IMF-CEF & EMEA Joint Research Webinar Series - April

𝗜𝗠𝗙-𝗖𝗘𝗙–𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗔 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 The second session of the International Monetary Fund’s Middle East Center for Economics and Finance - IMF CEF and Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association - EMEA Joint Research Webinar Series took place on 9 April 2026, continuing the joint platform connecting frontier economic research with real policy challenges across the Arab and Mediterranean regions. The session opened with remarks by Dr. Sami Ben Naceur, Director of IMF CEF and EMEA Advisor, and Prof. Rym Ayadi, President of the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association - EMEA and Director of EU-Mediterranean and African Network for Economic Studies-EMANES, and was moderated by Dr/., Sandra Challita, EMEA Research Fellow and EMANES Coordinator. The session attracted over 130 participants from across international institutions, academia, policy circles, and research organizations, reflecting continued strong interest in the series. The webinar featured the paper “𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗔 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆”, presented by Pr. Jamel Saadaoui, Professor of Economics at Université Paris 8. The discussion highlighted how shifts in bilateral political relations, particularly between the United States and China, can affect oil prices and wider macroeconomic outcomes over time. It also pointed to the broader relevance of the framework through its application to Japan–China relations. Prof. Rym Ayadi underlined: “In a world shaped by shocks and turning points, understanding the economic consequences of geopolitics is essential for building resilience and informed policy responses.”