In the media
Recent UNU-WIDER study on extractive dependency makes the headlines


A recent WIDER Working Paper by Alan Roe and Samantha Dodd received coverage in the Namibia Economist. The paper, published as part of the UNU-WIDER project Extractives for Development, draws together statistical information on extractive dependency and highlights the fact that many low-middle-income countries are highly dependent on minerals, oil, and gas for their exports. In many cases that dependency is increasing, despite recent declines in commodity prices.

From the Namibia Economist

Namibia is one of these countries, where despite the cyclical nature of the minerals and declining commodity prices, still about N$25 billion was generated through export earnings and N$1.4 billion in royalties from mineral rights holders, for the benefit of the State Revenue Fund.

The ranking of the Mining Contribution Index (MCI) show that for all 214 countries, among the top 50 countries no fewer than 31 are either low-income or lower-middle-income, as classified by the World Bank. The ranking examines the scale of the current dependence of low- and middle-income economies on extractive resources: metals, oil and gas.

Read the full article here, and the paper here.
 

Context