The Effects Of Information And Communication Technology On The Human Development In MENA Countries

Abstract

Information and communication technology (ICT) has transformed the life around us. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, ICT has a significant role in human development. This work investigates the impact of ICT on human development in a selected sample of 15 MENA countries over the period 1995-2018 using the panel ARDL model. Overall, the results show that the three indicators of information and communication technology (fixed telephone subscriptions per 100 people, mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 people, and proportion of individuals using the internet) have a positive and significant impact on the human development index in the long-run whereas only mobile cellular subscriptions indicator is significant in the short-run. Therefore, a policy based on improved ICT indicators could strengthen the long-term human development index for some countries in the Middle East and North Africa.