On September 23, 2022, Belinda Archibong, assistant professor of economics, participated in a joint virtual symposium hosted by the Brookings Global Economy and Development program and the Center for International Development at Harvard University. The event, titled Washington Consensus Revisited, explored the outcomes of four studies published in the Journal of Economic Perspectives (JEP) concerning the efficacy of the Washington Consensus. Professor Archibong spoke at a session titled, “Sub-Saharan Africa Experience.” Archibong’s session primarily discussed three reform policies focused on privatization, fiscal discipline, and trade openness. The session also relayed significant improvements in economic performance.
At the symposium, experts from academia and civil society provided overviews of their recent research, discussed emerging evidence on the links between performance and policy adoption, and shared examples from case studies that help explain countries’ experiences with various policy reforms. The speakers identified best practices and lessons learned regarding policy reform and discussed areas for further research while exploring Washington Consensus policies in depth.