In The News

Brexit Damage for Asia and Africa: Global Finance

Andrew Woodman March 28, 2019
British voters and leaders are divided over whether and how to exit membership in the European Union. The economic damage could spread beyond Europe. The German Development Institute suggests that a no-deal Brexit would mean returning to World Trade Organization tariffs – with “49 vulnerable states will no longer have access to the UK market through an Everything But Arms (EBA) agreement that...

Africa Drawdown: International Policy Digest

Steven Leach March 5, 2019
The United States is planning to reduce its forces stationed in Africa. The poorest nations in Africa are vulnerable to extremist ideologies due to poverty and poor governance. “It is no accident that al Shabaab evolved in a defunct Somali state (in some ways it is shocking that it did not happen sooner), that al Qaeda found a safe haven in rural Afghanistan, that Boko Haram resides on the...

Washington Post: Fight in Venezuela

Mariana Zuñiga, Anthony Faiola and Rachelle Krygier January 31, 2019
In an attempt at a temporary cooling-off, Caracas and Washington agreed to hit pause for 30 days before repatriating each other’s diplomats as leaders of the two countries butt heads on the state of democracy and electoral integrity in Venezuela. After President Donald Trump recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó, European allies like Germany, France and the UK issued an eight-day ultimatum,...

DW: The UN Migration Pact

November 2, 2018
Displaced peoples and global migration are at historic highs with climate change, conflicts, natural disasters and an oversupply of jobs in some countries and undersupply in others. “The United Nations' Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration marks the first time the world body has ever agreed on a list of global measures to tackle the risks and challenges involved in...

Lawfare: Fear, Loathing in the Global Middle Class

Raj M. Desai October 31, 2018
The global economy has reduced poverty and increased the ranks of the middle class. For the first time in recorded history, people who earn enough for a comfortable life outnumber the poor. “But without a functioning system of social protection on which middle class individuals can rely, the growth in their numbers also carries significant risks of democratic retreat, conflict, and instability,”...

Brookings: Social Protection Programs and Life Satisfaction

Talajeh Livani and Carol Graham July 24, 2018
Do universal basic income and strong public welfare programs work? Experts in developed and developing countries have mixed reviews. Welfare programs “often come with stigma and disempowerment, in addition to high administrative costs, supporting the case for universal basic income guarantees” write Talejeh Livani and Carol Graham for Brookings. Measuring the effectiveness of social assistance...

South China Morning Post: China Won’t Interfere in Venezuela

He Huifeng May 22, 2018
Three years ago, the United States was Venezuela’s top trade partner, accounting for 43 percent of exports and 29 percent of imports. Rising animosity in US-Venezuelan relations increased Venezuela’s reliance on China including oil-for-loan deals. The country’s economy has collapsed and China may be giving up on Venezuela, too: Basic goods and food are unavailable, crime is widespread, and the...