Partnerships for the Goals

Economic diversification is very relevant for poorer developing countries to create jobs and foster economic development. That need has been recognized in key internationally agreed development goals. The empirical economic literature has identified several stylized facts about the pattern of diversification of economies, but the development of explanations for those patterns in general has been only loosely associated with economic theory on growth, trade, technology change and structural transformation. Making that connection is relevant because it could inform policymakers in developing countries in designing and implementing policies for promoting diversification. This paper presents a model of structural economic dynamics and endogenous technological change that is able to replicate empirical regularities related to economic diversification. The model is used to study strategies to foster diversification in poorer countries, which could help to better target action in the implementation of internationally agreed goals related to the economic diversification of these countries.

In light of a cautious emphasis given to public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a mechanism to finance infrastructure projects and highlighting the need for capacity building and knowledge sharing at the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, this paper reviews the extant literature on the subject and identifies areas requiring better understanding and institutional innovation for ensuring value for money, minimizing contingent fiscal risk and improving accountability. An institutional capacity to create, manage and evaluate PPPs is essential to ensure that they become an effective instrument of delivery of important services, such as infrastructure. There is also a need for a common definition of PPPs and internationally accepted guidelines, including uniform accounting and reporting standards.

This policy brief highlights the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on women and girls with disabilities and provides policy guidance for governments and other stakeholders to adopt inclusive and accessible measures to not only mitigate the adverse impacts of the crisis but build resilient societies.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presents a risk to key dimensions of national institutions highlighted in Sustainable Development Goal 16 (in terms of limiting transparency and access to information, eroding safeguards to accountability including integrity violations, fraud and corruption, and restricting participation and engagement). However, these institutional dimensions are also critical to providing a resilient response to the crisis. In many countries, governments, accountability institutions and civil society are innovating to mitigate institutional disruptions while ensuring an effective response to the pandemic. In the aftermath of the crisis, drawing lessons in terms of the resilience of national institutions will be a key undertaking in order to ensure effective and accountable government.

This brief identifies inequalities around the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic in exposure, vulnerabilities and coping capacity. It suggests that crisis responses in four areas could turn the tide on inequality. These include expanding systems for the universal provision of quality social services; identifying and empowering vulnerable groups; investing in jobs and livelihoods; and acting through the multilateral system to respond to disparities across countries.

COVID-19 (coronavirus) is posing significant health and economic risks to small island developing economies, given their small economic base, high degree of openness and extreme dependence on economic performance of a few developed economies. Amid sharp falls in tourism revenues and remittances flows, small island economies are likely to experience the most pronounced contraction in 2020, further exacerbating their vulnerability to economic and climatic shocks. Disproportionately high debt-servicing burdens of many small island economies will weaken their external balance, potentially increasing the likelihood of debt defaults. Many small island economies—highly dependent on food imports—face the added challenge of ensuring food security during the health and economic crisis. The pandemic response will constrain the fiscal space of small island developing economies and exacerbate their vulnerabilities to natural disasters brought about by climate change. Scaled-up international development cooperation will remain critical for ensuring that small island economies can strengthen their health response to the pandemic, while safeguarding food security and averting an economic crisis.