A sound and well-enforced regulatory regime in the banking sector can help developing nations channel financial resources more efficiently into investments. It can also act as an important stabilizing factor in today's shaky market environment. This book examines the impact of banking sector regulations on bank efficiency and economic growth in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia, while exploring the level of convergence of regulatory practices and efficiency to international standards.

The authors look at the impact of theregulatory environment on the efficiency of banks, using established measures of regulatory and supervisory practices. In addition to the regulatory details, their performance analysis also considers the legal and institutional characteristics of the Southern Mediterranean countries. Finally, the book explores how compliance with these standards and norms may influence the growth potential of each country.

Contributors include Mohammed Boumghar (Le Centre de Recherche en Economie Appliquée au Développement, Algeria), Jawad Kerdoudi (Moroccan Institute of International Relations), and Moez Labidi (University of Monastir, Tunisia).