Have you or a loved one ever needed surgery? Imagine what your life would be like if you couldn’t have it. Billions of people around the world lack access to surgery because equipment and general anaesthesia are too expensive or unsuitable in their region. When we think about technological progress people tend to picture faster, […]
Why efforts by Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to help cocoa farmers haven’t worked
A cocoa pricing agreement designed to protect farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana from destitution is being circumvented by multinationals, the main buyers of cocoa beans. Cocoa is the plant from which chocolate is made. Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana together account for 65% of global cocoa production, but farmers in these two countries earn less […]
Jobs are up, wages less so – and lower purchasing power could still lead the US into a recession
Don’t be overly fooled by seemingly rosy jobs data heading into the Labor Day weekend. Yes, the U.S. economy added 187,000 jobs in August 2023 – faster than the revised 157,000 increase for July and above most analysts’ expectations for the month. And yes, gains were seen across most industries, with health care and social […]
Ghana’s domestic debt restructuring has stalled: four reasons why
Ghana is facing multiple financial and economic challenges and has requested a US$3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help it restore macroeconomic stability. This will include bringing public debt down to more manageable levels from the currently estimated 105% of GDP to 55% in present value terms by 2028. IMF assistance, […]
the state of the economy, the Indigenous ‘Voice’ and whether the first parliamentary week saw better standards
University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan discusses the week in politics with University of Canberra Associate Professor Caroline Fisher. This week saw parliament meet for the first time since the election. Michelle and Caroline talk about Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ sombre report on the economy, and the early flurry of legislation. They also examine whether […]
New Brexit deal will be better for Northern Ireland’s economy than the protocol, research suggests
UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has said Northern Ireland will be “the world’s most exciting economic zone” due to its access to the EU single market under the latest post-Brexit trading deal between the EU and UK. The details of the Windsor framework are still being pored over by politicians and business leaders across the […]