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

• Von Soest, C. & Tafese, T. (Eds.) 2026. Ten Things to Watch in Africa in 2026. GIGA Focus Africa, 01/2026, 2026, 1-11.
• 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.

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.