Apr 9, 2021

Applying Behavioural Science to Support the Prevention of Violent Extremism: Experiences and Lessons Learned

This pioneering knowledge product provides step-by-step suggestions for practitioners who are looking for ways to make use of findings from the behavioural sciences to address violent extremism —particularly through the strengthening of preventative measures. These suggestions are based on the experiences of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Nudge Lebanon in applying behavioural methods to prevent violent extremism (PVE) in Sudan and Yemen. With the support of UNDP’s Crisis Bureau, this work has recently expanded into Pakistan and Central Asia (Uzbekistan and Tajikistan), where UNDP Country Offices are making use of behavioural science to strengthen the delivery of their ongoing PVE projects.

Apr 1, 2021

Sovereign Debt Vulnerabilities in Developing Economies

The paper analyzes sovereign debt vulnerabilities across 120 developing economies. Country results are summarized and ranked using five vulnerability indicators; credit-ratings, liquidity-risk indicator, solvency-risk indicator, growth in external debt-service burden, and share of external debt owed to private creditors. In total 72 countries are identified as vulnerable, 19 of which severely so. Total external debt service at risk is estimated at a minimum of $598 billion for 2021-2025, $87 billion of which in 2021. One-third of vulnerable countries holding two-thirds of total external debt service at risk are not eligible for the Debt Service Suspension initiative (DSSI) nor for debt treatment under the Common Framework (CF).

Mar 23, 2021

Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Leaving No Country Behind

The report highlights that in addition to the risk of leaving behind vulnerable groups within countries, vulnerable countries, too, face the risk of being left behind. This is especially the case for countries with insufficient resources and capacity to tackle the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their own.