A continuation of previous discussion – ODI Bites: Africa beyond Covid-19
17 July 2020
An ODI video from their new series named Bites which is a continuation of our previous ETTG-ODI discussion on ‘Africa beyond Covid-19’.
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ETTG offers analysis and evidence-based discussions on all aspects of development cooperation. Outputs range from blogs, policy briefs and collective reports to informal takeaways from network events.
European independent think tanks
The six institutes that compose ETTG cover all aspects of international development and cooperation policy.. They share a strong commitment to higher global welfare, and a strong belief in the importance of better collective action to achieve global goals. As think-tanks, and as policy-focused research institutes, they also share a commitment to effective outreach and engagement with policy-makers and policy processes.
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European fear of ‘missing out’ and narratives on China in Africa
17 July 2020
The ETTG note debunks some of the dominant myths surrounding Chinese engagement in Africa and unpacks the evolving relationship between China and the African continent. It starts by looking closer at common European perceptions about China-Africa relations. It then provides a brief sketch of the historical underpinnings of China’s engagement in Africa. Afterwards, it looks at how the notion of competition with rising global powers like China has influenced the EU’s relations with African partners.
Emergency Powers, COVID-19 and the New Challenge for Human Rights
9 July 2020
In the context of a global crisis, access to reliable information is more important than ever. Limiting free speech and press freedoms can impede accurate understanding and hence mitigation of the crisis. Beyond COVID, freedom of the press and expression are foundations of any functioning democracy.
Profiteers of the pandemic? COVID-19 has not killed global populism
3 July 2020
Populism has revealed one of its weaknesses, by displaying particularly ineffective crisis management. However, it is not clear that populism will be politically unsuccessful in the post-corona future. The ability of populists to mobilise supporters, to concentrate powers and to spread a narrative of the crisis aligned with their nationalist and authoritarian ideology should not be underestimated. They could show resilience by relying on a broader anti-globalist narrative, conspiracy theories and polarization.
Tax implications of Covid-19. A fundamental transformation of tax systems is needed in the wake of COVID-19
2 July 2020
While the 2008/2009 global economic crisis had many negative consequences, one positive effect was that it massively accelerated international cooperation on tax matters. This is the kind of impetus that we also need for tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. The focus is not on generating more revenues, but rather primarily on achieving greater equity in the way that revenues are generated. This requires more public discussion of fair taxation. After all, the way that resources are mobilised and deployed to tackle the crisis will also have an impact on state legitimacy and social cohesion.
Policy coherence issues emerging from COVID-19 with a focus on healthcare supply chains
1 July 2020
The management of the coronavirus pandemic has been considerably impaired by a dearth of essential medical and pharmaceutical products. Disruptions in supply chains for healthcare goods have caused shortages and tight inventories. The reliance of many countries, particularly in Europe and Africa, on products imported from a few international suppliers is largely the result of the process of globalisation in the past decades. In conjunction with the lack of preparedness of health and civil protection systems, interdependencies in healthcare sectors, notably between Europe and Asia, made them vulnerable to a crisis affecting both exporters and importers.
Following the money: Why a COVID-19 marker might not help
30 June 2020
The EU is putting forward the idea of a COVID-19 marker on aid data to track the unprecedented mobilisation of resources to tackle the crisis globally. Rather than such a marker, the EU should consider supporting more sustainable and technologically-savvy approaches to ensure much needed transparency and accountability. The EU could back a number of other initiatives that are likely to better meet information needs, strengthening data ecosystems in developing countries and improving global reporting during and beyond the ongoing crisis.
It’s time to turn the Covid-19 recovery into a green renaissance
29 June 2020
Covid-19 brought a brief respite in the growth of carbon emissions. The challenge now is to achieve a long-term decrease. We must seize the moment to turn the coronavirus crisis into the green opportunity the world needs most.
