Under the umbrella of EMEA regional policy research initiative on COVID-19 launched on 18 March 2020. EMEA and EMNES experts and researchers collectively identify and assess policy measures taken by their respective governments with a special focus on the socio-economic challenges, consequences and responses linked to the pandemic. The main objective of this initiative is to facilitate shaping future policy actions towards enhancing our socio-economic resilience in Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa.
Under this research initiative, an EMEA Study was published on 22 April and an EMEA Monitor was launched at the beginning of May to track on a weekly basis policy responses performance of countries in the three regions. The monitoring covers all policy measures (including health system preparedness, containment, economic preparedness/recovery and overall effectiveness) to respond to the pandemic and to identify and mitigate the socio-economic consequences. The data collected and examined is publically accessible on EMEA website.
Under this Initiative, a series of EMEA Policy Papers is published to assess the socio-economic trends amidst and post COVID-19 and to provide policy proposals and recommendations.
A new policy paper on Digital financial inclusion: A pillar of resilience amidst COVID-19 in the Mediterranean and Africa authored by the President of EMEA Prof. Rym Ayadi and EMEA Fellow Dr. Mais Sha’ban emphasises the role of digital financial inclusion as a pillar of resilience to respond to exogenous shocks and pandemics, such as the COVID-19 crisis, and recommends prompt actions to reach the unbanked via digital financial services, in order to help these vulnerable groups throughout the current challenging conditions and recovery period.
A series of webinars are organised, with the general aim to identify and to assess the policy responses and socio-economic challenges linked to this global pandemic, and future responses to enhance our socio-economic resilience in Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa in view of global practices, experiences and initiatives, will disseminate the key discussions and the main results and conclusions of the research.
