Journal Publications (peer-reviewed)
- Tafese, T., Lay, j. & Tran, V., 2025. From Fields to Factories: Special Economic Zones, Foreign Direct Investment, and Labour Markets in Vietnam. Journal of Development Economics, 174, 5/2025. Research data repository: Vietnam Special Economic Zones Satellite Imagery Dataset.
- Lay, J. & Tafese, T., 2025. Africa’s Emergent Tech Sector: Its Characteristics and Impact on Development and Labour Markets. Africa Spectrum.
- Lakemann, T., Lay, J., Schnars, R., Tafese, T. 2025. Greenfield FDI and Job Creation in Africa. Review of World Economics. Research data repository: Greenfield FDI projects in Africa 2013-2020.
- Tafese, T., 2018. Review: Making Africa Work. European Review of International Studies, Vol. 5, No. 1: 86-92.
Policy Publications
- Lay, J. & Tafese, T. (Eds.) 2025. Decent Work in Global Supply Chains. Sustainable Global Supply Chains Annual Report 2024. Research Network Sustainable Global Supply Chains.
- Tafese, T., 2025. Advancing EU-Africa Digital Partnerships Amid Growing Geopolitical Competition. Hamburg: German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA).
- Tafese, T., 2022. Digital Africa: How Big Tech and African Startups Are Reshaping the Continent. GIGA Focus Africa, 06/2022, 1-13.
- Lakemann, T., Lay, J., Schnars, R., & Tafese, T., 2022. Deutsche Investitionen in Afrika – Welche Rolle können öffentliche Fördermaßnahmen spielen? Hamburg: German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) – Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien.
- Von Soest, C., Lay, J., & Tafese, T., 2021. Entwicklungszusammenarbeit mit Afrika: mehr Kohärenz wagen. GIGA Focus Africa, 05/2021, 1-14.
- Lakemann, T., Lay, J., & Tafese, T., 2020. Africa after the Covid-19 Lockdowns: Economic Impacts and Prospects. GIGA Focus Africa, 06/2020, 1-14.
- Lay, J. & Tafese, T., 2020. Promoting private investment to create jobs: A review of the evidence. PEGNet Policy Studies, January 2020, 1–38.
Blogs
- Tafese, T., 2025. The rise of Africa’s tech sector: genuine development potential or inflated promise? Democracy in Africa Blog, 09/2025.
- Tafese, T., Lay, J., & Tran, V., 2025. The role of Special Economic Zones in Vietnam’s economic success. VoxDev Blog, 08/2025.
- Tafese, T., 2023. How a new wave of tech startups is driving development in Africa. UNIDO IAP Blog, 05/2023
Work in progress
- Tafese, T. & Weber, A., 2025. The Impact of Industrial Parks on Local Labour Markets: Evidence from Ethiopia. Under Review at Journal of African Economies.
- Lay, J. & Tafese, T., 2023. Platform Work as an Opportunity for Aspiring IT-workers? Evidence from four Sub-Saharan African Countries. 04/2023.
- Lay, J. & Tafese, T., 2020. Formalization and productivity Firm-level evidence from Viet Nam. WIDER Working Paper, 2020/164.