Publications

The Sustainable Competitiveness Observatory (SCO) works on three interconnected themes that characterise a country’s capacity to integrate into the global economy. These are: (i) “National Attractiveness and Sustainability,” which covers non-price determinants of national competitiveness, (geography, infrastructure, energy, human capital and economic policy); (ii) “Price Competitiveness,” which provides complementary measures of price competitiveness in the tradable sectors of the economies studied; and (iii) “Revealed Competitiveness,” which directly measures each economy’s weight in global export markets and reflects the combined effects of the first two blocks. This document sets out the methodology used to construct the indicators for the Price Competitiveness and Revealed Competitiveness blocs.

The current geopolitical shifts in the Gulf and Red Sea regions have presented Mauritius with a unique, albeit temporary, strategic opportunity. While rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope has led to a significant 45% increase in export proceeds for certain categories and a surge in bunker calls as of March 2026, Port-Louis remains unable to fully capitalize on these global disruptions. The port is currently losing ground to regional competitors like Durban, Cape Town, Mombasa, and Djibouti, which have shown greater improvements in throughput and turnaround times since 2010.  To regain its status as a leading shipping node, Mauritius must resolve the "weakest link" in its economic profile: port performance. 

We empirically examine how import competition affects sentiment toward China in local communities in the United States using a news-based index for sentiment. Results are threefold. First, U.S. sentiment toward China peaked in 2007 before turning negative. Second, communities more exposed to import competition from China have experienced greater deterioration in sentiment. Third, the trade-induced U.S. sentiment toward China is broad-based, encompassing political, military, and national security issues. These findings suggest that competition over trade may have important geopolitical implications through sentiment of local communities.

L’Afrique est de nouveau surendettée avec la Chine comme principal créancier bilatéral. Cette situation est probablement sous-estimée en raison du manque de transparence sur les montants et conditions de financement. Les partenariats public-privé dans le domaine des infrastructures de services publics ont contribué à la dérive, avec des entreprises chinoises qui se sont souvent imposées dans l’attribution des marchés. Les modalités de financement ont été autant déterminantes que le critère de compétitivité.

This volume is based on research in FERDI’s program ‘Regional Integration, trade, competitivity and environment’ under the direction of Anne-Marie Geourjon and coordinated by Jaime de Melo. The essays in the volume are destined to policy makers and observers of the pace of African integration. The emphasis is on cooperation, necessary for the provision of regional public goods (infrastructure like transport infrastructure), and on policies (trade, mobility of capital and people) affecting market integration, all in the hands of governments. The essays eschew technical discussions but rely on figures and tables to summarize the narrative.