In the year 2020 was a global wake-up call: It showed that even the most resilient states and firms can become uprooted. Ralph Chami from the International Monetary Fund and Rym Ayadi from the Euro-Mediterranean Network for Economic Studies – EMNES Association were our guests on 26.05.2021 to discuss macroeconomic policies in fragile states.

State fragility is not new, however, and many countries around the world suffer from conflict, social unrest, weak institutions and a lack of basic safety provision to their citizens.

Fragility is highly persistent too, as countries often remain in a state of civil strife for decades. External interventions often make things worse, even when done through well-meaning humanitarian aid. So what can be done to stabilise such countries?