The motive behind this article is investigating alternative indicator measures for the effectiveness of public health expenditure on pandemic preparedness, to explain the reasons behind country variations in containing crises such as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The purpose is to analyse the shortcomings in the relationship between global public health expenditure and pandemic preparedness. The research methodology includes a macro-analysis of global health spending patterns, empirical and theoretical literature on global health expenditure, global health security indexes, and country case studies pre- and post-crisis. The results show that gaps in pandemic preparedness were already existent pre-COVID-19, calling for a new mind-set in the way public health expenditure is structured. Healthcare sustainability indicators should transition from traditional measures such as economic growth rates, public health expenditure rates, revenue coming from the healthcare sector, and rankings in the global health security index, to new awareness indicators. Public health expenditure, a facilitator of pandemic preparedness, coupled with the resilience of healthcare systems, could be used in conjunction with the traditional factors, along with the time element of a quick response to pandemic through preparedness schemes, the progress towards achieving sustainable health through the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and investment in national healthcare capital to ensure efficient resource allocation. The policy recommendations are the restructuring of public expenditure to expand the absorptive capacities of healthcare institutes, eventually leading to sustainability and universal health insurance.

Recently, Egypt has prioritized financial inclusion in its monetary reform agenda. The objective of this paper is to examine the determinants of financial inclusion in Egypt using the World Bank’s Global Findex 2017 database to conduct a logistic regression. Empirical results prove that there is no significant relationship between gender and the level of financial inclusion in Egypt, whereas, richer, more educated and older individuals are more strongly included in the financial system. The results reveal that the main barrier to financial inclusion is actually a lack of money; which hinders opening a formal account, savings account or credit account. Through possible policy measures, the paper recommends the need for a progressive approach to robust financial literacy and awareness in order for a positive economic growth role of financial inclusion to emerge in the Egyptian economy.

The objective of this article is to (1) posit indicators to measure the performance of Egypt in achieving United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals one, to end poverty in all its forms and two, zero hunger, and (2) develop policy recommendations with regards to reducing poverty. Research methods include a systematic macro-process, general to narrow analysis, offering indicators and policy recommendations for governments to follow in achieving the sustainable development goals on poverty. The article is significant since it links between macroeconomics of poverty, an analysis of the quality and quantity of research conducted on the topic, the poor economics individual perspective, examples of pre and post-covid sustainable development goals one and two actual performance. Conclusions convey that poverty alleviation requires a combined public, private, and institutional collaboration to enhance the poor community capacity building, domestic resource mobilization techniques, efficient resource allocation and an awareness of the importance of implementing the sustainable development goals.

Annual time series data is used to forecast GDP per capita using the Box-Jenkins Autoregressive-Integrated Moving-Average (ARIMA) model for the Egyptian and Saudi Arabian economies. The fitted ARIMA model is tested for per capita GDP forecasting of Egypt and of Saudi Arabia for the next ten years. Conclusions convey that the most accurate statistical model as in previous literature that forecast GDP per capita for Egypt and for Saudi Arabia is ARIMA (1,1,2) and ARIMA (1,1,1) respectively. The diagnostic tests reveal that the two models presented individually are both stable and reliable.

The objective of this article is to find out whether strong regional bloc integration of both the European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will lead to “stumbling stones” or “building blocks” steps in the signing of the long-awaited EU-GCC free trade area agreement (EU-GCC FTA). A qualitative International Political Economy (IPE) comparison between the two blocs is discussed and summarized in a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis framework. Results show that the Marxist school of thought is the most realistic of all schools in terms of explaining economic regional integration and international FTAs. For the GCC, the potential outcomes of an EU-GCC FTA mean an increase in trade creation, economic welfare, and a fulfillment of economic desires. For the EU, the FTA will lead to EU trade diversion and a mild increase in economic welfare; however, it will allow the EU to fulfill its self-interest in maintaining running its global position in world affairs. The EU should outweigh its benefits toward this FTA, understand the strong competitive advantage found in the GCC countries, and try to cooperate with the GCC in an equal way, supporting developing countries and avoiding the unfair effects of external yet influencing factors that affect such a relationship.