Content

Issue Brief

Jul 7, 2020

Trade and financial fragmentation: New challenges to global stability

By Robert A. Manning

There is greater uncertainty today about the future of global trade than at any time since the post-World War II trading system was created seven decades ago. This was true before the COVID-19 pandemic froze much of the world economy; the health crisis has added a new layer of uncertainty. We are at a historic inflection point: the global trade regime urgently needs renovation and updating to meet new challenges, yet it is fraying and fragmenting.

China Digital Policy

New Atlanticist

Jul 6, 2020

Do deficits matter? Japan shows they do.

By Hung Tran

Japan is often a misleading example for those who downplay the problems of debt. Tokyo has run budget deficits throughout the past three decades, creating one of the world’s highest public debt to GDP ratios, without any adverse effect on inflation and interest rates. But this comes at the cost of high savings by the household and corporate sectors, which has hampered Japanese growth.

Coronavirus Fiscal and Structural Reform

UkraineAlert

Jul 1, 2020

Ukraine’s central bank chief resigns leaving Zelenskyy’s reform credentials in tatters

By Anders Åslund

Ukraine’s reform agenda suffered a serious blow on July 1 when Yakiv Smolii, the highly respected governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), resigned due to what he called “systematic political pressure.”

Financial Regulation Macroeconomics

New Atlanticist

Jun 30, 2020

Private lenders need to step up on African debt relief

By Jeremy Mark and Vasuki Shastry

While policymakers have called for a moratorium on developing countries’ debt payments, bankers and bondholders have raised the alarm about how such action would decimate their bottom lines. There will need to be another approach.

Africa Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

Jun 18, 2020

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta says his country needs ‘fiscal space’ amid the COVID-19 crisis

By Larry Luxner

“Coronavirus is mainly a health issue, and our key focus is ensuring that we keep our people safe,” Kenyatta said. “But this is also an economic crisis because it has resulted in some key sectors hugely affected by lockdowns. We were forced to close our airspace, which affected tourism, a very critical part of our economy.”

Africa Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

Jun 15, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic will expedite long-standing transformations in supply chains and entertainment digitalization

By Ridhika Batra

Traditional industry was under heavy pressure to improve productivity through digitalization long before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the longevity of corporates in retail, travel, financial services, and real estate is in severe question, as disruptions by the COVID-19 pandemic have wreaked havoc on productivity. After COVID-19, remodeling business operations and digitalization will be necessary for survival.

Coronavirus International Markets

Future of Capitalism

Jun 12, 2020

How COVID-19 is worsening America’s racial economic divide

By Nicole Goldin

While the White House cheered the surprising jobs numbers on June 5, many Americans—especially people of color, women, lower-skilled workers, young people, or rural residents—remain out of work and left behind by this nascent recovery.

Coronavirus Future of Work

New Atlanticist

Jun 10, 2020

India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision requires open, not protectionist, policies

By Harsha Vardhana Singh

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "self-reliance" push could be interpreted as inward-looking or protectionist, the emphasis on linking India up with global value chains suggests a different approach.

Inclusive Growth India

New Atlanticist

Jun 8, 2020

The US and Europe have addressed COVID unemployment in divergent ways: The differences are revealing.

By Hung Tran

The coronavirus pandemic has inflicted similar economic devastation around the world, but the United States and Europe have sought to minimize the impact of COVID-related unemployment in divergent ways. Understanding the differences in these responses is critical to grasping the likely long-term impact of this crisis on the transatlantic economy.

Coronavirus European Union

New Atlanticist

Jun 8, 2020

Where does China really stand on debt relief?

By Jeremy Mark

So far, many developing countries have avoided the worst effects of the virus. But it may be only a matter of time before underdeveloped health systems are overwhelmed. China can make a big difference by accelerating debt relief. But it is not clear whether Beijing is prepared to act under any motivation beyond the bottom-line concerns of its own lending institutions.

China Coronavirus

Experts