Despite its many achievements since the transition to majority rule, South Africa struggles with low growth, widespread unemployment, and sharp social tensions. The IMF says Africa's largest economy needs to pursue structural reforms to boost growth and create jobs for a growing population.
Jun 29
Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas on the Story Behind the Number
Inflation pressures were already brewing when Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas stepped in as IMF Chief Economist in January 2022, but rising geopolitical tensions soon added fuel to the fire, and inflation remained a challenge throughout his tenure. In this podcast, outgoing Chief Gouri ... Show More
31m 16s
Jun 23
Jeffry Frieden: The Cost of Geoeconomic Coercion
As geopolitical tensions rise, countries like to flex their economic muscle. But as appealing as they might be, sanctions, tariffs, and export bans come at a price. Jeffry Frieden is a professor of international and public affairs and political science at Columbia University. In ... Show More
19m 40s
May 2024
The Economy of South Africa
South Africa is an economy that is really important to understand as a kind of potential outcome case study of inequality gone bad. The nation itself, on paper at least is not so terrible, it is actually one of if not the wealthiest nation in all of Africa, trading back and forth ... Show More
16m 17s
Sep 2021
Is South African tourism due a transformation?
Millions of people visit South Africa each year to enjoy safari’s, culture and nightlife. The tourism industry has been hit hard by Covid-19, but there are other issues it has been struggling with for longer.
More than 25 years since the end of apartheid, the sector remains large ... Show More
15m 28s
Oct 2021
Can economic growth tempt Zimbabweans home?
Zimbabwe once sat as a powerhouse alongside Africa’s biggest economies. Over the past two decades though, Zimbabwean’s have been on an economic rollercoaster, experiencing crashes, strikes, hyperinflation and unemployment. Millions of people left the country in search of guarante ... Show More
15m 1s