Abstract

The article reviews the positions and policies of Middle Eastern and North African states towards the external ‘debt crisis’ of the 1980s within the context of contemporary debates and negotiations held at regional and international levels. MENA countries shared many commonalities with their developing partners across the postcolonial world and participated actively in the debates within multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Because standard borrowing in the MENA was public, bilateral and closely tied to politics, the article argues for the relevance of regional factors in shaping the course of the debt crisis in the MENA region, and challenges the common visions for which Western creditors could manage external debt as an effective ‘lever’ for introducing neoliberal policies: oil endowment, armed conflicts and alliances shaped the timing and results of the debt crisis in the MENA. The research is based on an extensive review of regional and international literature coupled with documents and proceedings from the UN organizations.

摘要

本文在当代地区和国际层面的辩论和谈判背景下，回顾了中东和北非国家对 1980 年代外部“债务危机”的立场和政策。中东和北非国家与后殖民世界的发展中伙伴有许多共同点，并积极参与联合国贸易和发展会议（UNCTAD）等多边组织的辩论。由于中东和北非地区的标准借贷是公开的、双边的并且与政治密切相关，因此本文论证了地区因素在塑造中东和北非地区债务危机进程中的相关性，并挑战了西方债权人可以管理外部债权人的共同愿景。债务作为引入新自由主义政策的有效“杠杆”：石油禀赋、武装冲突和联盟影响了中东和北非债务危机的时机和结果。该研究基于对区域和国际文献的广泛审查以及联合国组织的文件和程序。