TVM discusses IGM studies on impact of COVID-19

A number of studies produced under the Inclusive growth in Mozambique (IGM) programme were featured prominently on the Semanário Económico of 29 December 2021, a weekly economic review of Televisão de Moçambique (TVM).

The TVM reportage broadcast on 29 December 2021 relied extensively on the results of recent IGM papers on the macro- and microeconomic impact of COVID-19 in Mozambique, the role of trust and poverty in the compliance of social distancing measures, and the role of tax-benefit policies during the pandemic. Drawing directly from the results of these IGM studies, the weekly programme highlighted the unequal impact of COVID-19 across sectors and its negative impact on inequality in the country.

As a solution to counter these negative impacts, the TVM programme mentioned the importance of public sector interventions on the economy. Furthermore, Sam Jones, UNU-WIDER Research Fellow and Resident Advisor of the IGM programme interviewed in the reportage, suggested adopting measures to increase the purchasing power of the most vulnerable in the country. According to Jones, this could be done by expanding and extending emergency social protection measures to the most vulnerable households through donations to small and medium-sized enterprises to stimulate employment, and improving the tax system by increasing its efficiency and reducing the tax burden on the most vulnerable. When asked about the source of financing for such measures, Jones mentioned external funding through donor-funded programmes and better allocation of existing internal resources.

The TVM reportage stemmed from the presentation of the above-mentioned studies in the IGM Annual Conference on 24 November 2021, on the topic ‘The economic impacts of COVID-19 in Mozambique and future perspectives’.

See the full reportage:
TVM, Semanário Económico, 29 December 2021, Impact of COVID-19
TVM, Semanário Económico, 29 December 2021, Economic inequalities