VoxDev Development Economics

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VoxDev Development Economics

Hear about the cutting edge of development economics from research to practice.

  1. Is debt leading to the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources?

    5D AGO

    Is debt leading to the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources?

    How does rising external debt in low-income countries affect the natural capital that sustains our livelihoods? A new paper focuses on three river basins that are vital to the livelihoods and biodiversity of the countries that surround them, suggesting ways that we can both measure and conserve that natural capital in the face of the economic forces that threaten it. Pushpam Kumar of UN Environment Programme talks to Tim Phillips about the alarming rise in the ratio of debt to natural capital for the 21 countries whose wealth relies on the river basins that they border, and how debt-for-nature swaps may be our best hope of avoiding both an economic and ecological disaster. Read the full show notes here: https://voxdev.org/topic/energy-environment/debt-leading-unsustainable-exploitation-natural-resources

    30 min
  2. Simon Johnson on geopolitics, AI, and the future of global development

    MAR 12

    Simon Johnson on geopolitics, AI, and the future of global development

    Geopolitical alliances are changing rapidly. Technological innovation is reshaping our economies. These trends offer a cocktail of risk and reward for countries in the global south. They are also both topics that are familiar to Simon Johnson of MIT. Simon speaks to Tim Phillips about how policy in developing countries should respond to President Trump’s deglobalization agenda, how artificial intelligence changes the future for all countries, and where growth and jobs will come from in the future. And of course, what it was like to win the Nobel Prize. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/macroeconomics-growth/geopolitics-ai-future-global-development-conversation-simon-johnson Sahel and West Africa Club: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/directorates/sahel-and-west-africa-club.html Power and progress: https://shapingwork.mit.edu/power-and-progress/

    33 min
  3. Rebuilding Sudan’s digital infrastructure amidst conflict

    MAR 5

    Rebuilding Sudan’s digital infrastructure amidst conflict

    Civil war – the latest in a long series of armed conflicts – broke out in Sudan in April 2023. Today, more than half of the population needs humanitarian aid, and almost 15 million people have been displaced. The war has also devastated the digital infrastructure in Sudan, deepening the crisis. African Renaissance Ventures is a VC firm that backs entrepreneurs who use technology to solve major development challenges. Magdi Amin tells Tim Phillips about how its infrastructure might be restored, and the risks to Sudan’s population if it is not. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/institutions-political-economy/rebuilding-sudans-digital-infrastructure-amidst-conflict

    26 min
  4. Bangladesh’s path forward: Leveraging evidence-based policy

    FEB 26

    Bangladesh’s path forward: Leveraging evidence-based policy

    Bangladesh's development story in the 21st century is often regarded as a model of resilience and progress. But on 5 August 2024, student-led protests and public unrest caused Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s prime minister, to resign and flee to India. An interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, took over. Six months on, Bangladesh’s political and economic future is unclear. Imran Matin, Executive Director, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), is one of the experts in Bangladesh who are attempting to discover and communicate a clearer picture of the country’s present – and its options for the future. He talks to Tim Phillips about how evidence-based policy can give the country a path forward.

    23 min
  5. Development dialogues: The future of evidence-based policy-making

    FEB 24

    Development dialogues: The future of evidence-based policy-making

    With populist politicians taking power around the world, policymakers are relying less on research and expertise, as their political narratives prioritise emotion and identity over facts. This may have long-term consequences for global development: not least in the US, where the Agency for International Development has been dismantled, with thousands of staff laid off. Critical development programs have been halted, and the future of US foreign assistance is in limbo. In the latest episode of the collaboration between Yale’s Economic Growth Center and VoxDev, host Catherine Cheney asks Rory Stewart, former UK Secretary of State for International Development, Stefan Dercon of the University of Oxford and formerly chief economist of the UK Department for International Development, and Trudi Makhaya, former economic advisor to the President of South Africa, how we can ensure that facts and evidence still matter in policymaking. Check out the full show notes here: https://voxdev.org/topic/institutions-political-economy/development-dialogues-future-evidence-based-policymaking-and

    42 min
  6. How do cash transfers impact prices?

    FEB 19

    How do cash transfers impact prices?

    What are the price impacts of cash transfer programs? Do they raise prices as well as incomes? And what is the impact on people in the community who don’t receive the transfer? Eeshani Kandpal of the Center for Global Development is one of the researchers who has investigated this topic. She talks to Tim Phillips about the conclusions of her own research, the insights of other economists, and the implications for policy.

    26 min
  7. The economics of ecosystems

    FEB 12

    The economics of ecosystems

    How does a healthy ecosystem benefit humanity? How does the normal functioning of the economy impact natural habitats and animal populations? And what are the costs and benefits of conservation? Eyal Frank of the University of Chicago works at the intersection of economics and conservation. He speaks to Tim Phillips about how economic growth often has a hidden environmental cost. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/energy-environment/economics-ecosystems-how-nature-and-economies-interact

    36 min
  8. Peacemaking, peacebuilding and post-war reconstruction

    FEB 5

    Peacemaking, peacebuilding and post-war reconstruction

    The Reducing Conflict and Improving Performance in the Economy (ReCIPE) programme, established in April 2024, aims to provide a better understanding of the links between conflict, economic growth, and public policies. One of its many themes is on what happens post-conflict: peacemaking, peacebuilding, and reconstruction. Salma Mousa and Lisa Hultman, theme leaders, talk to Tim Phillips about why peacebuilding must always be both bottom-up and top-down if it is going to work. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/institutions-political-economy/peacemaking-peacebuilding-and-post-war-reconstruction

    31 min
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Hear about the cutting edge of development economics from research to practice.

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