December 2011
Summary:
Grim prospects for world economy
Premature fiscal austerity in developed countries is hampering recovery
Developing countries remain vulnerable to downturns in the developed economies
The world economy is teetering on the brink of another major downturn. Output growth already slowed considerably to an estimated 2.8 per cent in 2011. Based on relatively optimistic baseline assumptions, the United Nations foresees world gross product (WGP)?growth of 2.6 per cent for 2012 and 3.2 per cent for 2013. If the European sovereign debt crisis were to spin out of control and the?weaknesses in the United States economy interact to create a downward spiral, the world economy…
Monthly Briefing on the World Economic Situation and Prospects, No. 38
November 2011
Summary:
EU leaders agree to scale up measures to solve the simmering debt crisis, but hurdles remain
Unemployment in developed economies still high and lasting longer
Is the G20 falling behind the curve?
In late October, European leaders held a marathon negotiating session and finally agreed on a set of measures intended to solve?the?ever-simmering debt crisis. The measures include a 50 per cent write-down of Greek debt held by the private sector, based on a voluntary arrangement between the Greek Government and concerned parties. With this in place and, given the envisaged public sector?reforms, the Greek debt-to-GDP ratio is targeted to reach 120 per cent by 2020.…
Monthly Briefing on the World Economic Situation and Prospects, No. 37
2012
Development Policy Seminar Series "The World Economic and Social Survey: A reflective and selective energy discourse" presented by Prof. Mark Howells, Director of the Division of Energy Systems Analysis (KTH-dESA) at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. (10 December 2012)
“Towards a sustainable social model: Implications for the post-2015 agenda” presented by Dr. Nazrul Islam, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, Development Strategy and Policy Analysis Unit/DPAD/DESA (6 December 2012)
“The Millennium Institute’s Threshold 21 Model” presented by John D. Shilling (30 November 2012)
"Desirable financial sector in developing countries, especially LICs, to serve the real…
Development Policy Seminars: Archive
October 2011
Summary:
Equity markets worldwide plunged
Euro area dollar liquidity dries up in the midst of Europe?s sovereign debt crisis
G20 finance ministers maintain focus on fiscal consolidation
Stock markets worldwide ended September with the largest quarterly loss since the final three months of 2008, after the collapse of?Lehman Brothers bank. The recent fall has been driven by a combination of factors, including the fear of a double-dip recession in?developed economies, concerns about the contagion of the sovereign debt problems of a number of European countries, and unease?about lack of effective policy action in major economies to deal with these problems.?Equity prices in…
Monthly Briefing on the World Economic Situation and Prospects, No. 36
The Global Partnership for Development: Time to Deliver
Significant gaps remain in delivering on the commitments in the areas of aid, trade, debt relief, and access to new technologies and to affordable essential medicines. A number of crucial commitments that were supposed to have been reached by 2010, including increased aid volume, improved aid effectiveness, and the conclusion of the Doha Round of trade negotiations, have not been met. The MDG Gap Task Force Report 2011 monitors the progress made in achieving the targets of MDG 8, including continued attention to the impact of the global crisis on meeting the targets set under MDG 8 and embedding any new commitments resulting from the…
The MDG Gap Task Force Report 2011
CDP Background Paper No. 12
By Patrick Guillaumont
Structural economic vulnerability is a major obstacle?for the development of LDCs. The paper discusses the conceptual, methodological and empirical?issues related to the economic vulnerability index (EVI) developed and used by the Committee?for Development Policy (CDP) in the identification of LDCs. It also addresses the relation?between physical and economic vulnerability to climate change as well as the role of the EVI in?allocating official development aid and as tool for development research.
The concept of structural economic vulnerability?and its relevance for the identification of the least developed countries and other purposes: nature, measurement and evolution
September 2011
Summary:
Heightened uncertainty and downside risks for the world economy caused a sell-off in equity markets
The sovereign debt crisis in the euro zone remains unabated
The jobs crisis continues
Global equity markets underwent synchronized and massive sell-offs in August and early September. Equity prices worldwide declined?on average by about 20 per cent from their peak levels a month ago. This has been the most severe sell-off since the recovery?in asset prices starting in early 2009. Prices in commodity, currency and bonds markets showed large fluctuations.
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The financial instability has emerged amidst growing fears of a double-dip recession in major developed…
Monthly Briefing on the World Economic Situation and Prospects, No. 35
August 2011
Summary:
Economic growth is decelerating markedly in many regions; global manufacturing production?is stagnating
Equity markets have tumbled and exchange rate volatility has resurfaced with continued?sovereign debt problems and stalling economic growth prospects in the United States?and Europe
Food emergencies are affecting millions of people in Africa and Haiti
Agreements to raise the debt ceiling in the United States and create space for sovereign debt resolution in Greece and other peripheral?European countries have momentarily mollified default concerns. Yet, considerable uncertainties remain. In the United States, the agreement to raise the debt ceiling in exchange for…
Monthly Briefing on the World Economic Situation and Prospects, No. 34
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