J-PAL Middle East and North Africa
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Letter from the Executive Director
As we reflect on 2024, J-PAL MENA has achieved exceptional milestones in broadening our regional impact and forging deeper partnerships across the region.
This year marked a turning point with the integration of our Egypt Impact Lab into the organizational structure of the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (NIGSD). Embedding our team within NIGSD has empowered us to shape key policy decisions and advance evidence-driven programming aligned with national priorities.
Our footprint in North Africa grew further with the establishment of the Morocco Innovation and Evaluation Lab at UM6P. Evolving from the Morocco Employment Lab, an initiative created in 2020, this new center—launched jointly with Harvard’s Center for International Development and Community Jameel—underscores our commitment to fostering rigorous evaluation and evidence-based practices. Early successes in research collaborations and training programs are already bolstering local capacity for impactful evaluation.
Responding to the region’s urgent humanitarian needs, we launched our Humanitarian Portfolio through a research incubator at AUC. In collaboration with J-PAL Europe, IPA, and Community Jameel, this initiative is dedicated to addressing critical needs in displacement and humanitarian response. By working directly with organizations serving displaced populations, we are setting the foundation for effective, evidence-backed interventions.
As we approach J-PAL MENA’s fifth year in 2025, our accomplishments over the last few years have uniquely positioned us to address MENA’s critical challenges. With an expanding network, stronger institutional relationships, and a growing research portfolio, we remain committed to advancing poverty alleviation and meaningful change across the region.
Ahmed Elsayed
Executive Director, J-PAL MENA
J-PAL Middle East and North Africa leadership
J-PAL MENA in Review
Expanding J-PAL MENA’s research portfolio and adding a humanitarian portfolio
Launching strategic evaluations to address critical development needs. In partnership with the National Council for Women, we are exploring digital financial inclusion for rural women. In Upper Egypt, we're investigating flexible microfinancing approaches and the adoption of digital marketing among small enterprises. We are also examining women's labor force participation through social norm interventions and enhancing early-grade Arabic literacy methods in UAE schools.
Transformative results for 3,465 ultra-poor households through the “Bab Amal” Graduation program in rural Upper Egypt. New results of a flagship evaluation found that a half-cost version of the Bab Amal Graduation program brought meaningful benefits in food security and women’s empowerment. Meanwhile, households in the full-cost program quadrupled their livestock value and saw significant boosts in income and consumption over 40 months.
Strengthened our social protection portfolio through evidence generation in high-poverty areas. In partnership with the Sawiris Foundation and the Giving without Limits Association, the “Benaa II” project in Upper Egypt’s Assiut governorate assessed how nursing skills training affects young women's employment opportunities, highlighting our dedication to evidence generation in high-poverty areas.
Launching a Humanitarian Portfolio with a three-day Research Incubator organized by J-PAL MENA, J-PAL Europe, and IPA. This workshop engaged organizations working with displaced persons and host communities across MENA, providing hands-on guidance for designing randomized evaluations aligned with humanitarian programs. In partnership with Community Jameel, this initiative lays the groundwork for future research partnerships in Egypt and the MENA region.
Expanding J-PAL MENA’s embedded labs: The Egypt Impact Lab and MENA’s Air and Water Lab, “HAPIE”
The Egypt Impact Lab (EIL) integrated into the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (NIGSD) in April 2024, marking a significant milestone in its development journey. With seven embedded staff members now positioned to influence governmental policies on flagship programs, the lab has also expanded its strategic partnerships. Notably, it has welcomed the Ministry of Education and Technical Education into its fold, joining forces with existing collaborations that include the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the National Council for Women, and the Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency.
EIL launched its second RFP, receiving eight submissions and six government-endorsed proposals. The lab made substantial progress across its thematic areas, particularly in evaluating major national initiatives such as Hayah Karima, Tahweesha, and Technical Education 2.0. Notable progress includes the pilot evaluation of the Tahweesha program across 267 villages in 4 governorates, accumulating savings of 147,152 Egyptian pounds.
In a noteworthy move to enhance environmental policy, the Hub of Advanced Policy Innovation for the Environment (HAPIE) was established in 2024 as J-PAL's regional Air and Water Lab in Egypt. HAPIE is a strategic collaboration involving J-PAL MENA at AUC, Community Jameel, and the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation (MPEDIC) and is located at the NIGSD.
The hub is equipped with dedicated funding and a specialized scope, strengthening Egypt’s capacity to tackle pressing environmental issues through evidence-based policymaking alongside similar labs in South Africa and India.
Collaboratively leading regional research and policy discussions
The Jobs for Development Conference brought together leading researchers and policymakers and featured over 50 research presentations on pressing labor market challenges. Special support from BMZ and GIZ enabled unprecedented participation from African scholars, enriching regional dialogue.
An Egypt-Indonesia “South-South Learning Journey” led by J-PAL in Jakarta facilitated crucial knowledge transfer between Egyptian and Indonesian policymakers on social protection systems. Participants shared insights on data quality improvement, food subsidy programs, and health insurance systems, which were aligned with both nations' poverty reduction goals.
The eighth seminar in the GE4E (Global Evidence for Egypt) series, in partnership with UNICEF Egypt, focused on digital learning and cost-effective technology solutions for improving educational outcomes. It featured J-PAL MENA’s affiliated professor, Andreas de Barros, and Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Ahmed Daher.
In collaboration with GSMA, J-PAL MENA co-hosted a significant panel session titled "Collaborative Urban Futures: Innovative Partnership Models for Development” at the World Urban Forum 12 (WUF 12). The session focused on exploring innovative partnership approaches to address urbanization challenges in LMICs.
J-PAL MENA collaborated with the MENA Gender Innovation Lab (MENAGIL) to advance gender-focused research and policy in the region. As part of this partnership, Bruno Crépon, co-Scientific Director of J-PAL MENA, presented key findings from randomized evaluations on improving the agency and empowerment of girls and women, gender norms, and women’s improved access to markets in the MENA region. This collaboration aims to inform the design and scale-up of World Bank operations addressing gender gaps in the region.
COP29 engagement: Scaling resilience through evidence-informed partnerships
At COP29, J-PAL MENA’s HAPIE, in collaboration with Community Jameel, hosted a roundtable as part of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action’s Water Implementation Lab. The session, titled “Scaling Resilience: Impact-Driven Partnerships for Food & Water Through Evidence & Innovation,” convened policymakers, private sector leaders, researchers, and civil society representatives to explore scalable, evidence-based solutions for food and water resilience. In collaboration with J-PAL’s South Asia office and J-PAL’s UJALA, the session addressed key barriers, identified opportunities, and fostered cross-sector partnerships to accelerate global resilience goals.
Offering capacity-building opportunities
Offering two Evaluating Social Programs (ESP) courses in Egypt. The first, conducted in January 2024 as part of the Egypt Impact Lab, was hosted by J-PAL MENA at AUC in collaboration with UNICEF Egypt. This course brought together representatives from 28 partner organizations, featuring lectures by J-PAL-affiliated researchers and real-world case studies. The second ESP course was organized through a collaboration between IZA, G²LM|LIC, J-PAL MENA, the FCDO, and UNICEF Egypt. This advanced course targeted 40 postgraduates, faculty members, and early career researchers. International experts led the program, and a policy conference preceded it.
Pioneering an innovative one-day training program targeting high-level government officials as "Champions" for evidence-informed policymaking. Through three strategic roundtable sessions, we trained officials from key institutions: the first round engaged representatives from MPEDIC, MSMEDA, NCW, MoSS, and NIGSD; the second focused on MOETE officials; and the third trained Central Bank of Egypt participants.
Welcoming our second cohort of MENA Scholar Fellowship recipients representing Egypt, Morocco, and Lebanon. The six fellows, specializing in climate finance, labor markets, gender, and health, will receive two years of mentorship from J-PAL-affiliated professors and contribute to randomized evaluations. This initiative, created in partnership with Community Jameel and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, strengthens regional research capacity.
Expanding regional work through the Morocco Innovation and Evaluation Lab
The establishment of the Morocco Innovation and Evaluation Lab at UM6P marks a significant regional milestone. In collaboration with UM6P, the Harvard Center for International Development (CID), and Community Jameel, we're extending our evidence-based approach across North Africa. MEL demonstrated successful regional expansion through collaborative ESP training at UM6P Rabat. Working with UM6P, Harvard CID, and Community Jameel, the program trained forty participants from public institutions and development organizations in randomized impact evaluations.
MEL continued to support education reform by designing multiple impact evaluations, including three randomized evaluations launching in 2024-25. MEL's expanded collaboration with the Ministry of Education was highlighted during Morocco's National Teacher Forum in September 2024. J-PAL affiliate Paul Glewwe presented preliminary results from the evaluation of the Pioneer School Program, which integrates structured pedagogy and Teaching at the Right Level, among other interventions. The presentation received positive feedback from the Minister of Education and garnered significant media coverage. Glewwe conducted the research alongside Hosam Ibrahim, Andreas de Barros, and Sarah Deschênes.
The Year Ahead
- Celebrate and leverage J-PAL MENA's 5th-anniversary milestone to strengthen regional partnerships and showcase the impact of evidence-informed policymaking in the region.
- Accelerate evidence to scale opportunities by identifying successful interventions from J-PAL MENA's research portfolio that are ready for adaptation and implementation across Egypt and the broader MENA region.
- Disseminate findings of the Bab Amal program evaluation and support its scale-up, working closely with government partners to expand this evidence-based intervention to reach more beneficiaries across Egypt.
- Enhance regional research capacity through targeted training programs, mentorship opportunities, and increased collaboration with local researchers and institutions.
- Operationalize the Hub of Advanced Policy Innovation for the Environment (HAPIE), establishing it as a cornerstone for evidence generation and policy innovation in environmental and climate action across the MENA region.
In case you missed it: Highlights from 2024
Our blogs:
- Driving evidence-based humanitarian action and displacement response in MENA
- Building the foundation for robust vocational education RCTs in Egypt
- Navigating climate justice in MENA: Emerging carbon markets
- Building effective social protection programs through government and researcher partnerships: Reflections from a MENA-SEA South-South Learning Journey
New policy products:
Lead photo credit: J-PAL