Electricity-sector Reforms in the Mena Region ― Evaluation and Prospects

This book uses electricity-sector reforms to question some of the preconceived ideas concerning the MENA region and to provide a broader analysis of related political economy issues. It presents potential further developments of MENA’s electricity-sector reforms, taking into consideration the region’s unique constraints and opportunities, and discusses the practical limits of reform and deregulation. Specifically, it examines the relationship between reforms and oil prices from a new perspective and presents alternatives to the Single Buyer Model.

Complementing existing research on electricity-sector reforms in other emerging markets, the book provides a new analytical framework for assessing reforms that can be easily applied to other markets and sectors.

Dr. Leila Benali is an authority on energy strategy and policies, advising key stakeholders, particularly in sensitive environments (e.g. the Iraqi Hydrocarbons Law, the “National Economic Strategy” in Libya, G20 Energy Meeting response to the 2008 crisis, East Med fuel supplies). She has extensive experience consulting on and managing projects for governments, international companies, investment banks and industries, including numerous country energy master plans, policies, corporate strategies and strategic investments and acquisitions. Her research includes gas monetization, energy pricing, reserves booking, nuclear power introduction, energy poverty and sustainable wealth creation.

Prior to joining Saudi Aramco in 2014, she was Director for the Middle East and Africa at IHS CERA (Cambridge Energy Research Associates), leading the research and consulting. Before CERA, she conducted field research on the liberalization of the UAE electricity and water sectors. She also worked on assessments of the political and social climate in Lebanon and Syria, and as an industrial engineer at Schlumberger.

 She has been teaching about “energy strategies and players” and “energy economics” at Sciences PO, Paris. Dr Benali is the Chairman of the Arab Energy Club, a member of the International Association of Energy Economists and of the Paris Energy Club. She holds a MS in Engineering from l’Ecole Centrale Paris and from l’Ecole Mohammadia d’Ingenieurs, Rabat, Morocco; a MS in Political Science and a PhD (Summa Cum Laude) in Economics from l’Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). In 2016 she was awarded the Petroleum Economist Future Leader award, which recognizes individuals most likely to shape the future of the energy sector.