The "Regionalization-globalization" program
The aim of the "Regionalization-globalization" program is to make a new evaluation of the prospects opened up by globalisation and the possible dangers, and to do this in three different domains; trade, migration and finance.
Each of these domains is explored in terms of the possible advantages of regional measures over global solutions (e.g. trade and monetary integration). Although this programme is rooted in a long tradition of CERDI research, the Ferdi has only just begun addressing these issues.►External trade and development
►Migration and development
External trade and development
Numerous studies are in progress concerning international trade, in particular at the CERDI with support from the Ferdi. They involve close cooperation with universities outside France, especially with the University of Geneva, and with Jaime de Melo. Specific topics include the impact of trade preferences in favour of the least developed countries (see LDC programme below) and the effects on trade of other variables such as geographical situation and distance from markets. This research is combined with the development of various trade indicators (e.g. remoteness from markets, relative preferences for access to markets, pollution trade-off, open trade policies, instability of exports; see “novel development indicators” programme below). 
The Ferdi is also interested in evaluating fair trade. To this end, it is supporting the participation of a CERDI professor in a research project being conducted at the University of California at Berkeley to identify the channels by which fair trade benefits small coffee producers in Central America, and to study how the sales strategies of these producers respond to changes in world coffee prices, in particular the recent price hikes.
Migration and development(top)
A second thrust concerns the impact of the transfer of migrants, compared with the transfer of official development aid.The issue of migration is currently a subject of intense debate. The Ferdi has elected to focus closely on the impact of the transfer of migrants on development and on poverty reduction in the migrants’ home countries.
Particular attention is paid to comparing the effects of these transfers with those of aid flows in a context marked by high macroeconomic instability. Both flows act as shock absorbers, but in different ways. This research is backed by an agreement signed with the Ministry for Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Development Solidarity. Researchers from the CERDI and other academic and international institutions are contributing to this effort. A CERDI researcher supported by the Ferdi is carrying out a research mission at the IMF. A seminar is planned in the first half of 2010 to discuss the initial results of this work.
Lastly, an indicator of Western countries’ policies of openness to external migration has been developed. Instead of starting from measures taken, which are difficult to aggregate, this indicator is based on the analysis of flows and stocks of migrant populations, and cuts out the influence of factors that can be considered independent of policy.