Research for Development in the Middle East and North Africa

With a population of more than 250 million and a notable strategic position between the North and the South, the Arab region constitutes a distinct region of the developing world. Its future development is a matter of crucial importance to the world and to Canada. Unfortunately, however, the research environment in the Middle East and North Africa is not conducive to producing, accessing, or using development-related knowledge.

This book explores the current challenges and opportunities of research for development in the Arab countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Experts from the region and development professionals from around the world provide a detailed portrait of the research environment and explore the relationship between science and policy. They also present and discuss new research initiatives in the areas of social and economic development, natural resource management, and information and communication technologies.

Research for Development in the Middle East and North Africa will be of interest to development researchers and practitioners, policymakers in science and technology, and students and academics in development studies, Arab studies, and policy studies.

The editors

Eglal Rached is director of IDRC's Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa in Cairo, Egypt. Dr Rached’s expertise and research interests lie in the areas of agriculture, biodiversity, and the management of natural resources in arid and semi-arid areas, particularly land and water resources.

Dina Craissati is Senior Program Officer in IDRC's Cairo office. Dr Craissati holds a PhD in political sociology. Her research has focused on social movements and policy reform in Palestine in the fields of health, agriculture, and education. Other areas of expertise include forms and practices of democratic governance and contemporary gender discourse in the Arab region.