Second issue - April 2015: Towards a New Social Contract: Despite a slight uptick in the global economy, the World Bank's MENA Economic Monitor expects GDP growth in the region to remain flat at between 3.1% and 3.3% for 2015 and 2016. For the first time in four years, the region faces a fiscal deficit due to the prolonged conflict and political instability in some countries, low oil prices, and the slow pace of reforms. These factors are also contributing to low investment and high unemployment.