أثر الانفتاح التجاري على النمو الاقتصادي : أدلة تجريبية من بلدان الشرق الأوسط و شمال إفريقيا

Abstract EN

This study aims to measure the impact of economic openness on economic growth for 13 countries in the Middle East and North Africa during 1990 2011-.

To achieve this objective, we used the Panel Data Approach, by applying The Fixed Effects Models with Country-Specific and Time-Specific Fixed Effects.

To estimate the models, we applied Feasible Generalized Least Square (FGLS).

The results of the study showed that the increase in the degree of trade openness leads to a small increase in the rate of economic growth in the countries under study.

These results has been obtained after controlling the following variables : foreign direct investment, financial sector development, investment in human capital, gross domestic investment, domestic inflation rate, rate of population growth, democracy, and the quality of governance.

To increase the positive impact of trade openness on economic growth, governments of these countries conduct the following : (1) improve the quality of governance by fighting corruption, the rule of law, and improve the quality of the bureaucracy, (2) support for democracy through greater civil liberties and political rights, (3) financial sector development, and (4) maintain a stable rate of inflation.