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The study focuses on the period 2004-09 during which Egypt experienced food crisis. The political economy context on how the government responded to the crisis is analysed while pinpointing to what extent there was a pass-through effect from international to domestic prices. The complexity of food price policy issues and their entanglement with poverty, agricultural, and economic policies in Egypt together with the structural aspects of the food subsidy policies are discussed and evaluated from a political economy perspective. Prospects for reform or lack thereof are also analysed in the context of the 25 January 2011 revolution and new political set-up.

"Yemen can be characterized by most indicators as a liberal, open, market economy. However, Yemen to a large extent lacks the organizations and institutions necessary for an efficient functioning of a liberal open economy that are able to ensure positive outcomes of market processes through regulating and monitoring the functioning of a market economy. The absence of an antidumping authority and a competition authority is a case in point. Despite several policies undertaken by the Government of Yemen (GOY) to liberalize and reform trade, such policies have not been translated into significant changes in enhancing non-oil exports. Remittances are considered an important source of revenue. The potential is high for Yemen on enhancing services exports and foreign direct investment, while there is a limited potential for diversifying merchandise exports. To reap such potential, the most important challenge for Yemen is to improve the institutions and organizations capable of enhancing such potential." (author's abstract)

Abstract. This paper illustrates the relationship between energy reforms and economic sustainable development in Egypt and Iran; through analyzing the relation between energy reform and four main macroeconomic variables, namely: budget deficit, energy consumption, inflation and economic growth. The methodology adopted in this paper is a comparative case study between Egypt and Iran, using qualitative descriptive analysis; focusing on the period from 2010 to 2014, as this period is characterized with active subsidy reform efforts for both countries. The paper concludes that reforming energy subsidies generally tends to relief the strain on the public budget, in case it is not accompanied with simultaneous economic difficulties which can deem the reform efforts obsolete, like in the case of Iran. In addition, the responsiveness of energy consumption of a certain fuel to the increase in its price is heavily reliant on its price elasticity of demand. This is represented in the availability of alternative energy sources. Moreover, the effect of the reforms on inflation is normally instantaneous and short-lived and could be mitigated through government intervention; that was clear in the case of Egypt. However, Iran did not show a similar trend as there was a weak correlation between subsidy reforms and inflation. Finally, there tends to be a very weak relationship between subsidy reforms and GDP growth, implying that the effect of other economic factors outweighs that of subsidy reforms.Keywords. Energy subsidy reform, MENA region, Sustainable development.JEL. E62, H23, Q01.

Historically, the Nile Delta has played an integral part in Egyptian civilization, as its fertile soils have been cultivated for centuries. The region offers a lush oasis among the expansive arid climate of Northern Africa ; however, in recent decades, many anthropogenic changes to the environment have jeopardized Egypt&rsquo ; s agricultural productivity. Political instability and lack of sufficient regulations regarding urban growth and encroachment have put agricultural land in the area at risk. Advanced geospatial techniques were used to assess the rate at which urban areas are increasing within the region. A hybrid classification of Landsat satellite imagery for the eastern sector of the Nile Delta, between the years 1988 and 2017, was conducted to map major land-use and land-cover (LULC) classes. The statistical change analysis revealed that urban areas increased by 222.5% over the study period (29 years). Results indicated that urban areas are encroaching mainly on established agricultural lands within the Nile Delta. Most of the change has occurred within the past nine years, where approximately 235.60 km2 of the cultivated lands were transitioned to urban. Nonetheless, at the eastern delta flank, which is bordered by desert, analysis indicated that agricultural lands have experienced a considerable growth throughout the study period due to a major desert reclamation effort. Areas most at risk from future urban expansion were identified. A simulation of future urban expansion, using a Markov Chain algorithm, indicated that the extent to which urban area is simulated to grow in the region is 16.67% (277.3 km2) and 37.82% (843 km2) by the year 2026, and 2050, respectively. The methods used in this study are useful in assessing the rate of urban encroachment on agricultural lands and can be applied to similar at-risk areas in the regions if appropriate site-specific modifications are considered.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to utilize the existing theories and knowledge surrounding information systems (IS) evaluation and Green information technology (IT)/IS investments to develop a conceptual model for helping decision makers to overcome and reduce the impacts from Green IT/IS investment related to cost overruns or under-optimized budgets.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is discursive, based on the analysis and synthesis of literature pertaining to IS evaluation, Green IT/IS adoption and Sustainable/Green/CSR within an aviation context. Gaps in the preceding research have been identified, and a conceptual model is proposed. Additionally, further research and a methodology are suggested.FindingsThe paper proposes a conceptual model that can identify factors including external factors derived from institutional theory, internal organizational factors, and a list of indirect costs associated with Green IT/IS investments for an aviation organization.Research limitations/implicationsAs a conceptual paper, the study is limited to literature, identifying gaps, and proposing a model. The paper recommends further empirical validation of the proposed conceptual model.Practical implicationsThe conceptual model is helpful for decision makers within the aviation industry to enhance their understanding of the identification and management of indirect costs within the aviation context, which results in effective management of Green IT/IS indirect costs.Originality/valueThe paper fills gaps in the knowledge of IS evaluation, Green IT/IS adoption/evaluation within aviation context through helping decision makers to understand, identify, and manage the associated indirect costs.