Listen to the brightest minds in the field of economics and development discuss their latest research and deconstruct global economic trends. IMF Podcasts are also available on digital platforms such as iTunes, SoundCloud and Libsyn, and free to use for broadcasters, educators and institutions.
Sub-Saharan Africa: More Competition Less Inequality
October 17, 2019
Competition makes the economy work for people. (iStock by Getty images/ Stefan_Ganev)
Competition is considered to be an essential driving force of market economies. It’s said to ensure a more efficient allocation of resources and can boost innovation and productivity. But what happens when there isn’t enough competition? The latest Regional Economic Outlook for sub-Saharan Africa looks at how the lack of competition in the region is hurting the poor and undermining economic growth. In this podcast, IMF economists Reda Cherif and Jesus Gonzalez-Garcia say more competition could lower prices and increase welfare.
Reda Cherif and Jesus Gonzalez-Garcia are both economists in the Regional Studies Division of the IMF’s African Department
Financial Stability: The Good and Bad of Lower Rates
October 16, 2019
Low interest rates support economic growth but come at a cost, says latest IMF Global Financial Stability Report. (iStock by Getty images/uzenzen)
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The Global Financial Stability Report exposes weak spots in the global economy that could amplify the impact of a shock, such as an intensification of trade tensions or rising corporate debt. Fabio Natalucci heads the team of economists who write the GFSR. In this podcast, Natalucci says if current trends continue, debt owed by firms unable to cover interest expenses with earnings, or debt-at-risk, could rise to $19 trillion.
Fabio Natalucci, is Deputy Director in the IMF's Monetary and Capital Markets Department.
More Women in Africa’s Labor Force Means Less Conflict
October 11, 2019
African countries with more female labor force participation have more peaceful elections. (iStock by Getty Images/brazzo)
While elections are one of the most important pillars of democracy, in many African countries they are characterized by uncertainties due to the high risk of electoral violence. Studies often look at ethnic tensions and political cleavages as drivers of electoral violence, but how might gender play into this? IMF economist Rasmane Ouedraogo investigates the impact of gender equality on electoral violence in Africa and finds yet another good reason to increase female labor force participation.
Rasmane Ouedraogo and Idrissa Ouedraogo are coauthors of Gender Equality and Electoral Violence in Africa: Unlocking the Peacemaking Potential of Women
Rasmane Ouedraogo is an economist in the IMF's African Department.
Climate and Output in Low-Income Countries
October 6, 2019
Adaptive policies like building codes that are more hazard-resistant help countries better handle weather shocks. (iStock by Getty Images)
As the average annual global temperature is expected to rise by 4 degrees Celsius or more by 2100, economic output in countries with hot climates continues to fall. And given that most low-income countries are located in hot regions, low-income countries are bearing the brunt of the negative economic costs of climate change even though they contribute very little to the greenhouse gas emissions that cause it. In this podcast, IMF economists Sebastian Acevedo and Natalija Novta say the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters is having a negative impact on growth.
Acevedo and Novta are coauthors of Weather Shocks and Output in Low-Income Countries:Adaptation and the Role of Policies
Natalija Novta is an economist in the IMF’s Research Department, and Sebastian Acevedo is an economist in the African Department.
Stranded: Inequality, House Prices leaving People Trapped
September 27, 2019
More people are getting stuck in decaying metro areas unable to move to locations with better prospects. (iStock by Getty Images/pixelfit)
Migration is on the front burner these days. We hear a lot about people moving from one country to the next, fleeing conflict or seeking a better life. But what about the movement of people within a country? Economist Tamim Bayoumi says a well-functioning economy has people moving around to maximize their own welfare and in turn maximize the system; a basic tenant of market economics. Bayoumi is coauthor of Stranded! How Rising Inequality Suppressed US Migration and Hurt Those "Left Behind. In this podcast, Bayoumi says increasing house price and income inequality has reduced long distance migration, the type most linked to jobs.
Tamim Bayoumi is Deputy Director in the IMF’s Strategy, Policy and Review Department.