Two, Three, Many Middle Easts- A Region's Economic Prospects

Despite appearances, the economic story in the Middle East is more than a grouping of petrostates within a miasma of debt, slow growth, and explosive politics. Conditions that could lead to take-off are gathering: Education and healthcare are reaching more people and the region's demographics are favorable. Latent consumer demand is huge, and the infrastructure base, including Internet penetration, is expanding. Yet the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and the energy-producing states are almost economies unto themselves. Which areas will develop most swiftly? Can cultural offerings, services, and manufactured goods find a place in world markets along with resource exports? Our panel will assess the strengths of the regions that make up MENA and their potential for integration with the global economy.