Information relevant for economic policy makers is increasingly available globally.  This enables Namibia to gain from lessons that other countries have made in achieving their development aims.  As a latecomer in development, Namibia has a chance to achieve higher growth by cutting short the way to prosperity and avoiding failures of other countries.  One clear lesson of development is that a clear information of policy makers on the different policy alternatives with their implications, costs and benefits brings high returns. 

However, available lessons from other countries often cannot be simply imported as blueprints.  The specific conditions of Namibia have to be taken into account in order to adapt the correct lessons. 

Unfortunately, policy makers have insufficient time to follow the immense amounts of new economic research that is continuously produced, not to speak of digesting, adopting and applying the results.  

The new series of NEPRU Policy Briefs aims to fill this gap.  The Briefs will:

• Cover all areas of economic policy making
• Take an economic view on policy
• Apply results to Namibia
• Be based on most recent international research and on ongoing research at NEPRU
• Be short (1-2 pages)
• Provide references for further reading (sources will be available at the NEPRU library)
• Reach policy makers (Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Members of Parliament)