Dan Gay | Political economy and development
In Dhaka, Bangladesh, I talked to a group of young researchers at Mohammad Abdur Razzaque s RAPID policy thinktank. I presented my latest short article on how the ‘middle powers’ are abandoning the world’s least advantaged countries. These self-described middle powers want to go it alone on trade, they re forging alliances among themselves and they re cutting [ ]
A new blog for the Institute for Development Studies The 14th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC14) from 26 – 29 March in Yaoundé, Cameroon, failed to deliver the necessary push for reform, with only some small steps forward. An inclusive, evidence-based WTO should empower all members and make better use of knowledge about trade’s real [ ]
A true story A young man sits on a red couch in the lobby of Jakarta’s Marriott hotel, having just walked from his cheap digs round the corner. He’s hot and jaded after a night drinking Bir Bintang. Beige chinos and a blue cotton shirt that sticks to his back are the livery of an [ ]
A new Substack post about former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis s idea of the Global Minotaur, whereby the United States imports goods from China and northern Europe, and in return China invests the earnings in American finance and property. I think the idea of a supposed race between two great nations might be overdone, and [ ]
In lowering tariffs on Chinese goods before those on less developed nations, Washington continues to fuel China s rise. New post on Substack
Unpredictability and instability are worse than tariffs US tariffs will still hit several of the least developed countries hard, despite the US reducing them to 10%. Lesotho, where the original tariff would have been 50%, experiences the biggest reprieve, but its exporters will still face headwinds. Of the LDCs, Lesotho is the most exposed to [ ]
US tariffs on the least developed countries amount to an assault on already marginalised populations. The US tariffs unveiled on Wednesday will hit all 44 of the world’s least developed countries (LDCs), in some cases slashing economic growth and lowering employment — with a potentially serious impact on livelihoods. From 9 April, 31 of these countries will [ ]
No, but it s decaying. The current crisis will have lasting consequences. New post on Substack.
New Substack on how globalisation is running on full batteries despite US unilateralism and insularity. Globalisation is less and less about international trade in goods and more about intangible trade, particularly digitally-deliverable services. The free movement of capital is flourishing. The post is here.
As you might have noticed i ve been putting all new posts on Substack. Please consider subscribing. My latest piece is here: The Musk slips.