Chahir Zaki

Who is

Chahir Zaki is a chaired professor of economics at the University of Orléans and a research fellow at Laboratoire d’Economie d’Orléans. In this position, Chahir holds the Chair on Environmental and Mineral Economics (CEME) where he teaches and conducts research on trade, environment, natural resources and macroeconomics. He is also a professor of economics at Cairo University (on leave). Previously, he was the director of the French section at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science. He was also the Chair Holder of the World Trade Organization Chair Program at Cairo University. Currently, Chahir is also a lead economist (part-time) and a research fellow at the Economic Research Forum (Cairo, Egypt) and a consultant for several international organizations (the World Bank, IFPRI and the International Trade Center). He is also the director of Egypt’s pole of the Euro-Mediterranean and African Network for Economic Studies (EMANES), a member of the experts’ panel of the Euro-Mediterranean Economic Association, and an elected-board member of the Middle East Economic Association. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University, an M.A. in Economics from Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne. He has written numerous studies published in refereed journals on international trade, environment, trade policy, trade in services, applied economics, and macroeconomic modeling.

Publications

 Publications in Refereed Journals

•  Kassab, D. and Zaki, C. (2025) "Agree to Disagree? Making Sense of Vagueness in International Environmental Agreement", Energy Economics (forthcoming)
• Alamneh, M., Kornher, L. and Zaki, C. (2025) "Revisiting the Impact of Trade Facilitation Measures in Africa: A Structural Gravity Approach", The Journal of International Trade and Economic Development (forthcoming).
• Eissa, Y. and Zaki, C. (2025) “Leveraging Global Value Chains for Innovation: the case of SMEs”, International Economics (forthcoming).
• Eldeep, C., Elshenawy, A. and Zaki, C. (2025) "Gender and Climate Policies: A General Equilibrium Analysis for Egypt", Journal of Economic Policy Reform (forthcoming).
• Aboushady, N., Harb, G and Zaki, C. (2025) “Aid for Trade and Export Performance of Recipient Countries: The Moderating Role of Institutions", Journal of International Trade and Economic Development, 34(4), pages 925-953.
• Forrester-Jones, R., Jawad, R., Zaki, C., and Ismail, G. (2025) “Living Policy Labs: a case study of collaborative dialogue about social protection to alleviate grievances and facilitate peaceful outcomes in Egypt”, World Development, 185, pages 1-10.
• Aly, F. and Zaki, C. (2025) “On Deep Trade Agreements, Institutions and Global Value Chains: Evidence from Egypt”, Review of World Economics, 161, pages 49–87.
• Nunez Rocha, T., Martinez-Zarzoso, I., and Zaki, C. (2024) “What Type of Trade is Promoted by Environmental Provisions in Trade Agreements?”, Annals of Economics and Statistics, No.156 (December 2024), pages 207-236.
• Karam, F. and Zaki, C. (2024) “When Trade Agreements Are Gender-Friendly: Impact on Women Empowerment using Firm Data”, Journal of Economic Integration, 39(4), pages 875-898.
• Zaki, C. (2024) “Why Don’t Firms Grow? Evidence from Egypt”, International Journal of Economic Policy in Emerging Economies, 20(3/4), pages 347–369.
• Karam, F. and Zaki, C. (2024) “On trade policy and workers’ transition between the formal and informal sectors: An application to the MENA region in the time of COVID-19”, Journal of International Trade and Economic Development, 33(5), pages 796–817.
• Ayadi, R., Giovannetti, G. and Marvasi, E., Zaki, C. (2024) “Trade Networks and the Productivity of MENA Firms in Global Value Chains”, Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 69, pages 10–23.
• Farag, M. and Zaki, C. (2024) “On the Economic and Political Determinants of Trade in Natural Gas” The World Economy, 47(2), pages 806-836.
• ElHaddad, A. and Zaki, C. (2024) “Storm Survivors: Evidence from Firms in Times of Pandemic”, Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, vol. 33(2), pages 165-198.
• Youssef, J. and Zaki, C. (2024) “A Decade of Competition Policy in Arab Countries: A De jure and De facto Assessment”, International Journal of Economic Policy in Emerging Economies, 19(1), pages 56-85.
• Martinez-Zarzoso, I., Nunez Rocha, T. and Zaki, C. (2023) “Environmental regulations and environmental provisions’ impact on trade”, Revue d’économie du développement, 33(3-4), pages 109 - 115.
• ElHaddad, A. and Zaki, C. (2023) “Vulnerability and Resilience: Crisis Transmission Channels for GVCs in COVID Times”, Economics Bulletin, 43(4), pages 1581-1592.
• Hegazi, N. Noureldin, D. and Zaki, C. (2023) “What Drives Business Cycles in Egypt? An Analysis of Coincident and Leading Indicators”, Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, 19(1), pages 37-99.
• Guillin, A., Rabaud, I. and Zaki, C. (2023) “Does the Depth of Trade Agreements Matter for Trade in Services?”, The World Economy, 46(12), pages 3616–3653.
• ElHaddad, A. and Zaki, C. (2023) “The role of political connections in COVID policy response: effectiveness of firm-level government support in Egypt”, Journal of Development Studies, vol. 59(8), pages 1213-1235.
• Youssef, J. and Zaki, C. (2023) “On the Determinants and Outcomes of IMF Loans: Does Politics Matter”, Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, vol. 59(9), pages 2834-2850.
• Eldeep, C. and Zaki, C. (2023) “The Unfinished Business of Stabilization Programs CGE Model of Egypt”, Middle East Development Journal, 15(1), pages 66-100.
• Eldeep, C. and Zaki, C. (2023) “COVID-19 Impact and Policy Response: A General Equilibrium Approach for Egypt”, Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, 18(3), pages 139-170.
• Elewa, A. and Zaki, C. (2023) “Multi-Product Firms and Export Skewness Does Firms Size Matter?”, International Trade Journal, 37(3), pages 49-71.
• Eissa, Y. and Zaki, C. (2023) “On Global Value Chains and Innovation: the role of moderating policy”, Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, 50, pages 49-71.
• Marouani, M.A., Youssef, J. and Zaki, C. (2022) “Structural Change in Developing Countries: Which Policies Matter?”, Revue d’économie du développement, vol. 31(2-3), pages 137-142.
• Guillin, A., Rabaud, I. and Zaki, C. (2022) « La profondeur des accords commerciaux régionaux affecte-t-elle les échanges internationaux de services ? Un point sur la région MOAN », Revue d’économie du développement, vol. 31(2-3), pages 151-156.
• Ezzat, A. and Zaki, C. (2022) “On the Political Economy of Trade Agreements: A De Jure and De Facto Analysis of the Effect of Institutions”, International Economics, 172, pages 143-156.
• Aboushady, N., Kamal, Y. and Zaki, C. (2022) “Disentangling the Impact of Trade Barriers on Wages: Evidence from the MENA Region”, Middle East Development Journal, 14(1), pages 43-69.
• Ayadi, R., Giovannetti, G., Marvasi, E., Vannelli, G. and Zaki, C. (2022) “Demand and Supply Exposure through Global Value Chains: Euro-Mediterranean Countries during COVID”, The World Economy, vol. 45(3), pages 637-656 (among the most downloaded during its first 12 months of publication).
• Farag, M. and Zaki, C. (2021) “Price and Income Elasticities of Natural Gas Demand in Egypt: A Bound Test Approach”, Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, 17(1), pages 27-55.
• Martínez-Zarzoso, I., Said, M. and Zaki, C. (2021) “Trade Policy and Input Liberalization: The Effect on Egyptian Firms Productivity”, Productivity and Input Liberalization”, Review of Development Economics, 25(3), pages 1305-1325.
• Mohieldin, M., Rostom, A., and Zaki, C. (2021) "The external wealth of Arab nations: Structure, trends, and policy implications", Economic Notes, 52(2), pages 1-17.
• Hendy, R. and Zaki, C. (2021) “Trade Facilitation and Firms’ Exports: Evidence from Customs Data”, International Review of Economics and Finance, 75, pages 197–209.
• Karam, F. and Zaki, C. (2021) “On Women Empowerment in International Trade: Impact on Firms’ Productivity and Trade Margins in the MENA region”, Journal of International Trade and Economic Development, 30(3), pages 384-406.
• Ehab, M. and Zaki, C. (2021) “Global Value Chains and Service Liberalization: Do They Matter for Skill-Upgrading?”, Applied Economics, 53(12), pages 1342-1360.
• El Badawi, I. and Zaki, C. (2021) “Exchange Rate Undervaluation, Economic Institutions and Exports Performance: Evidence from Firm-Level Data”, International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, vol. 14(1), pages 62-93.
• Seleem, N. and Zaki, C. (2021) “On Modelling the Determinants of TFP in the MENA Region: A Macro-Micro Firm-Level Evidence”, International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 32(2), pages 147-178.
• Aboushady, N. and Zaki, C. (2021) “Do Exports and Innovation Matter for the Demand of Skilled Labor?”, International Review of Applied Economics, 35 (1), pages 25-44.
• Hazem, N. and Zaki, C. (2020) “Mind the Measure: On the Effect of Anti-Dumping Investigations in Egypt”, Journal of African Trade, 7(1-2), pages 1-14.
• Dovis, M. and Zaki, C. (2020) “Global Value Chains and Business Environment: Which Factors Do Really Matter”, Review of Industrial Organization, 57(2), pages 481-513.
• Elbadawi, I., Soto. R. and Zaki, C. (2020) “Sovereign Wealth Funds, Cross-border Investment Bias and Institutions: The Case of Arab Countries”, Middle East Development Journal, 12(1), pages 1-23.
• Karam, F. and Zaki, C. (2020) “A New Dawn for MENA Firms: Service Trade Liberalization for More Competitive Exports”, Applied Economics, 52(1), pages 19-35.
• Zaki, C., Alshayab, N. and Seleem, N. (2020) “Employment Intensity and Sectoral Output Growth: A Comparative Analysis for Egyptian and Jordanian Economies”, New Medit – Mediterranean Journal for Agriculture, Economics and Environment, 19(1), pages 35-54.
• Helmy, O., Zaki, C. and Abdallah, A. (2020) “Do Workers’ Remittances Promote Consumption Stability in Egypt?”, Applied Econometrics and International Development, vol. 20(2), pages 127-144.
• Abou-Shady, N. and Zaki, C. (2019) “Investment climate and Trade Margins in Egypt: Which Factors Do Matter?”, Economics Bulletin, 39(4), pages 2275-2301.
• Selwaness, I. and Zaki, C. (2019) “On the Interaction between Exports and Labor Market Regulations: Evidence from the MENA Countries”, Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 73, pages 24-33.
• Karam, F and Zaki, C. (2019) “Why Can’t MENA Countries Trade More? The Curse of Bad Institutions”, Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 73, pages 56-77.
• Zaki, C., Ehab, M. and Abdallah, A. (2019) “How Do Trade Margins Respond to Exchange Rate? The Case of Egypt”, Journal of African Trade, 6(1-2), pages 60 – 80.
• Ben-Salem, M. and Zaki, C. (2019) “Revisiting the Impact of Trade Openness on Informal and Irregular Employment in Egypt”, Journal of Economic Integration, 34(3), pages 465-497.
• Badr, K., Rizk, R. and Zaki, C. (2019) “Firm Productivity and Agglomeration Economies: Evidence from Egyptian Data”, Applied Economics, 51(51), pages 5528-5544.
• Kamal, Y. and Zaki, C. (2018) “How Do Technical Barriers to Trade Affect Egypt’s Trade Margins”, Journal of Economic Integration, 33(4), pages 659-721.
• Ramzy, M. and Zaki, C. (2018) “Do Environment Regulations Matter for EU-MENA Trade?” Applied Economics, 50(39), pages 4197-4221.
• Zaki, C. (2017) “An Overview of Structural Imbalances in Egypt”, Egypte Monde Arabe, « L’État égyptien en quête de stabilité » 16(3), pages 99-124.
• Helmy, O. and Zaki, C. (2017) “On the Nexus between Internal and External Macroeconomic Imbalances: Evidence from Egypt”, Middle East Development Journal. 9(2), pages 198-232.
• Zaki, C. (2017) “Making International Trade Easier: A Survey of the Trade Facilitation Effects”, Review of Economics and Political Science, 2(2), pages 25-55.
• Karam, F and Zaki, C. (2016) “How Did Wars Dampen Trade in the MENA Region?”, Applied Economics, 48(60), pages 5909-5930.
• El-Enbaby, H., Hendy, R. and Zaki, C. (2016) “Do SPS Measures Matter for Margins of Trade? Evidence from Firm-Level Data”, Applied Economics, 48(21), pages 1949-1964.
• Zaki, C. (2016) “Employment, Gender and International Trade: A Micro-Macro Evidence for Egypt”, Review of Economics and Political Science, 1(1), pages 29-60.
• El-Said, H. Al Said, M. and Zaki, C. (2015) “Trade and Access to Finance of SMEs in Egypt: Is There a Nexus?”, Applied Economics, 47(39), pages 4184-4199.
• Karam, F and Zaki, C. (2015) “Trade Volume and Economic Growth in the MENA Region: Goods or Services?”, Economic Modeling, 45, pages 23-37.
• Selwaness, I. and Zaki, C. (2015) “Assessing the Impact of Trade Reforms on informal employment in Egypt, The Journal of North African Studies, vol. 20(3), pages 391-414.
• Zaki, C. (2015) “How Does Trade Facilitation Affect International Trade?”, European Development Research Journal, 27, pages 156-185.
• El-Said, H. Al Said, M. and Zaki, C. (2014) “Small and Medium Enterprises in Egypt: New Facts from a New Dataset”, Journal of Business and Economics, 5(2), pages 142-161.
• Zaki, C. (2014) “An Empirical Assessment of the Trade Facilitation Impact: New Econometric Evidence and Global Economic Effects”, World Trade Review, volume 13(1), pages 103-130.
• Zaki, C. (2014) “On Trade Policies and Wage Disparity in Egypt: Evidence from Microeconomic Data”, International Economic Journal, 28(1), pages 37-69.
• El-Said, H., Al-Said, M. and Zaki, C. (2013) “Access to Finance and Financial Problems of SMEs: Evidence from Egypt” International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 20(3), pages 286-309.
• Hendy, R. and Zaki, C. (2013) "Assessing the Effects of Trade Liberalization on Wage Inequalities in Egypt: A Microsimulation Analysis”, International Trade Journal, vol. 27(1), pages 63-104.Hendy, R. and Zaki, C. (2013) “On Productivity and Informality of MSEs: Evidence from MENA countries”, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 19(4), pages 438-470.
• Herrera, S., Hurlin, C. and Zaki, C. (2013) “Why don’t Banks Lend to Egypt’s Private Sector?”, Economic Modeling 33, pages 347–356.
• Karam, F and Zaki, C. (2013) “On the Determinants of Trade in Services: Evidence from the MENA Region”, Applied Economics, 45(33), pages 4626-4640.
• Zaki, C. (2013) "Trade Facilitation and Corruption: A CGE Model of Egypt”, Journal of North African Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 70-111.

 Books and Contribution to Books

•  Karam, F and Zaki, C. (2025) “Breaking or Building Bridges? The Trade Story of the MENA Region", Cambridge Elements, Cambridge University Press.
• Zaki, C. (2024) “The Economy of Egypt: Internal and External Imbalances” in The Middle East and North Africa 2025, edited by Jill O’Brien, Routledge, 71^st
• Zaki, C. (2023) “The Economy of Egypt: Overview, Policies, and Prospects” in The Middle East and North Africa 2024, edited by Jill O’Brien, Europa Publications, Routledge, 70^th
• Aboushady, N. and Zaki, C. (2023) “Trade Policy and Food Security in Turbulent Times” Mediterranean Economies, edited by in Mediterranean Economies, edited by Salvatore Capasso and Giovanni Canitano, Il Mulino.
• Hamada, A., Sokmen, M. and Zaki, C. (2023) “Investigating the Libyan Conflict and Peace-building Process: Causes and Prospects” in "The Aftermath of the Arab Uprisings Towards Reconstruction, Democracy and Peace" edited by Samir Makdisi, Raimundo Soto, Routledge.
• Gourdon, J., Ouattara, W. and Zaki, C. (2022) « Intégration régionale et zone de libre-échange continentale africaine : espoir d’une croissance durable pour l’économie africaine ? » in L’économie africaine, Edition La Découverte.
• Zaki, C. (2021) “A renewed focus on investment, competitiveness, and jobs: new normal in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation?”, in IEMed Mediterranean Yearbook – 2021, IEMed, Barcelona.
• Aboushady N. and Zaki, C. (2021) “Assessing EU-Middle East Trade Relations: Patterns, Policies and Imbalances” in “Routledge Handbook on EU-Middle East Relations” edited by Dimitris Bouris, Daniela Huber, and Michelle Pace.
• Zaki, C. (2021) “Why Egypt’s Trade Policy Failed to Improve its External’s Competitiveness?” in “Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Egypt” edited by Robert Springborg, Aisha I. Saad, Amr Ismail Ahmed Adly, Anthony Philip Gorman, Tamir Moustafa, Naomi Sakr and Sarah Smierciak.
• Karam, F. and Zaki, C. (2021) “Trade and Economic Growth in the MENA Region: Do Trade in Goods and Trade in Services Differ in their Impact on Growth?” in “Routledge Handbook on Middle Eastern Economy” edited by Hassan Hakimian.

• Zaki, C. (2019) « L’Egypte : une économie émergente aux déséquilibres structurels » in « Atlas de l’Égypte contemporaine », Centre d’Études et de Documentation Économiques, Juridiques et Sociales (CEDEJ), Le Caire, Egypte.

• Selim, H., and Zaki, C. (2016) “The Institutional Curse of Natural Resources in the Arab World”, in “Understanding and Avoiding the Resource Curse in the Arab Region”, edited by Ibrahim El Badawi and Hoda Selim, Cambridge University Press.