By Naomi Frim-Abrams On November 20, 2024, the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) hosted Jon Denton-Schneider, Assistant Professor of Economics at Clark University, for the final installment of the 2024 Fall HCI Research Seminar Series. He presented his joint work with Eduardo Montero at the University of Chicago titled, “Disease, Disparities, and Development: Evidence from Chagas […]
By Praveena Bandara On November 7, 2024, the Boston University Global Development Policy Center (GDP Center) hosted Marina Zucker-Marques, Senior Academic Researcher at the GDP Center, and Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, Researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), to discuss their new book, “Feminism in Public Debt: A Human Rights Approach,” as part of […]
Emerging market and developed countries must meet their shared climate and development goals to avoid the catastrophic costs of inaction. Yet, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that 26 low-income countries are in debt distress or default, and new academic research estimates say this number will double if countries mobilize the level of investment needed […]
By Kamal Malhotra The United Nations (UN) is arguably the world’s most enduring and all-encompassing “global public good.” In fact, the recent UN Summit for the Future, where 193 UN Member States co-signed a Pact for the Future, reaffirmed that the UN’s original mandates of peace and security, sustainable development and human rights remain relevant […]
Chinese overseas lending has drawn attention for their support to developing countries in infrastructure development, as well as growing criticism for sovereign debt impacts. However, the institutions and instruments involved in overseas finance vary significantly and have undergone substantial changes over time. While financing has to date been dominated by policy banks, Export-Import Bank of […]
By Marina Zucker-Marques In the evolving landscape of international finance, the internationalization of China’s currency, the renminbi, has become a focal point of discussion. While this doesn’t suggest that the renminbi is on track to replace the US dollar, its growing influence on the international stage does represent China’s strategy to reduce its dependence on […]
What role do central banks play in designing cross-border payment infrastructure as part of a broader agenda of currency internationalization? In a new journal article published in Research in International Business and Finance, Marina Zucker-Marques focuses on China’s experience from 2008 to 2023 to trace the evolution of the renminbi’s cross-border payment network, contrasting these […]
By Ishana Ratan Low- and middle-income countries face the dual goals of decarbonization and development. It might be expected that among these countries, those with a higher share of foreign direct investment (FDI) in renewable energy will lead in the energy transition. In renewable energy, foreign companies can bring skills, technology and capital to markets […]
Foreign direct investment is often cited as critical for renewable energy growth in low- and middle-income countries. However, despite the promise of foreign investment, countries like Colombia capable of quickly scaling up solar are still facing an energy crisis. Why has solar installation slowed in countries with experienced foreign investors, but continues to steadily grow […]
By Diego Morro From 2000-2023, China’s development finance institutions (DFIs), the China Development Bank (CDB) and the Export-Import Bank of China (CHEXIM), and other Chinese commercial lenders provided approximately $182.3 billion in development finance to Africa, an amount comparable to the $209.5 billion committed to Africa by the World Bank from 2000-2022. The Boston University […]