How to get inclusive growth started in fragile contexts

Fragile and conflict-affected states experience volatile economic growth, with significant consequences for human welfare. Fragile states tend to grow in booms and busts, with little correlation with institutional quality or state capacity. Economic growth, if it is sustained and inclusive, can lead a country out of fragility.

On 9 June 2021, UNU-WIDER organizes a panel discussion on the topic How to get inclusive growth started in fragile contexts? The event will mark the launch of a new UNU-WIDER policy guidebook Deals and development in fragile and conflict-affected states (published in June 2021). The guidebook is aimed at practitioners to deepen their understanding on how to incorporate political economy insights to understanding and intervening in fragile contexts.

A short introduction to the guidebook by Eric Werker will be followed by a panel discussion on growth in fragile countries. The discussion will be chaired by Patricia Justino, and the panel will be composed of notable experts in the area of fragility, conflict and violence. Some of the issues to be considered by the panel include:

• What makes economic growth and development initiatives challenging in situations of state fragility, conflict, and violence?
• Is there a difference between good growth and bad growth?
• What role can the international community play in promoting economic development in fragile and conflict-affected states?

Programme (UTC+3)

More about the guidebook 'Deals and development in fragile and conflict-affected states'

The forthcoming (June 2021) UNU-WIDER open access publication Deals and development in fragile and conflict-affected states is a framework and policy guidebook designed to help advisors working with development agencies to analyse country context and design interventions with the goal of enabling positive growth episodes that reduce fragility. The publication is authored by Eric Werker, William Saywell Professor at the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University ​and a Non-Resident Senior Research Fellow at UNU-WIDER and Kunal Sen, Director of UNU-WIDER.