This report presents the results of an investigation into the sources of, and obstacles to, economic growth in the small Pacific island economies. The analytical framework is that provided by Hausmann, Rodrik, and Velasco (2005). The focus of this framework is on identifying the binding constraints to economic growth within a country, given that the investigator has detailed knowledge of the co...

To account for the African growth tragedy and, in particular, for its causes rooted in governance problems, the institutional legacy that African countries inherited from pre-colonial and colonial timesmust be considered. Three aspects are examined here. First, the relationship between ethnicity and state performance is bi-directional: if strong ethno-regional identities prevent the emergence o...

In this issue... The lasting economic benefits from a coherent package of policy changes would overcome the obstacles posed by short-term political considerations.