KAPSARC is undertaking a research project to address the macroeconomic and diversification challenges facing oil-rich economies, focusing on the economic performance and policy responses of Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East Gulf region to oil price spikes and slumps.

This two-day workshop, to be held at the KAPSARC campus in Riyadh, will provide participants with an opportunity to discuss four main themes relevant to hydrocarbon-based, mid-income economies: i) the so-called Resource Curse, and how to avoid it; ii) achieving a sustainable development path for resource-based economies; iii) the role of sovereign wealth funds in mitigating the fiscal impact of oil price volatility; and iv) the main short-term and long-term macroeconomic challenges facing resource-rich economies such as Saudi Arabia.