September 2025 MENA Bi-Annual Newsletter
KEY UPDATES
- J-PAL MENA celebrates its fifth anniversary in the presence of key partners
- Hear from our partners in a new video showcasing the Hub of Advanced Policy Innovation for the Environment (HAPIE)’s mission for effective environmental action.
- Learn about the "Bridging Health Systems" government-to-government webinar series with guests from Chile and Thailand.
- Discover three new editions of the "Building Evidence Ecosystems through Training" capacity-building workshop with UNIDO, UN-HABITAT, and the European Training Foundation.
EVENTS
J-PAL MENA celebrates its fifth anniversary
In July, J-PAL MENA celebrated five years of transforming regional policymaking with evidence. The event brought together partners, researchers, and government to reflect on a half-decade of using rigorous evidence to improve lives. The celebration featured inspiring talks and a fireside chat with J-PAL MENA’s Scientific Directors. We were honored to be joined by Abhijit Banerjee, Co-Founder and Director, J-PAL and Nobel Prize laureate; and H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation. Watch the event »
Morocco Innovation & Evaluation Lab hosts evidence-to-policy conference
The Morocco Innovation and Evaluation Lab (MEL) and the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) hosted an evidence-to-policy conference in Rabat on June 25, 2025. The one-day conference, titled “Toward Evidence-Based Development: Climate Change, Education and Employment in Morocco,” offered a platform for Moroccan decision-makers and international researchers to discuss how rigorous impact evaluations can drive effective policy. Read the highlights »
Policy Dialogues
"Bridging Health Systems" knowledge exchange webinar series
Earlier this year, the Egypt Impact Lab (EIL), in collaboration with the Egyptian Universal Health Insurance Authority and the World Health Organization, launched the Knowledge Exchange Webinar Series on Bridging Health Systems to inform Egypt’s Universal Health Insurance System. Through this series, EIL fosters cross-country learning and strengthens the role of evidence in health sector reforms.
The first two sessions focused on benefit package design, drawing on experiences from Chile and from Thailand’s Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program, which highlighted how assessment can guide equitable and financially sustainable design. Watch the webinars and learn more »
Mobilizing climate action in cities: HAPIE x UN-Habitat
What role can climate data play in shaping sustainable urban spaces? To explore this question, the Hub of Advanced Policy Innovation for the Environment (HAPIE) and UN-Habitat convened an expert roundtable discussion on how to position urban programs for greater impact and mobilize the use of climate data. The roundtable brought together government, international, philanthropic, and private sector stakeholders to align development efforts and foster partnerships. Learn more about HAPIE's work »
New Video
Partner voices: Advancing climate and agriculture through HAPIE
We’re excited to share a new video that features the work and testimonials of one of our pivotal partners at the Hub of Advanced Policy Innovation for the Environment. The video highlights our collaboration with Sekem and the Egyptian BioDynamic Association, and demonstrates how rigorous research can support sustainable solutions for climate and agriculture.
HAPIE currently has five ongoing impact evaluations, including the featured project, "Measuring Farm-Level Environmental and Social Benefits of Carbon Credits in Egyptian Agriculture," underway in Beheira, Assiut, and Minya. Watch the video from the field »
Training & Capacity-Building
Strengthening evidence on the impact of AI on education
J-PAL MENA is proud to partner with the Queen Rania Center for Education and Information Technology at the Ministry of Education in Jordan. We recently hosted a delegation in Cairo for a hands-on workshop on evaluation and data collection. Supported by a grant from France’s Fund for Innovation in Development (FID), this collaboration launches the region’s first randomized evaluation of AI in math education, testing "Darsel"—an innovative chatbot for low-resource settings. Together, we are strengthening evidence-based policymaking to improve learning for students across Jordan. See what past ed-tech evidence reveals »
BEET expands: Driving evidence-informed policy from Cairo to Turin
The Egypt Impact Lab’s Building Evidence Ecosystems through Training (BEET) program expanded from local initiatives to the global stage. In Egypt, two customized workshops with local partners highlighted the importance of integrating evaluation in government planning.
The first workshop was held with UN-Habitat, and the second with UNIDO through the EU-funded TIGARA Project. Attendees included representatives from the Ministry of Local Development, the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, as well as technical experts in market access from the Ministries of Industry, Investment, and Foreign Trade.
The initiative then transitioned to an international platform in Turin, partnering with the European Training Foundation, one of the principal donors supporting Technical Education Reform in Egypt, and collaborating with the Ministry of Education and Technical Education to advance impact evaluation on employability and skill development. These collaborations demonstrate BEET's expanding leadership in driving evidence-based policy across borders. Learn more about our capacity-building initiatives »
Working Paper
How do we study irregular migration patterns?
Getting truthful answers to sensitive questions remains one of the most challenging tasks in research. When it comes to studying the intentions behind irregular migration and how to change behaviors related to it, Bruno Crépon (J-PAL MENA Co-scientific Director), Ahmed Elsayed (J-PAL MENA Executive Director), and Jules Gazeaud developed an innovative method of surveying to improve data accuracy.
This work is part of J-PAL MENA’s nearly completed randomized evaluation “Changing Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Irregular Migration,” conducted with the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA). The study explores how enhancing employability and creating job opportunities in Egypt can influence attitudes toward irregular migration. Read the working paper on ballot-bag surveying »
Team spotlight
Nagla Al Khoreiby is a Senior Policy Associate at J-PAL Middle East and North Africa, where she leads the Humanitarian Action Research portfolio and the Environment, Energy, and Climate Change sector through the Hub of Advanced Policy Innovations for the Environment. She synthesizes global evidence into regional policy lessons and facilitates research and policy partnerships to advance evidence-informed policymaking in the region. She joined J-PAL in 2023, bringing experience in urban research, planning, and strategic development.