Christiane Kliemann

19/11/202402/12/2025

The EU’s Engagement in the G20 – One Way to Deal with Global Power Shifts

By Vy Dang, Sven Grimm and Wulf Reiners / Part of the European Development Policy Outlook Series

The EU has been a permanent member of the G20 since the group was founded in 1999, alongside three member states: France, Germany, and Italy (EU3). Additionally, Spain and the Netherlands are regularly invited as guests to the G20 meetings. Strengthening engagement within the G20 has been one of the key priorities in the EU’s multilateral engagement over the past years, as highlighted in the 2024 Joint Communication by the Commission and High Representative for Foreign Affairs.

07/11/202426/06/2026

Trump’s Second Term and the Global South: Prospects and Perils

By Stephan Klingebiel, Max-Otto Baumann and Andy Sumner

Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January will have far-reaching implications, not only for the democratic system in the United States but also for global cooperation, particularly impacting the Global South. Here, we offer three reflections on what a Trump second term might mean for these countries.

06/11/2024

Complex Coherence: Unpacking the EU’s Trade and Development Policy Dilemma

By Frederik Stender and Tim Vogel / Part of the European Development Policy Outlook Series

Trade liberalisation, traditionally seen as a means to promote economic growth and prosperity, has increasingly come under scrutiny for its wider adverse impacts. Increased trade is now also held responsible for environmental degradation, fuelling climate change, and growing inequality, both between high-income countries and developing countries and within the latter. Issues such as child labour remain significant and unresolved, further highlighting the complex challenges associated with global trade practices.

04/11/202409/12/2024

Reflecting on our Lens: Decolonising Imagery within International Development

By James Andrews / part of our “Share your Decolonising Story” project

When selecting a photo to bring colour to the blog you’ve spent hours copy-editing, have you considered whether it disrupts the colonial gaze, or might it—perhaps inadvertently—reinforce these entrenched power structures? When arranging an interview for your lively development podcast, are you giving a platform to a Western academic who has conducted research ‘in the field,’ or would it be more impactful to interview someone who has spent their entire life living and working in that ‘field’? How do you create multimedia content that not only attracts donor funding but also remains sensitive to the unique circumstances of the individuals whose stories you aim to tell, while being aware of your own cultural, class and gender biases?

29/10/202429/10/2024

Cocoa Prices Triple, But Do Farmers Feel the Gains?

By Bernhard Tröster, Felix Maile, Cornelia Staritz and Sophie van Huellen

In 2021, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire introduced a $400/tonnes Living Income Differential (LID) on cocoa bean exports, widely regarded as a key mechanism to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers. However, this premium was dwarfed by recent price surges at the global derivative markets, which serve as a benchmark for the sales of West African cocoa beans. Yet, farmers have seen a relatively minor increase in the price they receive.