Small AI, big bets: How the world’s most impactful AI startups will be built in emerging markets
Walk into a hospital in Nigeria, where one doctor serves every 9,000 patients–fifteen times the WHO-recommended ratio. Every minute that a doctor spends on administrative
Shared prosperity constitutes both income growth and inequality reduction
The vision of the World Bank is to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet. The number of people who live in extreme poverty — i.e.,
The hidden unfairness in your tax system and how to fix it
In many developing countries, two people can earn the same income and pay very different amounts of tax — not because of different rates, but
Cutting the cost of sending money home: Fast payment systems, digital access, and the future of remittances
Every month, millions of migrant workers send a portion of their earnings home to support their families — often providing the most reliable source of
The economic footprint of Europe’s defence build-up
Defence policy is usually discussed as a national security issue, but its economic effects are often highly local. This column presents new evidence from 1,011
The perceived inflation wedge: Why households experience inflation differently from official statistics
Households often report inflation perceptions and expectations that differ markedly from official measures. This column proposes a new measure of perceived inflation, which uses disaggregated
The impact of global sanctions on cross-border mergers and acquisitions
The use of sanctions has grown steadily over the past seven decades, with well-documented effects on bilateral trade. This column analyses the effects of sanctions
A generational challenge: Turning a record youth surge into a jobs dividend
Between 2025 and 2035, the largest-ever cohort of young people in emerging market and developing economies will reach working age. Slowing growth, overlapping crises, tight
Early-life experiences of labour markets faced by others can leave permanent scars on men’s willingness to work
Labour force participation among prime-aged American men has fallen for over half a century, and standard explanations leave much of the decline unaccounted for. This
The price of delay: How supply chain disruptions spread into consumer prices
Supply chain disruptions have become a recurring feature of recent economic dynamics and an increasing concern in inflation policy discussions. This column argues that inflationary
