ÖFSE Development Lecture 20

Keynote Speaker: Jomo Kwame Sundaram  (former United Nations assistant secretary-general for economic development in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) during 2005–2012, senior adviser at the Khazanah Research Institute, visiting fellow at the Initiative for Policy Dialogue, Columbia University, and an adjunct professor at the International Islamic University (IIUM)

Comments: Sofía Monsalve Suárez (Secretary General of FIAN International) and Faith Lumonya (Economic Justice and Climate Action Programme Lead at Akina Mama wa Afrika in Kampala, Uganda)

Extreme price volatilities in global commodity and energy markets, droughts in large parts of Africa, supply shortages of grain and fertilizers in the wake of the Ukraine war, as well as in medical goods during the Covid-19 crisis: Global turbulences are increasing.

Above all, they raise the fundamental question of how essential goods can be secured for all. Are commodity and energy exchanges and other market mechanisms useful instruments for coordinating supply and demand? Or do they lead to price instabilities and thus contribute to supply insecurities in Europe and to hunger in the countries of the Global South? What does it actually take to secure future supplies with food and energy other basic goods against the backdrop of the climate crisis? Which national and international policies are needed?

On October 20, 2022 International experts took a critical look at how global commodity markets work and discussed political solutions needed to ensure the provision of essential basic goods – not only but particularly in the Global South.

Conference Language: English
Conference Format: Hybrid event (physical conference and Zoom/Facebook event)

> Programme (pdf)
> Slides Jomo Kwame Sundaram (pdf)
> C3-Radio Podcast
> Article Paulo Freire Zentrum (german)
> Article VIDC (english)

Videos:
> Recording
> Interview: Jomo Kwame Sundaram on malnutrition and hunger today
> Interview: Jomo Kwame Sundaram on markets & speculation
> Interview: Jomo Kwame Sundaram on food security and sovereignty
> Interview: Jomo Kwame Sundaram on war, non-alignment & peace

Organizers: ÖFSE – Austrian Foundation for Development Research, and VIDC – Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation