ESCWA Publication: E/ESCWA/CL3.SEP/2024/1
Country: Arab region, People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Kingdom of Bahrain, Union of the Comoros, Republic of Djibouti, Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, State of Kuwait, Lebanese Republic, State of Libya, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Kingdom of Morocco, Sultanate of Oman, State of Palestine, State of Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Republic of Tunisia, United Arab Emirates
Publication Type: Flagship publications
Publication Subject: Survey of Economic and Social Developments in the Arab Region
Cluster: Shared Economic Prosperity
Focus Area: 2030 Agenda, Debt and fiscal policy, Financing for development, Macroeconomics, Natural resource sustainability
Initiatives: Development challenges, Arab Financing for Development Scorecard, Arab Financing for Development Gateway, Debt Optimization to Enhance Fiscal Space, Macroeconomic monitoring and forecasting
SDGs: Agenda 2030, Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Keywords: Algeria, Arab countries, Bahrain, Comoros, Debt, Djibouti, Economic development, Economic forecasts, Egypt, Financial aspects, Gross domestic product, Inflation, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Labour market, Lebanon, Libya, Macroeconomics, Mauritania, Morocco, Natural gas, Oman, Petroleum prices, Phosphates, Poverty, Qatar, Saudi arabia, Social development, Somalia, State of palestine, Sudan, Syrian arab republic, Territories occupied by israel, Tunisia, Ukraine, Unemployment, United arab emirates, War
Survey of economic and social developments in the Arab region 2023–2024
April 2025
The 2023–2024 edition of the Survey of Economic and Social Developments in the Arab Region examines economic developments at global and regional levels. These developments have been influenced significantly by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the continuing uncertainties in the Arab region caused by the wars on Gaza and Lebanon. The global macroeconomic outlook for 2025 is moderately positive, with the post-COVID-19 recovery expected to continue, especially in Asia. The outlook for the Arab region is highly uncertain, and is overshadowed by challenges including wars, conflicts, political instability, socioeconomic challenges and natural disasters. Poverty is projected to decline slowly in the Arab region over the coming years, from a high post-pandemic level. The pursuit of gender equality in the region continues to encounter substantial challenges. In 2024, gender disparities in the Arab region were the highest in the world, with significant disparities in labour-force participation rates between men and women.
Related content
2030 Agenda, Debt and fiscal policy, Financing for development, Macroeconomics, Natural resource sustainability
The 2023–2024 edition of the Survey of Economic and Social Developments in the Arab Region examines economic developments at global and regional levels. These developments have been influenced significantly by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the continuing uncertainties in the Arab region caused by the wars on Gaza and Lebanon. The global macroeconomic outlook for 2025 is moderately positive, with the post-COVID-19 recovery expected to continue, especially in Asia. The outlook for the Arab region is highly uncertain, and is overshadowed by challenges including wars, conflicts, political instability, socioeconomic challenges and natural disasters. Poverty is projected to decline slowly in the Arab region over the coming years, from a high post-pandemic level. The pursuit of gender equality in the region continues to encounter substantial challenges. In 2024, gender disparities in the Arab region were the highest in the world, with significant disparities in labour-force participation rates between men and women.
