The African Development Bank Group in North Africa - A Year of Transitions is the third annual report produced by the AfDB North region departments. As was the case in earlier editions, the report focuses on the underlying challenges the region faced prior to the Arab Spring. However, this edition probes the obstacles that led to the Arab Spring. It goes on to explore how political transitions underway will shape North Africa's options in meeting its economic challenges.

In particular, the report explores North Africa's various economies outlook, while providing policy recommendations on the long-standing issues of youth unemployment, regional inequality and governance. The report then delves further into the sources of economic grievances which contributed a great deal to the political changes which occurred in 2011.

In particular, the report explores the causes and consequences of youth unemployment in the region. It also highlights areas which North Africa's governments should focus on so as to translate youth population surge into growth dividend.

Following an assessment of the current state of exports, the report suggests that by adding more value to products manufactured in North Africa, the region would be in a better position to move up the value chain, which would in turn foster the type of growth generating more and better quality jobs for the region's fast-growing young population.

Finally, the report details the Bank's role in the Deauville Partnership and its current efforts at coordinating with other international financial institutions to support the region.

The concluding section of the publication provides a short introduction to the Bank, an overview of Bank Group activities in North Africa, a summary of Bank's regional activities and the key regional economic communities in North Africa.

Contacts

Vincent Castel