Jomo Kwame Sundaram

Jomo Kwame Sundaram, a former economics professor and United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, received the Wassily Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought in 2007.

War or Peace, Barbarism or Hope?

The spectre of “stagflation” threatens the world once again. This time, the risk is the direct consequence of political provocations and war.

2y ago

Climate Injustice at Glasgow Cop-Out

The planet is already 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer than in pre-industrial times. July 2021 was the hottest month ever recorded in 142 years. Despite the pandemic slowdown, 2020 has been the hottest year so far, ending the warmest decade (2011-2020) ever.

2y ago

WTO finished without TRIPS waiver

Quickly enabling greater and more affordable production of and access to Covid-19 medical needs are urgently needed in the South.

2y ago

The Carbon Tax is Overrated

Addressing global warming requires cutting carbon emissions by almost half by 2030! For the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), emissions must fall by 45 percent below 2010 levels by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, instead of the 2.7 degrees Celsius now expected.

2y ago

Bleak Prospects for Least Developed Countries

“The outlook for LDCs is grim.”—the latest United Nations (UN) assessment of the prospects for the least developed countries (LDCs) notes recent setbacks without finding any silver lining on the horizon.

3y ago

Better late than never, but act now

The world should now be more aware of the likely Covid-19 devastation unless urgently checked. Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a USD 8 billion plan to quickly vaccinate many more people to expedite the end of the pandemic.

3y ago

Biden disappoints: Must do more, not less

US President Biden’s earlier support for a vaccine patent waiver raised hopes for his summit more than a week ago. However, it proved disappointing, not only for efforts to end the pandemic, but also for US leadership in these challenging times.

3y ago

Progressive taxation for our times

As developing countries struggle to cope with the pandemic, they risk being set back further by restrictive fiscal policies. These were imposed by rich countries who no longer practice them, if they ever did. Instead, the global South urgently needs bold policies to ensure adequate relief, recovery and reform.

3y ago
April 4, 2022
April 4, 2022

War or Peace, Barbarism or Hope?

The spectre of “stagflation” threatens the world once again. This time, the risk is the direct consequence of political provocations and war.

November 25, 2021
November 25, 2021

Climate Injustice at Glasgow Cop-Out

The planet is already 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer than in pre-industrial times. July 2021 was the hottest month ever recorded in 142 years. Despite the pandemic slowdown, 2020 has been the hottest year so far, ending the warmest decade (2011-2020) ever.

November 22, 2021
November 22, 2021

WTO finished without TRIPS waiver

Quickly enabling greater and more affordable production of and access to Covid-19 medical needs are urgently needed in the South.

November 16, 2021
November 16, 2021

The Carbon Tax is Overrated

Addressing global warming requires cutting carbon emissions by almost half by 2030! For the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), emissions must fall by 45 percent below 2010 levels by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, instead of the 2.7 degrees Celsius now expected.

October 27, 2021
October 27, 2021

Bleak Prospects for Least Developed Countries

“The outlook for LDCs is grim.”—the latest United Nations (UN) assessment of the prospects for the least developed countries (LDCs) notes recent setbacks without finding any silver lining on the horizon.

October 16, 2021
October 16, 2021

Better late than never, but act now

The world should now be more aware of the likely Covid-19 devastation unless urgently checked. Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a USD 8 billion plan to quickly vaccinate many more people to expedite the end of the pandemic.

October 3, 2021
October 3, 2021

Biden disappoints: Must do more, not less

US President Biden’s earlier support for a vaccine patent waiver raised hopes for his summit more than a week ago. However, it proved disappointing, not only for efforts to end the pandemic, but also for US leadership in these challenging times.

September 26, 2021
September 26, 2021

Progressive taxation for our times

As developing countries struggle to cope with the pandemic, they risk being set back further by restrictive fiscal policies. These were imposed by rich countries who no longer practice them, if they ever did. Instead, the global South urgently needs bold policies to ensure adequate relief, recovery and reform.

September 22, 2021
September 22, 2021

The vaccine apartheid must end

Vaccine costs have pushed many developing countries to the end of the Covid-19 inoculation queue, with most low-income nations not even lining up. What’s worse, less vaccinated poor nations cannot afford fiscal efforts to provide relief or stimulate recovery—let alone achieve Agenda 2030.

August 27, 2021
August 27, 2021

Looking back: How prioritising profits reversed health progress

Instead of a health system striving to provide universal healthcare, a fragmented, profit-driven market “non-system” has emerged in recent decades. The 1980s’ neo-liberal counter-revolution against the historic 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration is responsible for this.