Navigating the Connection Between Migration Policies and International Trade: Insights from the Arab Region

Abstract

This article explores the debated link between international trade and migration, particularly focusing on the Arab world. Examining the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the study classifies Arab migrants into three categories: forced migration, irregular migration, and labor migration. It analyzes migration drivers within the Arab region and internationally, questioning whether trade liberalization acts as a mitigating factor or exacerbates migration pressures. This concise examination contributes to a nuanced understanding of the trade-migration relationship in the Arab context.

Keywords: migration, international trade, Arab Spring, Trade-migration connection, labor migration, refugee, trade liberalization, MENA, forced migration, internal displacement, irregular migration