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Developing Countries Face Higher Trade Costs
Although the international economy has integrated considerably in recent decades, a new database developed jointly by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the World Bank reveals that trade costs fall disproportionately on
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Rethinking Economic Growth in Arab Societies
After decades of skewed development policies, social injustice, and poorly managed economic liberalization, Arab countries must rethink their growth strategies, says a United Nations report released on February 5th, stressing the need for improved governance to achieve progress. The report,
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Frontier Asia and Hopes for More Inclusive Growth
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on January 28th held a conference in Bangkok, entitled “Frontier Asia: Economic Transformation and Inclusive Growth.” The conference brought together ministers, central bank governors, other senior policymakers and
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Merkel: Convergence in Competitiveness Across the EU
In an address at the 2013 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that reforms implemented in European economies are achieving results, but their full effects have yet to be felt. Europe has to stay the course
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Prospects for Freer Exchange of China’s Currency
China’s currency, the renminbi (RMB), will probably not supplant the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency, except possibly “in the very long term”, said Lawrence H. Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor, Harvard University, and a former US Treasury
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Banco Interacciones – Preparing For the Future
Banco Interacciones is a success story which was born 19 years ago among Mexico’s worst economic crisis. Established in 1993, the bank has stayed ahead of its competitors by focusing just in those market segments where it has several competitive
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Africa: Determined to Consolidate Gains
Africa is already the world’s second fastest growing economy after expanding 5% a year in the past two years, well above the global average, and Africa’s GDP is on track to grow by 5.3% this year, a televised debate this
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Global FDI Recovery Stalls in 2012
Macroeconomic fragility and policy uncertainty for investors has led to an 18 per cent decline in global foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows last year, to an estimated $1.3 trillion, the United Nations said in a new report released on January
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Europe as Solution: Facts and Myths
Extracts from a January 2013 speech delivered in Portugal by José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission I sincerely believe that, in spite of the difficult economic situation we are experiencing, we Europeans have the means to confidently
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Asia in 2013: Grounds for Optimism, but Challenges Ahead
By Anoop Singh Director, IMF Asia and Pacific Department After a subdued economic performance in emerging Asia in 2012, growth in the region is set to pick up gradually in 2013 helped by external demand and accommodative monetary policy. At
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