Washington, DC: The International Monetary Fund and the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University will hold the second annual MENA Research Conference on June 29-30, 2026, at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, Morocco.
The conference, “Rethinking MENA Integration in a Fast‑Changing Global Environment”, will examine the impact of global trade, geoeconomic fragmentation, and technology, including artificial intelligence, on the MENA region. Sessions will also discuss the role of monetary, fiscal, and labor market policies in promoting macroeconomic stability in an increasingly uncertain global environment. The full conference details and agenda are available here. Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Karim El Aynaoui, Executive Vice-President of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, issued the following statement today:
“The war in the Middle East threatens to leave lasting scars on the region’s economic trajectory. This unprecedented shock is forcing countries across the region to reassess their path forward amid an already complex and challenging environment shaped by rapid technological change and shifts in global trade patterns.
“The IMF’s engagement with the MENA region reflects its longstanding commitment to supporting countries’ efforts to maintain macroeconomic stability, enhance resilience and growth, accelerate reforms, and raise living standards in an increasingly challenging regional economic environment. The annual research conference provides a unique platform to promote research excellence, deepen collaboration with the academic and policy communities, connect with young researchers, and advance the analytical work needed to underpin effective and well‑informed economic policymaking across the region.
“This conference series builds on the success of the inaugural MENA Research Conference held last year, co-organized with the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at The American University in Cairo. This international research conference series is conducted in partnership with leading universities in the region and aims to establish a forum for dialogue and knowledge exchange among academics, researchers, and policymakers on major regional and global economic issues. It also seeks to strengthen economic research capacity in ministries of finance and central banks across the region
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