Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow, CPD attended the 17th World Congress of the International Economic Association (IEA), during 7-12 June 2014, in Amman, Jordan.
As a Discussant, Dr Bhattacharya addressed the policy session on “International Development Research Centre: Think Tanks: Promoting Local Solutions, Influencing Regional And Global Thinking” held on 10 June 2014.
Chaired by Mr Bruce Currie-Alder of the IRDC, other discussants at the session were Mr Julio A. Berdegué, Rimisp-Centro Latinoamericano para el Desarrollo Rural, Chile; Ms Blandina Kilama, Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA), Tanzania and Mr Assefa Admassie, Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute.
This panel brought together representatives of four leading social and economic policy research institutions from Africa, Asia and Latin America, to share their experiences and analysis of the potential for policy research to help shape policies and practices at the local level, whilst also influencing regional and global thinking.
Drawing on extensive practical experience of research and policy engagement, the session aimed to address the need for more systematic learning between policy research institutions and a wide range of key development actors about both successes and failures of policy research.
As knowledge generators and analysers of local challenges, policy research institutions, or “think tanks”, are well-positioned to inform and strengthen national policies and practices, leading to a positive impact on society.
As key civil society actors in the global South they can influence regional and global thinking, by contributing to deliberations on a post-MDG agenda, or by helping to develop country-level and regional goals and targets that feed into global development goals.
