In the space of a few weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has become the main economic challenge for the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. The vertiginous fall in oil prices weighs on the public finances of the countries exporting black gold. Many countries in the region, such as Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco, are also suffering from the collapse of world tourism. Finally, oil importing countries fear the decline in remittances from their diasporas. Unemployment is likely to rise sharply everywhere.

The other major challenge for the region's economies is to enable their already fragile health systems to cope with the looming health shock. In this context, the International Monetary Fund recommends that countries give priority to health spending. Several countries have also approached the IMF for financial support.

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