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The short-term impact of Canada's budget will be small

Location:

CANADA

The budget keeps the deficit just inside prescribed limits despite an increase in new spending, by stepping up measures to boost revenue. Initiatives designed to target the…

China's virus diplomacy has limited pull in Balkans

Location:

BALKANS

China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects in the Balkans have mostly failed to deliver on promises of improving infrastructure. Chinese prestige in the region now relies…

Constraints will undermine Kenya’s ‘Big Four’ agenda

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KENYA

Kenya's Big Four development plan.

South African budget prompts cheer and wider divisions

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SOUTH AFRICA

However, cuts to the social grants budget and a continued focus on the planned three-year wage freeze for civil servants has annoyed (among others) the ruling ANC's ‘Tripartite…

EU will push healthcare in African diplomacy

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EU/AFRICA

This has sought to guard against negative perceptions of the bloc and counteract China’s competitive ‘mask diplomacy’. The importance of EU-African health partnerships is set to…

Indonesia tax amnesty could strain Singapore relations

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INDONESIA/SINGAPORE

The tax amnesty could see more than 40 billion dollars in untaxed funds entering Indonesia's economy, the central bank estimates. The measure is the latest in a series of…

US COVID-19 local budget squeeze will intensify

Location:

UNITED STATES

States' revenues have fallen sharply while mandatory spending has surged; one projection sees their combined budgetary shortfall amounting to USD615bn over the next three years…

Trudeau budget accepts debt while going for growth

Location:

CANADA

Containing stimulus measures worth over CDN100bn (USD80bn), it aims to nurture and sustain a post-COVID recovery that is now expected to see growth of 6.5% this year. However, it…

A full public debt restructuring overhaul is unlikely

Location:

INTERNATIONAL

The stock of EM debt has multiplied since 2000, accompanied by legal difficulties for borrowers falling into distress. Some economists are calling for a complete overhaul of the…

Nigeria's COVID-19 response at risk from weak links

Location:

NIGERIA

Nigeria's COVID-19 response.