Effective decision-making processes at the core of government are a prerequisite for a well-functioning public sector. But conflicting lines of authority, poor evidence and analysis, weak central co-ordination and ongoing battles for resources all detract from a government's ability to set and implement policy. So how can the right management structures and process be established?
Mining is by its very nature a limited-term operation. Once resources are exhausted, the mine closes – and all too often leaves massive gap in the local economy. So how can localities and regions harness the opportunities the mining project creates to support sustainable economic development?
Economic factors are a major reason for children missing out on education even where provision is available. Demand-side incentives have become increasingly popular as a means to drive attendance.
The vulnerability of poor and developing countries to natural disasters needs no introduction. But with climate change threatening to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, the call from the international community to focus on preventative and protective measures rather than emergency relief is only getting louder. The challenge is to identify what measures can be practically adopted to reduce the impact of these events.
As countries go all-out for growth, there is a danger that economic policy can overlook the needs of the poor, focusing solely on higher GDP rather than seeking to achieve income growth at the household level. So how can pro-poor growth be achieved through economic policy?
Building a macroeconomic model shouldn't be a one-off process. But for some countries, investing in complex macroeconomic models proves to be just that: they simply do not have the skills or institutional capacity to ensure that the carefully constructed model can remain at the heart of policy-making.