• The interests of developing countries in current negotiations in the WTO and between the EU and developing countries
• How developing countries can participate more effectively in international negotiations
• New perspectives on commodities and trade preferences
• The links between trade, and trade policy, and poverty
• The origins and practicalities of regional groups
• The impact of tourism on development

• Effects of foreign investment on development.
• The role of policy in attracting foreign direct investment and improving the impact of FDI on development.
• The effects of Home Country Measures and International Agreements on FDI.
• Contact Dirk Willem te Velde

IEDG’s research covers both the EC level (Commission, Parliament and Council) and EU Member State policy, in particular:

• The institutional framework for EU relations with developing countries
• EU policy formulation towards third countries in the developing world
• The coherence of EU actions in developing countries (e.g. trade, aid, security)
• The effectiveness of EU policy in relation to development in other regions of the world.

• Reform of the international financial architecture to account for the increasing importance of middle income and lower income developing countries
• Lessons from recent financial crises and the ongoing vulnerability of developing countries
• The politics of financial flows to developing countries, and the role of political risk

• Effects of aid on economic growth and human development
• Effects of aid on fiscal policies of recipient governments (spending, taxes and borrowing)
• Role of aid and donors in influencing recipient policies, including pro-poor policies
• Donor engagement in difficult environments

Much of IEDG’s work on aid is in collaboration with others in ODI, especially the Poverty and Public Policy Group and the Humanitarian Policy Group.

• Economic and financial impact of natural disasters
• Role of information on natural hazards in disaster reduction
• Financing the cost of future disasters – risk transfer mechanisms

Alignment of business policy and management with public policy instruments to enhance the development performance of private sector operating in developing countries.

• Training on the New ‘Equator Principles' and IFC Performance Standards >>
• Guidance for companies and international finance institutions to ensure that financial agreements enhance development impact >>
• Incentivising large companies to align their business with domestic government national development targets >>
• Incentivising large companies to release their untapped competencies for contributing to development goals >>
• Company reporting of positive economic and development impact on the host society >>
• Partnerships for development - building skills and integrity in the emerging profession of brokering multi-sectoral partnerships for sustainable development.
  ODI/IBLF Partnership Brokers Accreditation Scheme.
• Tools to track the performance of public-private partnerships for development >>

>> Visit the Business & Development Performance website