Public Lecture by the World Bank Group Chief Economist, Indermit Gill: The middle income trap

At this insightful event, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics Indermit Gill will present findings of the latest World Development Report and discuss the middle-income trap.

Despite a 50 percent increase in the global population, the number living in extreme poverty has reduced by nearly two-thirds since 1990. By this measure, developing countries have done well. But people in middle-income countries have every reason to aim higher. 

Their aspiration is to reach living standards considered satisfactory by advanced economies. But the World Development Report shows why that will be a tough goal to achieve: it will mean breaking free of the so-called middle-income trap that holds such countries back. 

Since 1990, only 34 middle-income economies have achieved that feat. But how did they do it? 

Mr Gill will be joined at this free event by Monash University Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Sharon Pickering, and Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics and Head of Monash Business School Professor Simon Wilkie. His lecture will be followed by a Q&A session led by Prof Wilkie, followed by drinks and canapes.

Mr Gill will attend as a special guest of Monash Business School’s Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability.