The Arab Economies in Multi-Country Models: Survey of Some Regional and Global Experiences

The purpose of this paper is to survey the main multi-country modeling studies involving Arab Countries and the methodologies used for linking country models. Two broad types of linkage models are distinguished: Econometric models and Input-Output and Linear Programming Models. In the first part of the paper, the different approaches underlying the econometric methodology were underlined and multi-country models using the latter approaches were summarized. Then, the approaches pertaining to input-output and linear programming models and the studies making use of these approaches were overviewed. The paper concludes by contrasting the comprehensive framework offered by the above models with partial analyses also available in the literature and argues that the former framework is more appropriate when it comes to the evaluation of the static and dynamic costs and benefits of economic integration.