Author: Samantha Igo

Norms and Troubled Sovereign International Debt

Troubled sovereign international debt is a global governance challenge, requiring solutions balancing the interests of the global economy, creditors, and debtor nations and their citizens. Unspoken ethical and/or logical assumptions exert subtle influences on sovereign debt debates and negotiations. A new working paper by Leslie Elliott Armijo and Prateek Sood explores the origins of the […]

The Role of Ideas in Economic Policy: The Global Sovereign Debt Regime

By Leslie Elliott Armijo and Prateek Sood Ideas matter for choices about economic policy. Unexamined assumptions may bound the scope of the analysis of the sources of problems, as well as their possible solutions. After each round of international financial crises and their associated sovereign defaults, possible solutions are proposed to amend the global governance […]

Debt Sustainability Analysis as if Development Really Mattered

To achieve the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and avoid the catastrophic consequences of climate inaction, emerging market and developing countries (excluding China) need to mobilize a massive volume of investments, with estimates ranging between $3-4 trillion annually by 2030. However, not only is developing countries’ fiscal space constrained by the features of […]

Ending the Era of Investor-State Dispute Settlement

Most of the world’s countries have renewed their interest in leveraging industrial policies to address concerns about global competitiveness, economic security and much needed investment in low-carbon technologies. Indeed, to combat climate change, the world needs rapid, diverse and experimental action by all nations, regardless of development or income level. To enable such action, the […]

Reducing Emissions and Air Pollution from Informal Brick Kilns: Evidence from Bangladesh

In many low- and middle-income countries, it is commonly believed that weak state and regulatory capacities limit the ability to reduce pollution and mitigate climate impact. In Bangladesh and across South Asia, most brick manufacturing takes place in informal, traditional coal-fired kilns. These kilns are among the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions and air […]

Diverting Development: The G20 and External Debt Service Burden in Africa

In many ways the African continent has been poised for take-off. The continent is home to many of the key ingredients for a successful 21st century economy with 60 percent of the world’s solar resources, 30 percent of proven transition mineral reserves and enough wind potential to provide the entire continent enough electricity to meet […]

Seminar Summary – The Inclusion Trap: Evidence from the Elite Civil Service

By Naomi Frim-Abrams On April 9th, the Boston University Global Development Policy Center hosted Shaheen Naseer, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Oxford, as a part of the Spring 2025 Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Seminar Series. She discussed her recent work on the unintended consequences of gender-sensitive reform and leadership pipelines in Pakistan’s civil […]

Capitalizing on Low-Carbon Technology Trade for Developing Countries

By Praveena Bandara Since the beginning of this year, the US has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, cut back on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – which supported low-carbon technology (LCT) industries – and implemented staggering tariffs on its largest LCT trade partner, China. A new journal article published in Science finds that China is […]

Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis and His Legacy on Sovereign Debt

Three members of the Boston University Global Development Policy team were appointed to the Jubilee Commission of Experts to Address Debt and Development Crises hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PASS) and Columbia University’s Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD). Convening in 2025, it is designed to address the growing sovereign debt and development […]