IMF Podcasts

There is a strong connection between human capital and economic growth, and in this podcast, Eric Hanushek says societies that invest a lot in the cognitive skills of their people grow significantly faster. Hanushek studies the relationship between education policy and economic outcomes at Stanford University. Contributors: Eric Hanushek, Paul and Jean Hanna Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution...

In this podcast we speak with author Alec Ross about his new book The Industries of the Future . Ross says 90 percent of the world's data has been produced in the last two years, so those businesses that own or harvest a meaning from all this data will be leading the pack. Ross has served as Senior Advisor for Innovation to the US Secretary of State. Contributors: Alec Ross, Distinguished Senior F...

Every two years, the IMF and World-Bank invites global labor union leaders to discuss the global economy and the implications for the labor force. In this podcast, Sharan Burrow, head of the world's largest trade union federation, says collective action is needed to help better distribute the benefits of growth, if institutions are to regain trust from working people. Contributors: Sharan Burrow,...

With Asia's recent growth comes a growing responsibility within the global economy. In this podcast, Barry Eichengreen, Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley, breaks down the weight of that responsibility and how Asia can rise to fulfill it. Contributors: Barry Eichengreen, George C. Pardee and Helen N. Pardee Professor of Economics and Professor of Political Sci...

While many African countries have enjoyed significant revenues from the mining industry in recent years, a new study published by the Natural Resource Governance Institute suggests tax revenues from mining could be much higher if transfer pricing rules were enforced. In this podcast, we speak with the report's author Alexandra Readhead. Contributors: Alexandra Readhead, author of Preventing Tax Ba...

Corruption, in its many forms, affects people from every walk of life, in every country. While it does not discriminate based on age, young people are affected by corruption in ways that can follow them throughout their careers. In this podcast, anti-corruption leader Sergejus Muravjovas, talks about the ways in which youth are fighting back. Contributors: Sergejus Muravjovas, Executive Director a...

New York Times columnist and best-selling author Thomas Friedman, says our lives are being transformed in so many realms at once- it's dizzying. In this podcast, Friedman talks about his new book, Thank You for Being Late, An Optimist's Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations. Contributors: Thomas Friedman, New York Times columnist and best-selling author.

Julie Delahanty has done extensive work on the disenfranchisement of women due to the lack of equal opportunity. Delahanty is the Executive Director of Oxfam Canada, and joined a panel discussion during the IMF conference on Reducing the Gender Gap . In this podcast, Delahanty says vulnerable women are the most negatively affected by rising inequality. Contributors: Julie Delahanty, Executive Dire...

Who benefits from free trade and who doesn't? The realities don't always match people's perceptions. In this podcast, economist and free trade expert Douglas Irwin addresses some of the controversies. Irwin participated in a seminar entitled Making Trade an Engine of Growth for All at this year's IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings. Contributors: Douglas Irwin, John Sloan Dickey Third Century Professor...

Ravi Kanbur says statistics are fundamentally political in nature and in import. Kanbur is Professor of Economics at Cornell University and gave the keynote speech at the Fourth IMF Statistical forum on Statistics for Inclusive Growth, held in November 2016. In this podcast, Kanbur says data doesn't always reflect reality when it comes to poverty and inequality. Contributors: Ravi Kanbur: T. H. Le...

Globalization is a recent term, but the internationalization of markets, people, ideas, and cultures is nothing new. In this podcast, IMF historian Harold James, talks about how the past might help guide us into the future. James is Professor of History and International Affairs at Princeton University, and author of New Concept Old Reality published in the December 2016 edition of Finance and Dev...

Esther Duflo, Professor of Development Economics at MIT, co-founded The Poverty Lab to find innovative approaches to poverty alleviation. In this podcast, Duflo says all economic and social dimensions of poverty must be considered in order to effectively address the problem. Duflo presented the 2016 Richard Goode lecture at the IMF earlier this month. Contributors: Esther Duflo: Abdul Latif Jameel...

The IMF's latest Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa dedicates an entire chapter on what a drought, an earthquake or a pandemic can do to a country's economy. In this podcast, lead authors Marshall Mills and Vimal Thakoor say natural disasters have a much bigger impact in sub-Saharan Africa than any other region. Contributors: Marshall Mills: Economist and Mission Chief for Madagascar...

While the benefits of expanding women's participation in the economy are clear, women around the globe continue to face barriers. In this podcast, Action Aid's Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda says women bear a disproportionate responsibility for unpaid care work, and ill-thought-out policies often add to that burden. Gumbonzvanda joined a panel on Making Macroeconomics Work for Women at the IMF World-Bank...

In this podcast, IMF Managing Director, Christine Lagarde, and best-selling author Michael Lewis (The Big Short), reflect on lessons learned from the financial crisis and other issues facing the world economy. The discussion took place before a live audience during the IMF World-Bank Annual meetings last month. Contributors: Christine Lagarde: IMF Managing Director. Michael Lewis: Author, columnis...

In this podcast, inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil talks about how artificial intelligence is helping overcome human limitations and creating better-paying jobs. Kurzweil participated in a panel discussion entitled Technology, Innovation, and Inclusive Growth , during the 2016 IMF World-Bank Annual Meetings. Contributors: Ray Kurzweil: Inventor, futurist, and author.

Le dernier rapport du FMI sur les Perspectives économiques régionales prévoit que le taux de croissance économique de l'Afrique subsaharienne devrait descendre à son plus bas niveau depuis plus de deux décennies. Mais Céline Allard, chef de la division des études régionales au Département Afrique, dit que plusieurs pays continuent de croitre de manière très robuste Contributeurs: Céline Allard, ch...

The IMF's latest regional economic outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa shows growth at its lowest level in more than 20 years. But in this podcast, the African Department's new Director, Abebe Aemro Selassie, says it's a mixed story of struggling oil-exporters and strong performers.  Contributors: Abebe Aemro Selassie, Director of the IMF's African Department

The IMF's latest World Economic Outlook projects global growth at 3.1 percent in 2016 and 3.4 percent in 2017. In this podcast, IMF Chief Economist Maurice Obstfeld says growth has been too slow for too long. Contributors: Maurice Obstfeld, IMF Chief Economic Counselor

Ghana's economy—once a model for growth in West Africa, took a turn for the worse in 2012. It's been getting help from the IMF under a 3-year program known as the Extended Credit Facility. The IMF board has approved another US$116m, and under the arrangement Ghana could receive more than US$900m if all targets are met. In this podcast, Joël Toujas-Bernaté, IMF mission chief for Ghana, says the cou...

While Ethiopia has been experiencing strong growth since the early 2000s, the IMF's latest review of the country's economy says low commodity prices and a drought have put growth levels well below 10 percent for the first time in a decade. In this podcast, we speak with Julio Escolano, IMF Mission Chief for Ethiopia, who oversaw the writing of the report. Contributors: Julio Escolano, IMF Mission...

More than 1 million migrants and refugees made their way to Europe last year, 350K from Syria alone. A recent IMF study says people fleeing conflict areas in the Middle-East and North Africa has brought about the biggest refugee crisis since World War 2. In this podcast, the UN's Kyung-Wha Kang says the 1951 UN convention for refugees is no longer enough.  Contributors: Kyung-Wha Kang, Assistant S...

The United Nations estimates the global creative economy in 2011 generated more than $600 billion. In this podcast we speak with Patrick Kabanda, who says a country's cultural wealth presents a huge development opportunity. Kabanda is author of Music Going for a Song published in the September 2016 edition of Finance & Development Magazine . Contributors: Patrick Kabanda, Consultant for the office...

As robotic technology becomes more sophisticated, robots could soon become perfect substitutes for human labor. In this podcast, IMF economist Andy Berg says the robot revolution could lead to greater inequality. Berg is coauthor of Robots, Growth, and Inequality published in the September 2016 edition of Finance & Development Magazine . Contributors: Andy Berg, Deputy Director of the IMF's Instit...

Taxes are what governments rely on to provide the public goods and services that support economic growth. In this podcast, DG DEVCO's Klaus Rudischhauser, says some countries with millions of inhabitants have only a few hundred tax payers. Rudischhauser participated in a Spring Meeting's seminar on Capacity Development entitled Collect More & Spend Better Contributors: Klaus Rudischhauser, Deputy...