The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab Middle East and North Africa J-PAL MENA at The American University in Cairo (AUC) marked its fifth anniversary this week, celebrating five years of harnessing the power of evidence to design cost-effective and large-scale policies that address poverty and enhance lives across the region. Held at AUC’s Malak Gabr Theater, the event brought together policymakers, researchers, donors, and community leaders to celebrate J-PAL MENA’s achievements using data and rigorous research to inform policies addressing some of the region’s most pressing challenges.
The event featured a keynote speech by Nobel Laureate and J-PAL co-founder Abhijit Banerjee and opening remarks by Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat. Engaging panel discussions explored the future of evidence-based policymaking in Egypt and the MENA region and showcased success stories from J-PAL’s partners, including government officials and NGOs.
Since its launch in 2020, J-PAL MENA, hosted at the Onsi Sawiris School of Business, has built a strong foundation of success, partnering with governments, NGOs, and donors to generate and disseminate evidence that improves policies and transforms lives. “Since 2020, when Community Jameel supported the establishment of J-PAL MENA, we have been in awe of the speed and scale of its impact in improving the lives of people across the region – from Morocco to Saudi Arabia and, of course, here in Egypt. Today, marking J-PAL MENA’s fifth anniversary, we remain committed to supporting J-PAL MENA in driving forward the use of rigorous evidence in tackling grave challenges, from poverty and hunger to air pollution and water scarcity,” said George Richards, director of Community Jameel.
In 2022, J-PAL MENA launched the Egypt Impact Lab, in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, and with support from Community Jameel, the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, and additional support from UNICEF Egypt. The aim was to strengthen the effectiveness of Egypt’s poverty reduction policies by rigorously evaluating promising and innovative government programs and using results to inform scale decisions. The Egypt Impact Lab was officially integrated into the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development’s training arm, in 2024.
“As we celebrate our fifth anniversary, we reflect on the incredible journey of building a culture of evidence-informed policymaking in Egypt and the Middle East. Over the past five years, J-PAL MENA has collaborated closely with governments, NGOs, and donors to generate research that directly improves people’s lives,” said Ahmed Elsayed, executive director of J-PAL MENA. “This milestone is not just a celebration of our achievements but a moment to look ahead—to deepen our partnerships, expand our impact, and continue tackling the region’s most pressing challenges with rigorous evidence and actionable solutions,” Elsayed added.
In 2025, J-PAL MENA announced the launch of the Hub of Advanced Policy Innovation for the Environment HAPIE, as part of the global network of J-PAL Air and Water Labs with Community Jameel, which aims to tackle critical air and water issues through evidence-based policymaking.
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Founded at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2003, J-PAL has seven regional offices at host universities in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
J-PAL MENA was launched in 2020, in partnership with Community Jameel, and is based at AUC. It currently has more than 60 completed and ongoing evaluations across eight sectors in seven countries in the MENA region: Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
Founded in 1919, The American University in Cairo (AUC) is a leading English-language, American-accredited institution of higher education and center of the intellectual, social, and cultural life of the Arab world. It is a vital bridge between East and West, linking Egypt and the region to the world through scholarly research, partnerships with academic and research institutions, and study abroad programs.
The University offers 39 undergraduate, 52 master’s, and two PhD programs rooted in a liberal arts education that encourages students to think critically and find creative solutions to conflicts and challenges facing both the region and the world.
An independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan, nonsectarian, and equal opportunity institution, AUC is fully accredited in Egypt and the United States.