DevDispatch Recommends: March Publications
To wrap up the first quarter of the year, we put together new publications released this month.
Enjoy our March picks!
Strengthening Africa's Capacity to Trade
By the World Trade Organization
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many facets of life and economies have not been spared. This report focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on African economies. Notably, the continent’s ability to trade, and how social distancing measures implemented to help curb the virus impacted the travel and tourism sectors on which most African economies rely for revenue, and the predominantly informal sectors that characterise the majority of African economies. As a result of the pandemic, the continent is projected to experience its first recession in 25 years.
The report is 64 pages long, and the chapters give good context on the state of trade in Africa before the pandemic hit, trade of value-added products on the continent, the different programmes implemented by the WTO to support industrialization and economic structural transformation in Africa and outlines projects to help African governments mainstream trade into their national development strategies.
Although the report highlights the vulnerability of African economies in light of the pandemic, it argues that economic recovery can be fostered by African countries working together and implementing multilateral systems that provide frameworks to address unprecedented and complex emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United Nations World Water Development Report 2021: Valuing Water
By UNESCO
Released in commemoration of World Water Day this month, this report serves as a stark reminder of the value of water. It is centred around the significance of water as a resource as well as a basic human right, while highlighting that its worth is still significantly undermined globally. The report invites policy makers and citizens to reflect on how to better manage water as a finite resource, painting the picture that over 2 billion people are subject to water stress.
Value being the main guideline/standard of the report, the lengthy report spares no detail and dives deep into the infinite uses of water as an exploration of its value to humanity, from everyday uses such as food and agriculture-breaking this down with some examples of water use by country and sector-, to valuation of hydraulic infrastructure, water in energy and business, cultures and values of water, regional perspectives and financing water. The chapter on knowledge, research and capacity development boils down to data and information as key to understanding water and designing intervention measures to preserve it.
What is the Impact of Microfinance on poverty conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review on Public Policy
By Public Policy in Africa initiative
In 12 pages, this report breaks down the rise of micro-finance institutions in Africa, questioning the impact of the micro-finance model on poverty rates on the continent.
The impact of microfinance was assessed along financial aspects, education, women’s empowerment, employment and health. Its impact produced mixed results. For instance, with regards to its impact on income, a case study in Kenya highlighted an increase in income on crop export although it could not be determined if this was significantly as a result of access to microfinance. In another study on education, students who have access to microfinance schemes incurred another burden of struggling to pay school fees contributing to higher drop out rates. While a correlation has been observed between access to micro-finance and liberation of women, causality cannot be determined.
The report is a great starting point for professionals in development finance looking to research viable finance models for the continent.
COVID-19 and E-Commerce: A Global Overview
By UNCTAD
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated how the world conducts business and offers services through telemedicine, telework, online education, and e-commerce. The report takes an in-depth look into how different regions of the world are leveraging digital solutions otherwise referred to as eTrade, policy responses if any, and ways to equip and support countries that are lagging behind with regards to this digital transformation.
The report posits the digital economy and e-commerce as central to achieving the SDGs and presents a compact infographic that highlights its opportunities such as better access to global goods and services, acceleration of digital transformation and increased share of online retail. It also showcases challenges including elimination of jobs, issues around data privacy and cyber crime and increased income inequality.
The report is 159 pages worth of valuable information for digital economy strategists, policy makers, and entrepreneurs looking to capitalise on digital platforms for business. With the AfCFTA in full swing, this serves as important information for African entrepreneurs looking into digital trade.
Transit Oriented Development in practice.
A powerful example of impact on the ground in the area of Housing by our Brazil Cities team – and a story of how interventions in one city led to an approach that was scaled up and adopted as part of a Brazilian national law that set the standards for better quality social housing.
Three Challenges to Safe and Affordable Urban Housing
The blog raises three critical challenges: (i) importance of core services in informal settlements and slums, (ii) need to support housing rental markets, and (iii) making better use of underutilized land in city centers.
Can Housing Be Affordable Without Being Efficient?
The blog highlights the importance of giving due attention to building efficiency in affordable housing projects, both location efficiency and on-site energy and water efficiency. The key message: over their lifetimes, efficient homes are more affordable, healthier and provide better opportunities for residents than conventional buildings.
Africa Economic Outlook 2021: From Debt Resolution to Growth The Road Ahead for Africa
By the African Development Bank
For quick reads, check out these blog posts
Produced annually, The Africa Economic Outlook report gives an overview and outlook on Africa’s economic growth, and this year’s edition focuses on economic growth on the continent in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s edition also analyses Africa’s debt dynamics, with continued shifts between traditional lenders to more private and commercial debt, the challenges and global architecture for debt resolution, governance and sustainable growth.
The report concludes with comprehensive country notes broken down by region looking at recent microfinance developments, outlooks and risks, and financing options in different African countries. It highlights the importance of global partnerships to address debt and financing challenges on the continent in order to build resilient economies, and suggests a “multi-pronged” policy approach to addressing the pandemic that looks at supporting health care systems to cope with the virus and financial, education and social systems to facilitate economic recovery and prevent long-term ripple effects on human capital development.
This is a great resource for economists, and African finance ministries.
Transit Oriented Development in practice.
A powerful example of impact on the ground in the area of Housing by our Brazil Cities team – and a story of how interventions in one city led to an approach that was scaled up and adopted as part of a Brazilian national law that set the standards for better quality social housing.
Three Challenges to Safe and Affordable Urban Housing
The blog raises three critical challenges: (i) importance of core services in informal settlements and slums, (ii) need to support housing rental markets, and (iii) making better use of underutilized land in city centers.
Can Housing Be Affordable Without Being Efficient?
The blog highlights the importance of giving due attention to building efficiency in affordable housing projects, both location efficiency and on-site energy and water efficiency. The key message: over their lifetimes, efficient homes are more affordable, healthier and provide better opportunities for residents than conventional buildings.
Malawi Economic Monitor, December 2020 : Doing More with Less - Improving Service Delivery in Energy and Water
By the World Bank
The pandemic has induced a sharp recession in many countries across the globe. Malawi’s economy has been heavily affected, with growth projected at 1.0 percent in 2020, down from earlier projections of 4.8 percent. With population growth around 3.0 percent, this represents a 2.0 percent contraction in per capita GDP. Political stability has returned following the June 2020 Presidential elections, which should support investment. However, global and domestic factors emanating from the pandemic are affecting Malawi’s economy, including: 1) disruption in global value chains and trade and logistics; 2) decrease in tourism; and 3) decrease in remittances. This has combined with social distancing policies and behavior to also reduce domestic demand. The Malawi Economic Monitor (MEM) provides an analysis of economic and structural development issues in Malawi. The publication intends to foster better-informed policy analysis and debate regarding the key challenges that Malawi faces in its endeavor to achieve high rates of inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
Nigeria Development Update, December 2020 : Rising to the Challenge - Nigeria's COVID Response
By the World Bank
This report highlights how the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis has impacted Nigeria’s economy. In 2020, Nigeria’s economy is expected to experience its deepest recession since the 1980s due to the COVID-19-related disruptions, notably lower oil prices and remittances, enhanced risk aversion in global capital markets, and mobility restrictions. This edition of the Nigeria Development Update takes stock of the recently implemented reforms and proposes policy options to both mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and foster a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive recovery.
Uganda Economic Update, 16th Edition, December 2020 : Investing in Uganda’s Youth
By the World Bank
Uganda is entering a pivotal stage of its development path. The population is currently estimated at 46 million and will most likely rise to around 104 million by 2060. Close to 70 percent of the future population will be of working age and about half will reside in urban centers. This presents an enormous opportunity to invest in education and health so that the soon-to-be working age population will have the skills and health necessary to be fully productive and contribute strongly to the country’s development. The sixteenth Uganda Economic Update, which includes the special topic of ‘Investing in Uganda’s Youth’ reviews recent economic developments, with particular attention on the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and provides an outlook for the macro-economy.
Nigeria: “My heart is in pain” - Older people’s experience of conflict, displacement, and detention in northeast Nigeria
By Amnesty International
The violence in Northeast Nigeria is now in its second decade, with both Boko Haram and the Nigerian military responsible for war crimes and likely crimes against humanity. Amid the conflict, older people’s perspectives and human rights have been largely ignored, despite the distinct and often disproportionate risks they face, whether in their villages, in military detention, or in displacement. This report examines specific violations and abuses that older people have suffered disproportionately, linked also to the intersection of older age, gender, and disability. It also analyses how the humanitarian response has failed to uphold many older people’s rights, including related to food, health, shelter, and participation.
Measuring attitudes & perceptions on the impact of COVID-19 in select Sub-Saharan African cities
By Metropolis Canada's COVID-19 Social Impacts Network for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a severe economic contraction in many developing countries, especially those in Africa. COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated inequalities between countries just as it has within countries, leaving the most vulnerable groups further behind. To effectively counter the consequences of the pandemic, further international and national efforts are needed, including coordinated policy actions and reforms, creating an enabling policy environment.UNESCO in cooperation with the Metropolis Canada’s COVID-19 Social Impacts Network has prepared the following report on the impact of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa to provide governments with data and information on pandemic-related phenomena to develop effective, inclusive, and evidence-based responses. The study explored in this report aims to identify key issues, indicators, and socio-demographics in hopes of generating evidence-based policy responses addressing the socioeconomic dimensions of the COVID-19 crisis in nine cities across Sub-Saharan Africa (Maputo, Mozambique; Johannesburg, South Africa; Harare, Zimbabwe; Nairobi, Kenya; Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Dakar, Senegal; Libreville, Gabon; Freetown, Sierra Leone; and Kampala, Uganda).
That’s all we got for you this month. Let us know if you tuck into any of these.