Egyptian Centre for Economic Studies (ECES)

Founded: 1992

Head: Mr. Ahmed Galal, Executive Director

Address:

1191 Corniche EI Nil, Cairo 11221 - The World Trade Centre,

14th floor

Cairo, Egypt

Telephone: 202-5781202/3/4

Facsimile: 202-5781205

E-mail: eces@eces.org.eg

Web site: www.eces.org.eg

Institutional framework:

Non-governmental, National

Working Languages:

Arabic, English

Areas of activity:

Humanities and social sciences: Economics

Number of staff:

Staff total: 21

Mission and objectives:

ECES is dedicated to promoting economic development in Egypt by assisting policymakers and the business community in the process of identifying, developing ant implementing policy reform. ECES' team of economists produces ant disseminates policy analysis of critical economic and regulatory issues facing Egypt This research aims to achieve an appropriate policy climate for sustainable economic growth ant for integration into the global economy. Al1 ECES activities are conducted in the spirit of public service.

R and D activities/schemes:

Through in-depth analytical studies, ECES is working to int

solutions to Egypt's pressing economic problems by building

on international experience. In the last several years, ECES

research and advocacy has focused on economic growth,

dramatization and regional trade agreements. Issues

addressed by ECES include:

- Maximizing behests from regional free trade agreements

such as COMESA, an Arab free trade agreement, the Trade

and Investment Framework Agreement with the United

States of America and an Egypt-Turkey free trade

agreement',

- Utilizing 'rules of origin' to maximize the behests from free

trade agreements',

- Expected effects of the euro on the Egyptian economy',

- Importance of the contribution of the tourism sector to

Egypt's economy',

- Prospects for the Egyptian food processing industry under

the Egypt-En Partnership Agreement',

- Expected costs ant benefits of bank dramatization in Egypt.

Meetings, conferences and seminars:

The Center’s work is designed to increase awareness and

generate discussion of timely economic policy issues

through:

- Roundtable Discussions;

- The Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS);

- Economic Briefings;

- Workshops, such as the recent workshop on

Economic Reporting'';

- Conferences, such as the conference on

Stabilization: Prospects for Egypt'' and the third

Mediterranean Development Forum on the theme ''Voices for

Change, Partners for Prosperity,'' held in March 2000.

Public services:

The Centre is increasingly invited to provide input directly to

Egypt's policymakers including the ministries of Economy,

Trade, Industry and Foreign Affairs.

Publications:

Recurrent:

- Working Paper Series: These papers represent work in

progress, rather than conclusive results and are aimed at

making research results available early on and promoting the

exchange of ideas.

- Policy Viewpoint Series: Which is intended to contribute to

the discussion of ideas and policy options for enhancing

economic development in Egypt. The series is based on t

research conducted by ECES. The content ant

recommendations are endorsed by the Center’s Board of

Directors.

- Distinguished Lecture Series: Which is a monthly gathering

that provides a forum for prominent economists to articulate

and exchange views and experiences with selected

audiences from government, business and academia.

- Industrial Barometer: Which attempts to gauge economic

trends on the real side of the Egyptian economy. It is published

bi-annually as pad of ECES industrial survey.

Online material: Some of ECES publications are available for

download to registered users. In addition, the ECES web site

allows users to retrieve economic data for Egypt according to

the format they choose.

Links to other organizations:

ECES has cc-hosted conferences in collaboration with:

- the Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID);

- the Economic Research Forum (Egypt);

- the World Bank and the UNDP;

- the Centre for Institutional Reform and the Informal Sector (IRIS).

Future development plans and programmes:

The Peruvian Institute for Liberty and Democracy (ILD) is

beginning an l8-month collaborative project with ECES to

formalize the urban informal sector. Through this

collaboration, ECES will be able to capitalize on ILD'S

extensive experience with formalization in Peru and bring

about a similar kind of reform tailored to the needs cf the

Egyptian informal sector.

Information sources:

- Information provided by ECES dated 15 April 2001

- www.eces.crg.eg