FIRB Project RBIN0493LR Creation of a Centre for Advanced Studies and Research in Cooperation and Development at Bethlehem University The Palestinian economy: theoretical and practical challenges 15-16 th JUNE 2010 University of Pavia ACADEMIC PARTNERS University of Pavia University of Siena Bethlehem University An-Najah National University University Institute for Advanced Studies (IUSS) Bir Zeit University In collaboration with: MIUR- Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research Cooperation and Development Network, Pavia The conference is organized also as part of the MIUR Internalization Project II04B0A748.
This conference represents the outcome of a major joint research work which has been carried out by Italian and Palestinian economists and presents the final results of the FIRB research project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Education- MIUR and coordinated by the Department of Political Economy and Quantitative Methods in collaboration with the Department of Public Economics of the University of Pavia. In February 2005 at Bethlehem University, during the PEACE Program conference, a Memorandum of Understanding, was signed between the partners under the Patronage of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) and of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and of the PEACE Program to create a Centre for Advanced Studies and Research in the field of International Cooperation and Development (CASR) in Palestine. The Centre activated specific programs for Master and Doctoral courses in International Cooperation and Development. Courses are taught by teachers from Palestine and from Universities and Institutions of the Euro-Mediterranean area. Research activities focused on general issues of great sensitiveness for the Mediterranean Basin, such as trade regimes and labour mobility, while pursuing the more specific goal of an international support to the reconstruction of the Palestinian economy. In this purpose, the Centre produced qualitative and quantitative analyses for evaluating the effects of different economic policies aimed at the sustainable development of the Palestinian socioeconomic structure. In particular, the following areas of study have been identified: 1. fiscal systems and budgetary policies; 2. industrial and labour economics; 3. Middle-Eastern regional economic cooperation and Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, including international trade and finance, multilateral agreements and capital mobility; The papers presented at the conference provide a fundamental contribution to highlight the main characteristics of a sustainable economic development in Palestine.
PROGRAM Tuesday 15 th of June AULA VOLTA 10.00-10.30 Welcome Address Angiolino Stella, Rector of the University of Pavia Guido Ascari, Head of the Department of Political Economy and Quantitative Methods Mario Alì, General Director for the Internationalization of Research 10.30-11.00 Presentation of the FIRB Project and introduction to the conference Gianni Vaggi and Marco Missaglia, University of Pavia Fadi Kattan, Bethlehem University 11.00-13.00 Fist session Chair: Guido Ascari, Department of Political Economy and Quantitative Methods Mercantilism or Liberalism? Economic Autonomy and State-Building in Palestine Fadi Kattan, Bethlehem University and Rosa Maria Alonso i Terme, World Bank Reappraising the World Bank CGE model on Palestine Marco Missaglia, University of Pavia and Giovanni Valensisi, UNCTAD. Fiscal Decentralisation and Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations in Palestine Adel Zagha, BirZeit University Raja Khalidi, UNCTAD Luay Shabaneh, PCBS 13.00-14.00 Lunch
Tuesday 15 th of June AULA CONSIGLIO DI FACOLTA Faculty of Economics 14.00-16.00 Second session Chair: Carluccio Bianchi, Dean faculty of Economics A trade-focused, post-keynesian CGE model for Palestine Marco Missaglia, University of Pavia and Giovanni Valensisi, UNCTAD. Trade Issues and the Palestinian Economy: Stylized facts and modelling strategies Alberto Botta, University of Pavia Orthodox and Heterodox CGE models for the Palestinian Economy Clara Capelli, University of Pavia Rosa Maria Alonso i Terme, World Bank Massimo Ricottili, University of Bologna 16.00-16.30 Coffee Break 16.30-18.30 Third session Chair: Giorgio Panella, Department of Public Economics Labor Force Instability and Employment Hardship in the Palestinian Territory Basim Makhool, An-Najah National University The effect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on child labour and school attendance in the West Bank Michele Di Maio, University of Siena and Tushar K. Nandi The macroeconomic simulation framework developed by UNCTAD Elkhafif Mahmoud, UNCTAD Samir Abdallah, MAS Ola Awad, PCBS
Wednesday 16 th of June AULA CONSIGLIO DI FACOLTA Faculty of Economics 9.00-12.00 Fourth session Chair: Massimo D Antoni, University of Siena Palestine: A Theoretical Model of an investment-constrained economy Gianni Vaggi and Alberto Botta, University of Pavia Issues, Performance and Trajectories of the micro finance sector Paolo di Martino, University of Siena and Shaker Sarsour, University of Siena Inequality and Inequity in Health Care Delivery in Palestine: Identifying the Gaps Abu- Zaineh Mohammad, Dr. Mataria Awad, BirZeit University External Subsidies: The Palestinian Foreign Aid" Samir Hazboun, Bethlehem University Growth Diagnostic the case of Palestine Chiara Marazzi, Gianni Vaggi and Angelica Vitali, University of Pavia Massimiliano Ferrara, University of Reggio Calabria Michelangelo Vasta, University of Siena 12.00-13.00 Final considerations and work ahead 13.00 End of conference