The political economy of pandemic prevention and preparedness in Africa - Policy Brief 13
The huge costs of the COVID-19 crisis have revealed a global failure to learn lessons from previous health crises, and to invest sufficiently and consistently in the public goods of pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. This health security agenda has been seriously neglected in sub-Saharan Africa, which is in a weak position to respond to the present crisis and future pandemics.
Based on research conducted for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)-funded Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa Programme (TDDAP), this Policy Brief suggests that the neglect of the health security agenda in sub-Saharan Africa is above all a political economy problem best understood in terms of the political incentives facing leaders, institutionalised power relations and the collective action problems shaping health security systems and international funding. The Policy Brief explores five political economy problems that are found to be particularly undermining of pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, and develops recommendations for addressing each of these.
Political Economy Analysis training for the Climate Compatible Growth programme
TPP Director Neil McCulloch, and Principals Sam Bickersteth and Samantha Wade delivered a two-day training course for the Climate Compatible Growth programme at Homerton College in Cambridge in late March.
The bespoke learning event was designed for CCG researchers to gain a better understanding of PEA and how it might help participants to identify the challenges arising from political economy features of the contexts in which they work, and to draw well-grounded conclusions for research, policy, strategy or programme design and implementation.
Webinar on Neil McCulloch's new book - "Ending Fossil Fuel Subsidies: the politics of saving the planet"
Neil McCulloch has kindly agreed to give a presentation of the main ideas in his new book "Ending Fossil Fuel Subsidies: the politics of saving the planet" on Wednesday 12 April from 2pm-3.30pm BST (GMT+1). Dr. Mashekwa Maboshe, a researcher at the University of Zambia, has kindly agreed to provide some initial short comments, after which the floor will be open for questions and discussion. Please register by clicking below and we will send you the zoom invite.
New FCDO Political Economy Analysis Guidance published
Laure-Hélène Piron and Alina Rocha Menocal contributed to this Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) guide on applied political economy analysis (PEA) which updates the UK Department for International Development's 2009 original guidance.
This guide provides an overview of PEA and explains how analytical work should be planned and completed. It also provides an introduction to techniques and concepts used by FCDO governance experts, when designing and implementing related UK aid programming. It aims to inform development professionals, and it summarises different approaches, from very light-touch to more in-depth.