Rana Lotfi's Books

Middle East and North Africa Economic Update

Conflict and Debt in the Middle East and North Africa

By: Roberta Gatti,Federico Bennett,Hoda Assem,Rana Lotfi,Gianluca Mele,Ilias Suvanov,Asif Islam

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Middle East and North Africa Economic Update

Conflict and Debt in the Middle East and North Africa

By: Roberta Gatti,Federico Bennett,Hoda Assem,Rana Lotfi,Gianluca Mele,Ilias Suvanov,Asif Islam

The global economy is in its third year of deceleration amidst declining inflation and oil prices. The MENA region grew at 1.9 percent in 2023 and is forecasted to grow at 2.7 percent in 2024. And for the first time since the pandemic, MENA oil exporters and importers will grow at similar rates. The tragedy of the conflict in the Middle East has increased uncertainty. Rising debt leaves many countries in the region exposed. This report unpacks the nature of debt in the region. Oil importers have been unable to either inflate or grow out of debt. Exchange rate fluctuations, and particularly stock flow adjustments (SFA) play a sizeable role. The report highlights the need to address debt transparency. Extrabudgetary items, especially for developing oil importers, need to be accounted for. Primary balances are key, but only to the extent that they capture the true state of government finances.

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World Bank Publications

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ISBN 10

1464820988

ISBN 13

9781464820984

Altered Destinies

The Long-Term Effects of Rising Prices and Food Insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa

By: Roberta Gatti,Daniel Lederman,Asif Islam,Federico Bennett,Bo Pieter Johannes Andree,Hoda Assem,Rana Lotfi,Mennatallah Mousa

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Altered Destinies

The Long-Term Effects of Rising Prices and Food Insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa

By: Roberta Gatti,Daniel Lederman,Asif Islam,Federico Bennett,Bo Pieter Johannes Andree,Hoda Assem,Rana Lotfi,Mennatallah Mousa

Growth is forecasted to slow down for the Middle East and North Africa region. The war in Ukraine in 2022 exacerbated inflationary pressures as the world recovered from the COVID 19 pandemic-induced recession. The response by central banks to raise rates to curb inflation is slowing economic activity, while rising food prices are making it difficult for families to put meals on the table. Inflation, when it stems from food prices, hits the poor harder than the rich. Moreover, food insecurity in MENA has been rising over decades. The immediate effects of food insecurity can be a devastating loss of life, but even temporary increases in food prices can cause long-term irreversible damages, especially to children. The rise in food prices due to the war in Ukraine may have altered the destinies of thousands of children in the region, setting them on paths to limited prosperity. Food insecurity imposes challenges to a region where the state of child nutrition and health were inadequate before the shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic. The report discusses policy options and highlights the need for data to guide effective decision making.

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World Bank Publications

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ISBN 10

1464819742

ISBN 13

9781464819742

Reality Check

Forecasting Growth in the Middle East and North Africa in Times of Uncertainty

By: Roberta Gatti,Daniel Lederman,Asif Islam,Rachel Yuting Fan,Christina Wood,Rana Lotfi,Ha Nguyen,Mennatallah Mousa

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Reality Check

Forecasting Growth in the Middle East and North Africa in Times of Uncertainty

By: Roberta Gatti,Daniel Lederman,Asif Islam,Rachel Yuting Fan,Christina Wood,Rana Lotfi,Ha Nguyen,Mennatallah Mousa

The Middle East and North Africa economies face an uncertain recovery. The war in Ukraine presents significant challenges to the global economy and the MENA region. Inflationary pressures brought about by the pandemic are likely to be further exacerbated by the conflict. The potential for rising food prices is even higher, which is likely to hurt the wallets of the poor and vulnerable in the region. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cast a shadow. As the latest variant sweeps over the region, countries grapple with a host of problems depending on initial conditions and policy priorities. The region, like the rest of the world, is not out of the woods yet. Vaccinations remain the effective path out of the pandemic, leading to lower hospitalizations and death rates. Testing helps curb the spread. During times of uncertainty, it is important to not be overconfident about the region’s growth prospects. Growth forecasts serve as a significant signpost for policymakers to chart a path forward. Over the last decade, growth forecasts in the MENA region have often been inaccurate and overly optimistic, which can lead to economic contractions down the road due to ebullient borrowing. There is considerable room for the region to improve its forecasts that are largely hindered by opaque data systems, growth volatility and conflict. The MENA region lags considerably in the timely production of credible statistics. A key finding of the report is that the best way to improve forecasters is to provide forecasters with as much good quality information as possible.

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World Bank Publications

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ISBN 10

1464818657

ISBN 13

9781464818653

Towards a Learning State

How Transparency and Accountability are the Key to a Sustainable Recovery

By: Ferid Belhaj,Roberta Gatti,Daniel Lederman,Ernest John Sergenti,Hoda Assen,Rana Lotfi,Mennatallah Mousa

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Towards a Learning State

How Transparency and Accountability are the Key to a Sustainable Recovery

By: Ferid Belhaj,Roberta Gatti,Daniel Lederman,Ernest John Sergenti,Hoda Assen,Rana Lotfi,Mennatallah Mousa

The MENA region is facing important vulnerabilities, which the current crises—first the pandemic, then the war in Ukraine—have exacerbated. Prices of food and energy are higher, hurting the most vulnerable, and rising interest rates from the global tightening of monetary policy are making debt service more burdensome. Part I explores some of the resulting vulnerabilities for MENA. MENA countries are facing diverging paths for future growth. Oil Exporters have seen windfall increases in state revenues from the rise in hydrocarbon prices, while oil importers face heightened stress and risk—from higher import bills, especially for food and energy, and the depreciation of local currencies in some countries. Part II of this report argues that poor governance, and, in particular, the lack of government transparency and accountability, is at the root of the region’s development failings—including low growth, exclusion of the most disadvantaged and women, and overuse of such precious natural resources as land and water.

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280

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World Bank Publications

Published Date

ISBN 10

1464819254

ISBN 13

9781464819254

TOBACCO & PUBLIC HEALTH

Tobacco and Community Well-being: A Worldwide Health Crisis

By: DR. SANDIP KUMAR SINHA, DR. RANABIR PAL, DR. AMRITA GHOSH, DR. RISHABH KUMAR RANA

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TOBACCO & PUBLIC HEALTH

Tobacco and Community Well-being: A Worldwide Health Crisis

By: DR. SANDIP KUMAR SINHA, DR. RANABIR PAL, DR. AMRITA GHOSH, DR. RISHABH KUMAR RANA

This book is widely encircling the several characteristics of tobacco control with particular reference to global scenario. Globally the evidences on widespread tobacco habits, health hazards and environmental hazards are mainly due to tobacco use, passive smoking and its impact. The economics of tobacco, worldwide legislation to control tobacco, the tobacco cessation services and the way ahead for effective tobacco control are elaborately present in this book. Consuming any types of tobacco products (smoking and smokeless) troubles nearly each and every organ in the body and intensificify the risk of heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, liver disease, immune dysfunctions, inflammations, and many types of cancer. Nicotine present in tobacco product is highly addictive and tobacco use is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, over 20 different types or subtypes of cancer, and many other debilitating health conditions. Tobacco is a leading preventable cause of death, killing nearly 6 million people worldwide each year. It is one of the primary causes of death and disease in India and accounts for nearly 1.35 million deaths every year. In terms of consuming and producing tobacco products, India is also the second largest country globally. Whereas more than 16 million of adults in the USA have a disease caused by smoking cigarettes, and smoking-related illnesses lead to half a million deaths each year. It was observed that most tobacco-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, which are often targets of intensive tobacco industry interference and marketing. Tobacco contains nicotine can also be lethal for non-smokers. Second-hand smoke exposure has also been concerned in adverse health effects, causing 1.2 million deaths per year. Approximately half of all children breathe air polluted by environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and 65 000 children die each year due to illnesses related to second-hand smoke.

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240

Publisher

Shashwat Publication

Published Date

ISBN 10

9360878138

ISBN 13

9789360878139

At the Threshold

Contemporary Theatre, Art, and Music of Iran

By: Rana Esfandiary

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At the Threshold

Contemporary Theatre, Art, and Music of Iran

By: Rana Esfandiary

This book examines the performance strategies used by contemporary Iranian artists and activists to reimagine “Iranian-ness” in the context of Iran’s local, regional, and global position. This study identifies the important social and political interventions made by theatrical and performance pieces, visual art, and electronic music that articulate and reformulate Iranian-ness by breaking away from fixed and constructed stereotypes projected on them by both the Islamic regime and Western power. This book explores the reception and context within which artworks become meaningful performative acts. Looking closely at the works of a notable female Iranian photographer, Shadi Ghadirian, in conjunction with the new generation of Iranian nonconformist artists/activists such as Tahmineh Monzavi and Hedieh Ahmadi; the visionary theatre productions of Ali Akbar Alizad; and radically untraditional sound/noise of the electronic music movement in Tehran, this book calls attention to the Iran-based artists who are tirelessly trying to raise awareness regarding the political violence imposed on Iranian identity at the legal (top-down) and everyday (bottom-up) levels. This volume will be of great interest to student and scholars in theatre and performance, photography, art, music, sociology, and politics.

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