Africa Training Workshops in International Trade & Finance in Development
(AFTW-2026)
Dates: Workshop 1: - International Trade: Sept. 22–24, 2026
Workshop 2: - Finance in Development: Sept. 28-Oct. 30, 2026
Purpose:
Workshop 1: International trade plays a central role in economic development by shaping production patterns, employment opportunities, productivity, and consumer welfare. Understanding the microeconomic foundations of trade is essential for analyzing how countries, firms, and workers respond to international market integration and trade policy. In developing economies, where informal sectors remain large and market imperfections are widespread, the effects of trade reforms and policy interventions often differ from those predicted by standard models, making rigorous theoretical and empirical analysis particularly important.
This workshop series introduces the theoretical and empirical foundations of modern international trade. The workshop is organized around two complementary components. The first covers the microeconomic theory of trade, including comparative advantage, international prices, trade distortions (such as tariffs and taxes), and welfare analysis. The second examines empirical evidence on the effects of trade on firms, workers, and households, with a focus on developing countries, informal sectors, trade reforms, and welfare outcomes. Throughout the workshop, participants will learn how economic theory guides empirical analysis and informs policy evaluation.
Workshop 2: Finance is central to the process of economic development. Access to credit, insurance, savings instruments, and payment systems shapes the ability of households and firms to manage risk, undertake investment, accumulate assets, and respond to economic and environmental shocks. In many low-income settings, however, access to formal financial services remains limited, and existing products do not always reflect the constraints and needs of their intended users.
This workshop series brings together leading scholars to examine core topics in finance and development. The lectures will integrate economic theory with empirical evidence and recent methodological and conceptual advances in the field. Topics will include household credit, informal and formal insurance, savings and capital accumulation, payment systems, financial technology, and the implications of artificial intelligence for financial markets and institutions. The series will also consider recent innovations in financial contracting and product design, including flexible repayment arrangements, asset collateralization, equity- and performance-based contracts, climate-adaptation finance, and carbon-credit markets.
The workshop is intended primarily for PhD students and early-career scholars affiliated with institutions in Africa, while also welcoming participants from Europe, North America, Asia, and other regions.
Organizers: Firmin Doko Tchatoka (Adelaide U.), Didier Tatoutchoup (U. de Moncton),
Ameet Morjaria (MIT, Sloan), Tavneet Suri (MIT, Sloan)
Format: Fully remote
Registration fees: 250 USD
Instructors (in alphabetical order):
International Trade (6 lectures):
Arnaud Costinot (MIT)
Heitor Pellegrina (Notre Dame)
Finance in Development (10 lectures):
Lorenzo Casaburi (University of Zurich)
Julieta Caunedo (Cornell University)
Pascaline Dupas (Princeton University)
Thierry Foucault (HEC Paris)
Sean Higgins (Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management)
Kelsey Jack (University of California, Berkeley)
Robert Osei (University of Ghana)
Simon Quinn (Imperial College London)
Chris Udry (Northwestern University)
Chris Woodruff (Oxford University)
For information on the workshop schedules and more click here
Important dates:
Deadline for application: September 1, 2026 - Apply here
Admission decision: September 6, 2026
Registration open: TBA
Registration deadline: September 20, 2026
How to apply?
(*) All applicants must have active membership to the Econometric Society at the time of application. Africa-based students and young scholars who do not have financial support are eligible for a sponsored membership. To become member or to renew your membership, click here.
(*) Applicants shall provide a detailed CV and a cover letter (in pdf format), click here to apply.
Note: Financial support for the workshop is available for underfunded Africa-based graduate students and junior researchers. You may apply by providing a letter of request and an ID proof of affiliation.
How to register?
For registration click here (will open soon)