worldbank.org (02.01.2024) The Sahel region of Africa faces multiple crises, which further compound structural economic and human development challenges. The Sahel is one of the world’s poorest regions and displays some of the lowest levels of human capital globally. Violence and insecurity in the Sahel have significantly increased in the past decade, with several countries experiencing active armed conflict and unrest. The impacts of climate change compound existing vulnerabilities and risks.

imf.org(14.01.2024)  Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to reshape the global economy, especially in the realm of labor markets. Advanced economies will experience the benefits and pitfalls of AI sooner than emerging market and developing economies, largely due to their employment structure focused on cognitive-intensive roles. There are some consistent patterns concerning AI exposure, with women and college-educated individuals more exposed but also better poised to reap AI benefits, and older workers potentially less able to adapt to the new technology.

imf.org (14.01.2024) AI will affect almost 40 percent of jobs around the world, replacing some and complementing others. We need a careful balance of policies to tap its potential.

OECD (11.01.2024) Finding sufficient funds to pay for more resilient health systems is challenging in the current economic context. COVID-19 has shown the need for additional targeted spending on public health interventions, the digital transformation of health systems, and bolstering the health workforce. Rising incomes, technological innovation and changing demographics put further upward pressure on health spending. This could result in health spending reaching 11.8% of GDP across OECD counties by 2040.

ESCAP (14.12.2023) The report compiles existing policy tools and and good practices adopted by Governments in Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean on formalizing informal employment in the formal sector. To provide a framework for understanding the full range of good practices on formalizing the employment of informal workers in the formal sector, the report sets out the integrated strategic policy approach outlined by ILO Recommendation No. 204 on facilitating the transition to formality.

ilo.org (11.12.2023) Public employment services have a central role in responding to crises and fostering recovery to ensure efficient and well-functioning labour markets. This Q&A provides details from the first global report by the ILO on public employment services, shedding light on the latest developments and trends of employment services and active labour market policies.

ILO Working paper (Dec 2023) This paper takes food-delivery platforms as a case study in China to examine the impact of digital labour platforms on employment and presents findings in employment structure, employment relations, working conditions, wages, protection of workers and social insurance in the food-delivery sector.

Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Nov 2023) This report aims to support a shift in vision around social protection and climate change in the Asia-Pacific region by improving understanding of the socio-economic challenges likely to arise from climate change in the medium to long term, and how social protection can be used to manage them.

oecd (21.11.2023) Long-term unemployment remains a structural challenge for most OECD countries. Despite major efforts to address this issue, the efficiency and effectiveness of many existing active labour market policies are limited for jobseekers who face major vulnerabilities and have no ties to the labour market. Therefore, there is a need for innovative approaches that specifically address the barriers faced by long-term unemployed individuals in their labour market (re)integration.

World Food Programme (19.10.2023) When crises hit, delivering government assistance through digital payments can help lay the foundations for greater financial resilience and women’s economic empowerment. In Haiti, WFP’s work has centred around building Digital Public Infrastructure for more inclusive and adaptative Social Protection.