Risky business: political instability and greenfield foreign direct investment in the Arab world

Martijn Burger, Elena Ianchovichina and Bob Rijkers

No 6716, Policy Research Working Paper Series from The World Bank

Abstract: Which foreign direct investments are most affected by political instability? Analysis of quarterly greenfield investment flows into countries in the Middle East and North Africa from 2003 to 2012 shows that adverse political shocks are associated with significantly reduced investment inflows in the non-resource tradable sectors. By contrast, investments in natural resource sectors and non-tradable activities appear insensitive to such shocks. Consistent with these patterns, the significant reduction in investment inflows in Arab Spring affected economies was starkest in the non-resource manufacturing sector. Political instability is thus associated with increased reliance on non-tradables and aggravated resource dependence. Conversely, how intensified political instability affects aggregate foreign direct investment is critically contingent on the initial sector composition of these flows.

Keywords: E-Business; Debt Markets; Emerging Markets; Investment and Investment Climate; Energy Production and Transportation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-12-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ara and nep-pol
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Risky Business Political Instability and Greenfield Foreign Direct Investment in the Arab World (2014)
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