Creating a fresh perspective of how small states perform, exploring ways to help them do better and highlighting the Commonwealth’s role to ensure they are well-served by regional bodies are the key insights of a handbook launched at Marlborough House.
Creating a fresh perspective of how small states perform, exploring ways to help them do better and highlighting the Commonwealth’s role to ensure they are well-served by regional bodies are the key insights of a handbook launched at Marlborough House.
The Commonwealth hosted the launch of the book, entitled Handbook of Small States, which discusses the economic, social and environmental issues of small states.
The authors of the book hope it will be useful for academics, lawmakers, students and policymakers.
It is the brainchild of Professor Lino Briguglio of the University of Malta, an internationally recognised researcher renowned for his pioneering work on vulnerability and resilience in small states.
In this book, Professor Briguglio brings together cutting-edge thinking by academics and experts from institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, the Commonwealth and leading universities.
Speaking at the launch, Professor Briguglio said, “There is a message which runs through each chapter of the book. It indicates that small states are disadvantaged for various reasons including exposure and external shocks. However, the governance in the small states intends to be an advantage for various reasons because if the governance is good in a small state, the country tends to outperform other disadvantages, an example of this can be Malta and Luxemburg.”
The handbook looks into the economic, social and environmental issues affecting small states. The economic theme comprises chapters which deal with trade, finance and regulatory frameworks, while the social theme encompasses health, migration, population ageing, as well as other social well-being issues. The environmental theme examines matters such as measuring environmental performance, natural disasters, the ocean economy, and the validity of the sustainable development goals.
The Commonwealth Secretariat experts wrote about the fiscal consequences of natural disasters on small states, motivated by their economic vulnerabilities. It outlines how a natural disaster influences small states to use taxes and government spending to improve economic conditions.
Head of economic policy and small states at the Commonwealth, Travis Mitchell co-authored the chapter. “We produced this chapter, given the impact of natural disasters we have seen in small states,” he said. “The Handbook of Small States is the most advanced and comprehensive study of small states development issues and the effects of size. It provides cutting edge policy advice, and I am sure it will serve small states well in their pursuit of inclusive growth and development.”
The Commonwealth and the World Bank use a population upper limit of 1.5 million to define small states, but other thresholds have been suggested and used by different authors in the book.
Key insights from the book were discussed at the event, allowing the guests to question the relevance of the book's policy recommendations in addressing challenges faced by the small states.
