IDEAs Conference: Development Strategies in an Uncertain and Unequal World About the Conference

The challenges facing developing countries today are numerous, complex and apparently more intractable than they have been for some time. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, developing countries were grappling with slowing down of economic growth, recurrent crises, growing inequalities, widespread hunger and malnutrition, lack of decent employment, and weakening systems of social welfare. In the wake of the pandemic, finding policy pathways to reduce inequalities between and within countries, reinvigorate the quest for just agrarian transitions and structural transformation, and build sustainable economies has acquired greater urgency.

A considerable amount of evidence has been generated by now on the differential impact of the pandemic on different parts of the world, on different sectors of the economy, and on different sections of people. The experiences of different countries over the last two years provide valuable lessons about the relative efficacy of different strategies in controlling mortality and dealing with the economic and social crises unleashed by the pandemic. Vaccination nationalism and hoarding of vaccines by developed countries, and widespread vaccination hesitancy around the globe, have hindered the recovery from the pandemic. Also, as the world slowly emerges out of the pandemic, the two-track recovery of the global economy is creating concerns about inflationary pressures even as most developing economies face stagnation; mobile capital flows continue to be volatile, with potentially problematic consequences; employment remains lower than the pre-pandemic levels, as the growing precarity of work continues apace; diversification possibilities continue to be hit by recent trade and technology patterns; climate change and other ecological concerns are affecting already fragile and damaged agri-food systems. In addition, the forms of global cooperation that would appear to be absolutely necessary to deal with these various global threats do not appear to be forthcoming. The G7’s interventions have been deeply disappointing. As a result, IPR rules continue to be restrictive and limit the dissemination of essential knowledge and knowhow; sovereign debt resolution does not seem to be a priority; tax cooperation efforts are limping and inadequate; even recycling of SDRs appears to be less likely; and the climate negotiations have yielded very little in terms of additional climate finance or technology transfer. The Russia-Ukraine war has further contributed to soaring food and energy prices, adding to the woes of many developing countries.

In this context, while developing countries must obviously continue to raise their voice on global platforms and try to change what is clearly an unjust and unequal world order, that will not be enough. It is not enough to complain about these obvious and blatant flaws: it is clearly necessary and urgent for developing countries to evolve their own strategies that recognise these constraints. These include strategies to: (a) manage the sovereign debt dilemma; (b) control capital flows and direct finance, including through central and development banks; (c) increase employment generation and reduce precarious forms of work (d) ensure adequate delivery of quality care services in class and gender-just ways; f) strengthen social protection and labour rights; (e) access required knowledge and technology through mutual cooperation; (f) free agri-food systems from corporate control; and (g) build sustainable and socially-controlled production systems.

IDEAs is organising a conference on the theme “Development strategies in an uncertain and unequal world” in which these ideas will be discussed in detail. About 40 scholars from across the world will participate in-person in the conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and many more will participate online. The conference, to be held from August 3-5, 2022, will combine thematic presentations with presentations that focus on specific country/regional experiences.