With the Covid-19 pandemic continuing, the global economy entered 2022 in a weaker position than previously expected. In its latest World Economic Outlook update, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects the global growth rate to decline from 5.9 in 2021 to 4.4 percent in 2022. Given rising energy prices and supply disruptions, the Fund is also expecting inflation to remain high in the near term, averaging 3.9 percent in advanced economies in 2022 and 5.9 percent in emerging markets and developing economies. Geopolitical tensions and rising social unrest, including in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), as well as the potential emergence of new Covid variants are also likely to prompt further economic uncertainty.
In this difficult environment, what shall we expect in the region for this year? What are the key economic challenges that the region faces? How is inflation expected to evolve? How will monetary policy normalization in advanced economies affect the region? What are the opportunities that the region can seize? How should policymakers in the region respond?
Join us on Tuesday, February 15 from 9:00-9:45 a.m. EST (4:00-4:45 p.m. Beirut) for a fireside chat with Jihad Azour and Maha Yahya to discuss the key trends for 2022 and what lies ahead on the path toward recovery based on the IMF’s recently published World Economic Outlook.
The discussion will be in Arabic and viewers may submit their questions for the panelists using the live chat feature on Facebook and YouTube during the event. To submit your questions for the speakers ahead of time, tweet us @CarnegieMEC using #CMECxIMF. For more information, please contact Josiane Matar at Josiane.matar@carnegie-mec.org.
