The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Sunday, 18-5-2025, launched its first annual research conference dedicated to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region under the theme “Steering Macroeconomic and Structural Policies in a Changing Global Landscape.”

The two-day event is held in cooperation with the AUC’s Onsi Sawiris School of Business.

The first edition of the conference features analytical presentations by leading experts and academics from around the world and the region, addressing key regional and global economic issues.

The conference aims to enhance economic research capacity at finance ministries and central banks in the region.

The conference will discuss strategies to rebuild fiscal space while addressing inequality gaps, lessons from recent global inflation crises and their implications on monetary policy and financial stability.

It will also shed light on industrial policies and mechanisms of its implementation, opportunities risisng from the green economy transition, and application of artificial intelligence in labor markets.

The event is part of a series of conferences held with the participation of top regional universities to create a platform for dialogue between academia, researchers, and policymakers on pressing economic challenges both at the regional and international levels.

MENA