Policy briefs

A chequered African history of commodity markets. Part II: cocoa

Among commodities, cocoa occupies a special place, probably because this base product for chocolate is associated, in the collective psyche, with...

Brazil and Africa: Historic Relations and Future Opportunities

Brazil is in a good position to serve as a bridge to Africa and to reignite more cooperation between both sides of the South Atlantic. Brazil has...

Global Commodity Markets 2015—2016 Forecasts

Rarely, has the global market trends in raw materials and commodities been as pronounced as in 2015. Virtually all markets overall were down strongly...

Bilan des marchés mondiaux des matières premières 2015 et prévisions 2016

Rarement, la tendance sur les marchés mondiaux de matières premières et de commodités aura été aussi marquée qu’en 2015. Pratiquement tous les...

Industrial Policy: A Guide for the Perplexed

For the purpose of this short note, industrial policy is defined as government intervention in a specific sector which is designed to boost the...

Policies for Managing Natural Resources in Low Income Countries

The literature on resource dependency in the last three decades is long on theoretical and empirical effects of natural resources on an economy, but...

The Water – Energy – Food Nexus: Who Owns it?

The water-energy-food (WEF) nexus has emerged over the last few years as an innovative and holistic platform for resource management and allocation....

Agricultural Models and Best Practices from Brazil and the Southern Cone: Lessons for Africa?

The last 15 years have seen remarkable transformations in farming practices, institutional frameworks, and policies for agriculture in the Southern...

The development of the liquefied natural gas spot market: origin and implications

Designated by a common term, commodities are in reality very different from each other, particularly with regard to the nature of commercial...

La spotification du marché du gaz naturel liquéfié: origine et implications

Désignées par un vocable commun, les matières premières sont en réalité bien différentes les unes des autres, notamment au regard de la nature des...

Managing natural resources: an attempt to clarify the debate

Managing natural resources is a matter of great importance, both politically, socially, environmentally and economically. The subject is, though,...