly grant through its annual round of Regional Research Competitions (RRC), which provide funding for quality economic research on the region while also enhancing the capacities of researchers in the region. The objectives of the research competition are: (i) to promote understanding of economic developments in the MENA region in terms of their national, regional and international dimensions; (ii) to bridge research and policy by promoting policy-oriented research; and (iii) to enhance research capacities in the region by encouraging teamwork, especially multinational collaboration. The program also involves the organization of regional workshops to provide a platform for researchers who have received grants under the rounds of RRCs to share their work, their methodologies and findings with other researchers, in addition to exchanging views and obtaining meaningful comments that enhance their research.