Otaviano Canuto on the Middle-Income Trap

May 19, 2021

Otaviano Canuto, Senior fellow, Policy Center for the New South The “middle-income trap” has become a broad designation trying to capture the many cases of developing countries that succeeded in evolving from low- to middle-levels of per capita income, but then appeared to stall, losing momentum along the route toward the higher income levels of advanced economies. We need to approach middle-income countries as being in a complex transition phase between accumulation and innovation-based economies. Individual middle-income country experiences of falling into a “trap” may be approached as cases of lack of or failing performance in footing the bill in terms of appropriate policies and institutions.

Speakers
Otaviano Canuto
Senior Fellow
Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, principal at Center for Macroeconomics and Development and non-resident fellow at Brookings Institute. Former Vice President and Executive Director at the World Bank, Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Vice President at the Inter-American Development Bank. He was also Deputy Minister for international affairs at Brazil’s Ministry of Finance, as well as professor of economics at University of São Paulo (USP) and University of Campinas (UNICAMP). ...

RELATED CONTENT

  • Authors
    October 21, 2021
    In the World Economic Outlook, published October 12, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) slightly lowered its forecast for global economic growth this year to 5.9%, while maintaining a forecast of 4.9% for 2022. It also emphasized the “divergence” in the pace and extent of economic recovery in different countries. Two factors are highlighted in explaining the divergence. First, there are the different paces and extent of vaccination in different countries, that is, the ‘Great Vac ...
  • October 13, 2021
    Tax revenue mobilization plays a key role in financing the economic and social development of countries. Indeed, tax policy can have several implications on the behavior of economic agents, investment, jobs, innovation, and on the attractiveness of foreign direct investment. As result, ...
  • October 13, 2021
    Tax revenue mobilization plays a key role in financing the economic and social development of countries. Indeed, tax policy can have several implications on the behavior of economic agents, investment, jobs, innovation, and on the attractiveness of foreign direct investment. As result, ...
  • October 13, 2021
    Tax revenue mobilization plays a key role in financing the economic and social development of countries. Indeed, tax policy can have several implications on the behavior of economic agents, investment, jobs, innovation, and on the attractiveness of foreign direct investment. As result, ...
  • Authors
    October 8, 2021
    Annoncé le 16 septembre dernier, l’arrêt définitif de l’enquête annuelle sur le climat des affaires est une erreur. Véritable référence pour l’analyse économique et entrepreneuriale dans 190 pays, c’est un instrument perfectible, mais indispensable. Dans la foulée d’une enquête indépendante menée par le cabinet d’avocats WilmerHale, qui pointait les pressions inopportunes exercées par la Chine et par d’autres pays lors de la préparation de son rapport annuel Doing Business, la Banq ...
  • October 08, 2021
    L'espace indo-pacifique est en phase de devenir le cœur battant du commerce international et le centre de la croissance économique mondiale. Dans cette perspective, la France et en tant q ...
  • Authors
    Mehmet Sait Akman
    Bozkurt Aran
    Leonardo Borlini
    Carlos A. Primo Braga
    Fernando De Mateo
    Alejandro Jara
    Douglas Lippoldt
    October 7, 2021
    The first two decades of this millennium were marked by major political, economic and geopolitical disruptions. This has led many analysts to predict that the world economy is entering a phase of “deglobalization” – that is, a retreat from the globalization process. This policy brief discusses how “deglobalization” affects the role and relevance of international trade institutions and agreements. The basic message is that investing in the improvement of the rules-based multilateral ...
  • October 5, 2021
    Seconde nation la plus peuplée d’Afrique après le Nigeria, l’Éthiopie se distingue par un essor économique continu depuis trente ans. Des progrès notables sévèrement remis en question par le conflit avec la province du Tigré, qui dure depuis près d’un an. Pays phare de la Corne de l’Afrique, l’Éthiopie s’est distinguée par une croissance moyenne à deux chiffres (10 %) sur la période 2010-2019. Tombée à 6 % en 2020, celle-ci ne devrait pas dépasser 2 % en 2021 selon la Banque mondia ...
  • October 01, 2021
    The climate crisis is a latent threat that has been brewing for several years. Its repercussions affect both individuals and economies. Since the Paris Agreement, progress has stalled in ...
  • Authors
    Raffaele Della Croce
    Alessandro Gili
    Alin Horj
    Murat Kenanoğlu
    Carlo Secchi
    September 29, 2021
    Changes in global value chains and reshoring trends brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic represent an opportunity for sustainable and inclusive economic development of the Mediterranean region. While the region has increased its participation in trade and global value chains, it remains below its potential due to limited connectivity and the lack of adequate investment in infrastructures. To boost competitiveness and attract near-shoring investments, an upgrade of the Mediterranea ...