Introduction

Dr. Nikola L. Spatafora is Senior Economist at the IMF Institute for Capacity Development. He was previously Lead Research Economist for East Asia & the Pacific at the World Bank. At the IMF, he has also served in the Research Department, European Department, and Fiscal Affairs Department. His research interests and publications focus on:

• Economic Growth

• Structural Transformation

• International Trade

• Oil and Natural Resources

• Remittances

• FDI

He has published widely, including in the Journal of International Economics, Journal of Development Economics, IMF World Economic Outlook, and World Bank Global Economic Prospects. His research has also been featured in The Economist, Financial Times, and Wall Street Journal.

He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale, and a B.A. (First Class) in Politics, Philosophy, & Economics from Balliol College, Oxford.