Poverty, Health and Economic Growth Interactions in MENA Countries: An Empirical Study

Abstract

This study examines the empirical interactions between inequality, economic growth, and poverty in MENA countries using data from 2011–2024. A simultaneous equations model is developed to capture the endogenous relationship between growth and poverty. Reducing poverty remains a central priority for human development, as highlighted by the UNDP (1996), with 21% of people below the income poverty line and 37% experiencing human-capacity deprivation. Short-term growth without human development is unsustainable, and vice versa (Richard Jolly, UNDP). This research first clarifies theoretically the links between inequality, growth, and poverty. It then empirically investigates the growth–inequality–poverty triangle. The findings provide evidence-based insights to inform policies aimed at sustainable poverty reduction.