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.
"An exploration of the association between fuel subsidies and fuel riots", World Development
In recent years, dozens of countries have been rocked by riots, often associated with popular demand for fuel. A paper, published today in World Development, by The Policy Practice Director Neil McCulloch (and co-authors Davide Natalini, Noami Hossain and Patricia Justino) uses a new international dataset on fuel riots to explore the effects of fuel prices and price regimes on fuel riots.
Analysis and Program Design: Inclusive Governance and Core State Functions in Somaliland
TPP is assisting the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) design a multi-donor governance programme in Somaliland on inclusive governance, and to consider the need for any complementary support to strengthening core state functions.
TPP Principal Alex Duncan, TPP Associate Mohamed Hersi, and researcher Sahra Hassan undertook fieldwork in Somaliland and Kenya in April 2022. They met key stakeholders in government and donor agencies in Hargeisa and Nairobi. The team will return to Kenya in May to present their initial findings to a core reference group of international donors.
"Freedom to Think: The Long Struggle to Liberate our Minds", by Susie Alegre, out on 7th April
TPP Associate, Susie Alegre’s book “Freedom to Think: The Long Struggle to Liberate our Minds” out 7th April with Atlantic Books (available to pre-order now) explores the history of the right to freedom of thought and the threats it faces in the digital age.