German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

Global Supply Chains: Boon and Bane for the Global South

Participating in global supply chains brings huge development opportunities to poorer countries, but it is also often associated with precarious working conditions, pollution, and unequal power relations. How can global supply chains become more inclusive and sustainable? Explore our research on global supply chains vis-à-vis the Global South.

Contact

Current Research

Countries and Regions

Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

Lead Research Fellow / Head of Research Programme "Globalisation and Development"

T. +49 (40) 42825-763 [email protected]

Informal entrepreneurship in developing countries
Structural change and its poverty and distributional implications
Natural resources, economic development and conflict

Africa

Jesús Renzullo

Research Fellow

[email protected]

Geoeconomics of the energy transition
Supply chains and climate change
Climate-conflict Nexus
Climate policy and international affairs

Dr. Samuel Siewers

Research Fellow

T. +49 (40) 42825-756 [email protected]

Political economy
International trade
Environmental policy
Applied econometrics

Latin America (esp. Brazil)
China

Dr. Frauke Steglich

Research Fellow

[email protected]

International trade, global value chains, foreign direct investment
Corporate responsibility, social and environmental effects of globalization
Applied econometrics

Sub-Saharan Africa
India

Dr. Tevin Tafese

Research Fellow / Research Team Spokesperson

T. +49 (40) 42825-550 [email protected]

Development Economics, Labour Markets, FDI, Trade, and Structural Change
Digitalization, Technology, Venture Capital, and Entrepreneurship

Global South, in particular Africa

Research | 14/10/2025

GIGA-Forschende bei „Leibniz im Bundestag“: Austausch mit Abgeordneten

Am 13. und 14. Oktober 2025 boten GIGA-Wissenschaftler:innen im Rahmen von „Leibniz im Bundestag“ Einzelgespräche für Bundestagsabgeordnete zu aktuellen außenpolitischen Themen an. Parlamentsmitglieder aus allen Fraktionen machten davon Gebrauch.

Press Release | 01/03/2021

International research network investigates global supply chains: How do we create sustainable value?

The aim of the research network is to contribute to the sustainability of global supply chains through research. It initiates new research, pools the expertise of leading scientists around the world and makes new findings accessible for political decision-makers and other stakeholders. The network is hosted by a consortium of the German Development Institute (DIE), the GIGA, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) and the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP).

Spotlight on... | 31/07/2024

“Spotlight on...” Svenja Schöneich

Svenja Schöneich, Alumna of the GIGA Doctoral Programme, is a Policy Advisor for Resource Policies, Mineral Supply Chains and Corporate Accountability at Germanwatch. In this interview, she gives insights into her current job and time as a Doctoral Researcher at the GIGA.

GIGA Focus Latin America | 3/2026

Europe’s Quest for Critical Raw Materials in Latin America

Latin America has emerged as a strategic partner for the EU in its efforts to diversify imports of critical raw materials with a view to safeguarding the energy transition, mitigating supply chain vulnerabilities, and reducing structural dependencies in the digital, defence, and aerospace sectors.

Prof. Dr. Detlef Nolte

Associate

GIGA Focus Latin America | 2/2026

Autonomy and Its Limits: Brazil’s Response to Trump’s Threats

Ahead of a Lula–Trump meeting, Brazil is pushing the US to scrap its punitive 50 per cent tariffs. Balancing autonomy and dependence, Lula is rallying state and business interests and pushing an EU–Mercosur deal, seeking to gain leverage through multilateralism and transcend the false US–China dichotomy.

Dr. Tomas Costa de Azevedo Marques

Research Fellow

Dr. Filipe Mendonça

Federal University of Uberlândia

Blog Article | 08/2025

Bridging the Maghreb-Sahel Divide in Policy and Research: Take-aways from the MECAM Policy Talk 2025

The MECAM Policy Talk 2025 brought together experts on and from the Maghreb as well as on and from Sub-Saharan Africa in Berlin for 2.5 days of intense deliberations. The blog article summarizes the main findings and presents central policy implications.

Dr. André Bank

Dr. Clara-Auguste Süß

Dr. Julius Dihstelhoff

Energy Research and Social Science | 07/2025

Minimizing Trade-Offs and Maximizing Synergies for a Just Bioeconomy Transition

The shift to a bioeconomy offers climate and sustainability benefits but risks biodiversity loss, land conflicts, and social inequities—especially in the Global South. This article explores inclusive pathways and governance for a just, sustainable bio-based future.

Dr. Anette Ruml

Former GIGA Team member

Dr. Christoph Kubitza

Research Fellow

Chapter in Edited Volume | 06/2025

Ölabhängigkeiten und die Diversifizierung der Wirtschaft

Wirtschaftliche Diversifizierung hat eine hohe Priorität in den Golfstaaten, um deren Ölabhängigkeit zu verringern. Das vorliegende Kapitel skizziert die Unterschiede und Ähnlichkeiten solcher Diversifizierungsanstrengungen im historischen Verlauf und diskutiert mögliche Zukunftsszenarien.

Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz

Director of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies / Editor GIGA Focus Middle East

Neue Züricher Zeitung | Quote | 13/03/2026

Die Golfstaaten importieren bis zu 90 Prozent ihrer Lebensmittel. Das macht sie verwundbar – die arabische Welt weiß das

Die Wüstenstaaten sind für die Ernährung ihrer Bevölkerung vom Ausland abhängig. Trotzdem sehen sie sich für einen langen Krieg mit Iran gerüstet. Jahre der Vorbereitung sollen sich jetzt auszahlen.

Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz

Director of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies / Editor GIGA Focus Middle East

F.A.Z. PRO Weltwirtschaft | Expert Comment / Guest Contribution | 05/03/2026

Kolumne Weltblick: Afrikas unterschätzte Wirtschaftswende

Mehr als die Hälfte der zwanzig wachstumsstärksten Volkswirtschaften weltweit liegt in Afrika. Ihr Rezept: Diversifizierung, Infrastruktur-Investitionen und stabile Politik – einige kopieren bewusst Chinas Erfolgsmodell.

Prof. Dr. Christian von Soest

Lead Research Fellow / Head of Policy Exchange and Berlin Office

DW | Quote | 12/12/2025

Nähern sich Handelspartner China und Brasilien politisch an?

Die Handelsbeziehungen wachsen kontinuierlich. Für China ist Brasilien ein Türöffner für den Markt in Südamerika. Auch eine politische Annährung der beiden Länder steht zur Diskussion.

Dr. Tomas Costa de Azevedo Marques

Research Fellow

Conference | 09/03/2026

Externe Akteure in Afrika

22. Partnertreffen des Wirtschaftsnetzwerks Afrika, Haus der deutschen Wirtschaft, Berlin Prof. Dr. Christian von Soest (Consultant)

Neben China engagieren sich zunehmend andere externe Akteure in Afrika. Der Input beleuchtet Strategien und Interessen von Staaten wie den VAE, Saudi-Arabien, Indien, der Türkei und Russland – und zeigt, wie sie wirtschaftliche Investitionen mit geopolitischen Zielen verknüpfen.

Prof. Dr. Christian von Soest

Lead Research Fellow / Head of Policy Exchange and Berlin Office

Conference | 18/06/2025 - 20/06/2025

The geopolitics of FDI in China in the context of US-China rivalry

Conference of the Association of Heterodox Economics, King’s College London, London Dr. Tomas Costa de Azevedo Marques (Speaker)

The neo-mercantilist approach has gained more traction in the Global North, while China is trying to support globalisation, openness and integration. This article aims to gain a deeper understanding of the effect of the new geopolitical context of US–China rivalry on multinational investment in China.

Dr. Tomas Costa de Azevedo Marques

Research Fellow

Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionales (IBEI) | 02/06/2025

Unlikely Companions of Energy Transitions? Opportunities and Challenges of Triangular Cooperation Between the EU and the GCC in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

Organiser: Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionales (IBEI) Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz (Speaker)

Talk at workshop of the OILDOWN research project on The Impact of the Renewable Energy Transition on National and International Politics in the Middle East and North Africa

Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz

Director of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies / Editor GIGA Focus Middle East

Global Supply Chains: Boon and Bane for the Global South

Experts

Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

Jesús Renzullo

Dr. Samuel Siewers

Dr. Frauke Steglich

Dr. Tevin Tafese

In Brief

GIGA-Forschende bei „Leibniz im Bundestag“: Austausch mit Abgeordneten

International research network investigates global supply chains: How do we create sustainable value?

“Spotlight on...” Svenja Schöneich

Publications

Europe’s Quest for Critical Raw Materials in Latin America

Autonomy and Its Limits: Brazil’s Response to Trump’s Threats

Bridging the Maghreb-Sahel Divide in Policy and Research: Take-aways from the MECAM Policy Talk 2025

Minimizing Trade-Offs and Maximizing Synergies for a Just Bioeconomy Transition

Ölabhängigkeiten und die Diversifizierung der Wirtschaft

Media Contributions

Die Golfstaaten importieren bis zu 90 Prozent ihrer Lebensmittel. Das macht sie verwundbar – die arabische Welt weiß das

Kolumne Weltblick: Afrikas unterschätzte Wirtschaftswende

Nähern sich Handelspartner China und Brasilien politisch an?

Lectures

Externe Akteure in Afrika

The geopolitics of FDI in China in the context of US-China rivalry

Unlikely Companions of Energy Transitions? Opportunities and Challenges of Triangular Cooperation Between the EU and the GCC in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

Notification

Social Media