FDI and long-term economic growth in Egypt

Abstract

This research paper aims to empirically analyze the impact of FDI on the long-term economic growth of Egypt. An empirical model was developed to explain the aggregate output, including total labor force, capital stock, foreign direct investment, government expenditure, and the real exchange rate. Annual time-series data from 1990–2013 were then used to estimate the model. Prior to calculating this estimation, the properties of the time series were diagnosed, and an error-correction model was developed and assessed. The overall results suggest that foreign direct investment makes a positive, yet weak and insignificant, contribution to the long-term economic growth of Egypt. This finding warrants further investigation to explore the possible reasons behind it, such as the degree of spillover that FDI has on economic growth and its impact on employment in areas like job creation, wage structure, research, and development.