Africa is working toward the goal of creating a common currency that would serve as a symbol of African unity. The advantages of a common currency include lower transaction costs, increased stability, and greater insulation of central banks from pressures to provide monetary financing. Disadvantages relate to asymmetries among countries, especially in their terms of trade and in the degree of fiscal discipline. More disciplined countries will not want to form a union with countries whose excessive spending puts upward pressure on the central bank's monetary expansion. In T he Monetary Geography of Africa, Paul Masson and Catherine Pattillo review the history of monetary arrangements on the continent and analyze the current situation and prospects for further integration. They apply lessons from both experience and theory that lead to a number of conclusions. To begin with, West Africa faces a major problem because Nigeria has both asymmetric terms of trade—it is a large oil exporter while its potential partners are oil importers—and most important, large fiscal imbalances. Secondly, a monetary union among all eastern or southern African countries seems infeasible at this stage, since a number of countries suffer from the effects of civil conflicts and drought and are far from achieving the macroeconomic stability of South Africa. Lastly, the plan by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to create a common currency seems to be generally compatible with other initiatives that could contribute to greater regional solidarity. However, economic gains would likely favor Kenya, which, unlike the other two countries, has substantial exports to its neighbors, and this may constrain the political will needed to proceed. A more promising strategy for monetary integration would be to build on existing monetary unions—the CFA franc zone in western and central Africa and the Common Monetary Area in southern Africa. Masson and Pattillo argue that the goal of a creating a s

The US Dollar and the Euro are not real international currencies, but the currencies of certain countries (US) and region (Eurozone) that are "adopted" to become international currencies. This causes our global monetary and financial system to be asymmetrical. Some countries print money while others buy them. Consequently, the US and the Euro Area can buy anything from all countries in the world just by printing money from paper. They buy gold with paper. While all other countries are the opposite; they sell anything to get “paper money”. They buy paper with gold. This asymmetrical global monetary and financial system creates a very expensive cost to the world economy; exchange rate costs and fluctuations that reach hundreds of billions of dollars every year; cumulative foreign exchange reserves worth a dozen of trillions of dollars; two-thirds of countries in the world are trapped in foreign debt that cannot be paid; mass-and-cold trade wars involving all countries in the world and lasting for decades gave birth to the phenomenon of "race to the bottom" and made most developing countries trapped in the middle income (MIT); persistent global imbalances that continue to grow and become a fertile ground for monetary crisis that occurs periodically throughout the world. The Global Currency Initiative pioneered a global monetary model that is fully symmetrical and at the same time democratic. The model name is “organic global monetary” (OGM). OGM is an international currency system developed jointly by all countries in the world, or member countries and is part of their respective national currencies. Organic currency is only used for international transactions between member countries; while domestic transactions continue to use the national currency. The relationship between international currency and nationals is organic (part of) and hybrid (interconvertible). The exchange rate between organic and national currencies uses an auto-balancing so that it follows the true economic fundamentals. The organic model is an international monetary system that is natural, elegant, and very comprehensive, provides international currencies “free of charge” to all member countries, does not require foreign exchange reserves, eliminates exchange rate cost and fluctuations, makes “zero-depreciated” international currencies, eliminates foreign debt dependence, abolishing trade wars at all levels, releases countries from the middle-income trap (MIT); eliminates global imbalances, and roots out the potentials for monetary crisis. The organic model uses a fully flexible exchange rate system; therefore, it doesn't require economic integration. Thus, all countries in the world may join, without overhauling the monetary system, without losing the national currency and monetary-economic sovereignty. The organic model can also start on a small scale like the ASEAN region, South Asian, East Asian, Middle East, Latin America, East Africa, West, and Central, and many others. It may also start in several connected-regions or multi-regions. Once formed, the organic union may open to all countries in the world regardless of regional differences, income levels, economic systems, and others. All countries may join without exception. Since then, the world has a fully democratic and symmetrical alternative monetary system. Each country in the world is free to choose whether to join the organic monetary system or stay with the current system. Because the essence of democracy is to provide choices. This book is the second edition with some improvement from the first edition entitled "Global Currency Initiative". In this edition, we enhance the theory and academic. While on the other hand we still use a very simple language so that it is easily understandable by the general public; because the global currency is a common interest that everyone needs to know.

In 2011 the World Bank—with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation—launched the Global Findex database, the world's most comprehensive data set on how adults save, borrow, make payments, and manage risk. Drawing on survey data collected in collaboration with Gallup, Inc., the Global Findex database covers more than 140 economies around the world. The initial survey round was followed by a second one in 2014 and by a third in 2017. Compiled using nationally representative surveys of more than 150,000 adults age 15 and above in over 140 economies, The Global Findex Database 2017: Measuring Financial Inclusion and the Fintech Revolution includes updated indicators on access to and use of formal and informal financial services. It has additional data on the use of financial technology (or fintech), including the use of mobile phones and the Internet to conduct financial transactions. The data reveal opportunities to expand access to financial services among people who do not have an account—the unbanked—as well as to promote greater use of digital financial services among those who do have an account. The Global Findex database has become a mainstay of global efforts to promote financial inclusion. In addition to being widely cited by scholars and development practitioners, Global Findex data are used to track progress toward the World Bank goal of Universal Financial Access by 2020 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The database, the full text of the report, and the underlying country-level data for all figures—along with the questionnaire, the survey methodology, and other relevant materials—are available at www.worldbank.org/globalfindex.

The US dollar and the euro are not true international currencies, but the currencies of the United States and the Euro, which are “adopted” into international currencies. We designed a truly international currency that is controlled jointly by all (member) countries in the world in a democratic and decentralized manner. The name of the system is organic. The organic system issues an international currency called organic currency. The organic currency is only for international transactions between member countries. Meanwhile, domestic transactions still use their respective national currencies. This system can provide international currency and FX reserves to all (member) countries in the world for free. This system can free all countries from government foreign debt, maintain a balance of payments, make the international monetary system stable, and eliminate the monetary crisis from its roots. This system can start from a small scale, such as ASEAN, South Asia, East Asia, Middle East, Latin America, East Africa, West, Central, and other regions. Unlike the Euro model, this system does not require economic integration. So all countries in the world can join in their condition as they are. In this third edition book, we deepen the theory, improve the plot, sharpen the analysis, add examples, remove some less essential parts, and add references to raise academic standards. We maintain a very simple writing system, easy to read, accompanied by empirical examples and easy-to-understand illustrations. We want the discussion of the international economic and monetary system to be “friendly” for all and “not scary”. We avoid very technical terms. Even if there are, we always provide very simple explanations and illustrations. Everyone can read this book. Because international currency is of public interest. Every individual on earth has the right to know clearly.

From one of the leading policy experts of our time, an urgent rethinking of how we can better support each other to thrive Whether we realize it or not, all of us participate in the social contract every day through mutual obligations among our family, community, place of work, and fellow citizens. Caring for others, paying taxes, and benefiting from public services define the social contract that supports and binds us together as a society. Today, however, our social contract has been broken by changing gender roles, technology, new models of work, aging, and the perils of climate change. Minouche Shafik takes us through stages of life we all experience—raising children, getting educated, falling ill, working, growing old—and shows how a reordering of our societies is possible. Drawing on evidence and examples from around the world, she shows how every country can provide citizens with the basics to have a decent life and be able to contribute to society. But we owe each other more than this. A more generous and inclusive society would also share more risks collectively and ask everyone to contribute for as long as they can so that everyone can fulfill their potential. What We Owe Each Other identifies the key elements of a better social contract that recognizes our interdependencies, supports and invests more in each other, and expects more of individuals in return. Powerful, hopeful, and thought-provoking, What We Owe Each Other provides practical solutions to current challenges and demonstrates how we can build a better society—together.

Our Continent, Our Future presents the emerging African perspective on this complex issue. The authors use as background their own extensive experience and a collection of 30 individual studies, 25 of which were from African economists, to summarize this African perspective and articulate a path for the future. They underscore the need to be sensitive to each country's unique history and current condition. They argue for a broader policy agenda and for a much more active role for the state within what is largely a market economy. Finally, they stress that Africa must, and can, compete in an increasingly globalized world and, perhaps most importantly, that Africans must assume the leading role in defining the continent's development agenda.

This paper provides a comprehensive survey of pertinent issues on sovereign debt restructurings, based on a newly constructed database. This is the first complete dataset of sovereign restructuring cases, covering the six decades from 1950–2010; it includes 186 debt exchanges with foreign banks and bondholders, and 447 bilateral debt agreements with the Paris Club. We present new stylized facts on the outcome and process of debt restructurings, including on the size of haircuts, creditor participation, and legal aspects. In addition, the paper summarizes the relevant empirical literature, analyzes recent restructuring episodes, and discusses ongoing debates on crisis resolution mechanisms, credit default swaps, and the role of collective action clauses.