WIDERAngle

Expert commentary from our network

Two poems by Neide Sigaúque

by Neide Sigaúque
On 15 May, poet Neide Sigaúque was commissioned to perform two poems on the themes of the WIDER Development Conference The world at crossroads – securing the future generations held in Maputo, Mozambique.One cannot sleep here, let alone dream I am Neide Sigaúque,A womanfrom the southern side of the Third World,Mozambique, 'land of the good people'.I was born in an independent country —independently of my parents' liberation struggle,today dependent on external aid.A country with an economy...

Counting (on) the labour market to secure a just transition

by Haroon Bhorat, François Steenkamp
The climate stabilization imperative emerging from the Paris Agreement is, in so many ways, absolutely critical to securing the planet’s future for all. The Agreement necessitates a transition away from fossil fuel-based economic production, particularly the use of coal as a source of energy. In 2021, coal constituted 36% of global primary energy supply, while accounting for 40.3% of global CO2 emissions.Whilst the use of coal as a primary energy source varies across countries, South Africa is...

Quantifying the economic impact of conflict traps

by Joan Margalef
As we look towards securing a brighter future for coming generations, we must address the complex challenges that threaten sustainable development and global stability. Among these challenges, conflict stands out as a particularly destructive one. In our latest research, we find that a country that falls into conflict is expected to lose 20% of its GDP per capita after 30 years, compared to if it had always been at peace. Even for small countries, this represents a substantial economic loss...

83 Blogpost

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Can access to finance spur entrepreneurship in Indian informal sector?

Credit constraints, a consequence of the widespread failure of credit markets in developing countries, are widely regarded as a key constraint to...

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Ghana's lockdown hit vulnerable workers hard: What needs to happen next time

Coronavirus lockdowns brought the world to a standstill. Rules on hygiene and social distancing have reshaped daily life, schools and businesses had...

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Ecuador’s social protection system failed during the pandemic: It needs a rethink

Household incomes in Ecuador were badly hit by the pandemic, despite the government’s emergency grant to families. H Xavier Jara Tamayo (University of...

Research Brief
Technology, tourism, malls, and metros

There is growing recognition around the world that tradable services can play a valuable role in economic development. Africa is no exception, with the need for multiple routes to growth, particularly vis-à-vis the COVID-19 pandemic. Tradable...

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Changing the lives of very young children: Evidence from Rwanda

Globally, around 250 million children under the age of five do not meet key development milestones, which reduces their ability to reach their full...

Research Brief
Are credits or deductions better in public health spending?

The impact of medical deductions and medical credits on income inequality is a subject of discussion in South Africa, as well as in many other countries, raising critical questions about the fairness of the medical tax system and the impact on...

Research Brief
Developing a Malawi–South Africa value chain for industrial hemp

Diversifying the agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa is important for the combat against poverty and climate change. In Malawi there are plans for legalizing the cultivation of industrial hemp, which would at best bring possibilities for...

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The end of poverty postponed?: Over a billion people living in poverty and a $500 million per day loss of income for the poorest people in the world could soon be reality

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to dominate headlines as the death toll rises and economies falter. However, far too little attention is being given...

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Book review of Resurgent Asia: Diversity in Development: Completing a trilogy on Asia’s transformation
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Deepak Nayyar — economist, thinker, leading scholar — has written yet another splendid book. Resurgent Asia: Diversity in Development, together with...

Research Brief
Can trade in services bolster regional development in Southern Africa?

Service exports are the fastest growing portion of world trade and now account for nearly a quarter of global exports. Tradable services contribute to economic growth and development by bolstering industrial capabilities, facilitating productivity...

Research Brief
Spatial dynamics of firm productivity in South Africa

The design and implementation of industrial policy should be closely linked to spatial considerations. Firm output and productivity are often location-specific, with factors such as the availability of physical infrastructure, proximity to sources...

Research Brief
Deepening regional integration in Southern Africa

Regional integration is making steady progress in Southern Africa, leading to the development of regional value chains (RVCs) that could strengthen the competitiveness of the region. Importantly, the development of RVCs also creates pressure for...

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Progressive research with amazing people in a beautiful sauna-crazy country: Pui Yi Wong - 2018 PhD Fellow

In the fall of 2018 UNU-WIDER welcomed 11 doctoral students from around the world as part of our PhD Fellowship Programme. The students, from Ghana...

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How are rural households in Viet Nam doing?
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Viet Nam has seen major economic shifts which started in the 1980s and continue today. Many strides have been made as the country goes through...

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Getting a high five - Advancing Africa’s transformative agenda
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At his swearing in, the new African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina set out an agenda for the economic transformation of the continent...

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African Lions - Unpacking labor trends and growth in Mozambique
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Mozambique, over the last two decades, has experienced explosive growth, with an average GDP growth rate of almost 8 percent between 1997-2015. Not...

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Understanding FDI spillover mechanisms
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Foreign direct investment (FDI) has been praised as an important development tool, especially for countries at low levels of industrial development...

Research Brief
Clustering, competition, and spillover effects in Cambodia

What types of businesses benefit or suffer due to geographic clustering? Data available from Cambodia on competition and spillovers—at both village- and commune-level—is useful to answer a number of questions about the effects of clustering and the...

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What Mozambique Can Do to Achieve Rapid Economic and Social Progress
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In the more than two decades since democratic elections signalled a new era in Mozambique, a great deal has been accomplished. Nearly all development...

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Researching Inequality – An Interview with James B. Davies
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​James B. Davies, Professor of Economics at the University of Western Ontario, played a key role in UNU-WIDER’s pioneering research into global...

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Job Creation and the Business Cycle in Brazil
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What type of business destroys proportionately more jobs during times of economic recessions and hires more in booms? This simple question motivates...

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Learning to Compete: Lessons from Vietnam – An Interview with Carol Newman
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28 May 2014 In this interview Carol Newman discusses the success of the Vietnamese economic transformation and lessons which can be drawn for Africa...

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Open Access and UNU-WIDER
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21 February 2014 Tony Addison Development researchers live in a world where research on development, not just in economics but also political science...

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Report from Gender Equality Results Meeting
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Roger Williamson The Danish State Secretary for Development Policy Charlotte Slente, welcomed the participants and contributors to the meeting and...

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Poverty and Inclusive Growth in the Light of the Quintile Income Statistic
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9 December 2013 S. Subramanian 1 Introduction It appears that the World Bank is planning to maintain and disseminate systematic information on a...

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Household Vulnerability and Resilience to Economic Shocks: Findings from Melanesia
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9 December 2013 Simon Feeny Vulnerability and resilience are very closely related terms. Vulnerability is usually referred to as the likelihood of...

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