In June, the British foreign policy apparatus made an announcement that surprised everyone, and no one, at the same time. The Department for International Development (DFID), which for over twenty years served as the government's primary agent of its global development policy, was to be merged into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
Sub-Saharan Africa made its appearance on the oil and gas map quite recently when compared with other regions of the world[1] and although it seems marginal on the global oil and gas markets (it represents less than 5% of global oil production, around 2% of global gas production, just above 3% of both global oil and gas reserves[2]), it accounts for a quarter to a third of the activities of all the major international oil companies (and even half of Italian ENI’s global activities).
Russia’s presence in Africa has returned to the fore. The first-ever Russia-Africa summit, held in Sochi on 23-24 October 2019, sparked international attention, raising questions about Russia’s new Africa strategy.
During his state visit to Russia in June 2019, Chinese leader Xi Jinping together with president Vladimir Putin oversaw several signings of investment cooperation agreements between Chinese and Russian companies[1]. These documents promised over a billion dollars worth of Chinese foreign direct investments (FDI) in Russia in the years to come.
India’s economic slowdown is visible. With a lag of two quarters, so are attempts to reverse it through policy fixes. And the markets that had fallen in the prelude to policy actions or in reaction to anti-entrepreneur economic stances have more than made up in an equal and opposite direction, almost as if Newton’s third law is overseeing India’s capital markets.
Nei giorni 1-2 ottobre a Milano, presso l’Università Bocconi, si svolgerà la 7° edizione del Salone della Corporate Social Responsibility e dell’Innovazione sociale, il più importante evento in Italia dedicato alla sostenibilità.
As the US-China trade war rages, and fears of a new conflict in the Gulf loom, world leaders meet in Osaka (June 28-29) at the G20 Summit. Beyond today's crises, the Summit will be a litmus test for the G20 countries’ ability to tackle key global challenges: from financial stability to climate change, from trade protectionism to aging populations and the future of work in the digital age. Will the sense of urgency prevail over growing divisions?
As the world’s premier forum on international economic governance, the G20 plays an important role in global rule-making. Born out of crisis, the G20 has morphed into the inner sanctum of world governance. Given that Africa has been a rule-taker since its decolonisation, its limited participation in this grouping (only South Africa is a full member) runs the risk of perpetuating this situation.
The implications of aging societies have been rising on advanced economy agendas for a long time. The challenges posed by a shrinking labor force, potential declines in productivity and a growing number of retirees which, in turn, threaten the sustainability of pension systems and public finance in general are cases in point. In the recent past, several middle- and low-income countries have also been increasingly exposed to the aging of their populations.
The G20 has the potential and responsibility to lead the world in developing more sustainable economic systems and life styles. Today’s patterns of consumption and waste generation are unsustainable. They contribute to social inequalities and the environmental degradation that is polluting our oceans, heating up the planet, threatening species survival, and contributing to the spread of disease.
