The Second Arab Summit on Behavioral Economics and Nudging

 Lebanon, Qatar, and Kuwait champion the application of behavioral insights
in public policy to drive change more effectively  

Under the High Patronage of His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic General Michel AOUN, Nudge Lebanon and B4Development (Qatar), in collaboration with Carnegie Corporation of New York, Banque Du Liban, and the Kuwait Policy Appraisal Lab (KPAL), organized for the second consecutive year the Arab Summit on Behavioral Economics and Nudging, BX Arabia 2019, on April 12-13, 2019, at the École Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) in Beirut.

BX Arabia 2019 showcased the power of behavioral science used to design innovative tools that help address policy challenges, and reaffirm its role as an exchange platform by creating opportunities for collaboration and partnerships between government, NGOs, academia, and the private sector across a wide range of public policy areas, including – but not limited to – economic growth, public health and wellbeing, academic excellence, environmental sustainability, social and financial inclusion, and the prevention of violence.

Dr. Fadi Makki, Founder of Nudge Lebanon, said: “There are now more than 200 behavioral insights or “nudge” units around the globe promoting the greater use of evidence-based tools and innovative experimentation methods in various settings. In the Middle East, Qatar pioneered this innovation and established its behavioral insights unit in August 2016 under the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (now institutionalized as B4Development). It was followed by Nudge Lebanon, a non-governmental and nonprofit organization working closely with the central government as the de facto national behavioral insights unit.”

The adoption of behavioral economics in public policy has rapidly taken off in the past decade since the UK Cabinet established the first Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) in 2010. Governments around the world are recognizing the benefits of using insights from behavioral sciences to promote more effective public policy and compliance with rules and regulations, and at a relatively low cost.

Over 2 days, BX Arabia 2019 hosted 10 panels gathering 36 international, regional, and local experts in behavioral economics from government, academia, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.