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Welcome to my webpage! I'm a Senior Researcher at the Danish Institute of International Studies -DIIS, and I have an affiliation as a Researcher and lecturer at  Lund University. I am also an external teaching fellow at Copenhagen University and a consultant with the World Bank. 

I hold an MA in Development Economics from Rhodes University (South Africa) and a PhD in Economics from Stellenbosch University (South Africa). You may access my PhD dissertation here, and my published research here.

My primary research investigates the challenges of economic development in the Global South, with a particular focus on Africa. I examine a range of development and macroeconomic policy issues—including taxation, public debt, development finance, climate finance, and natural resource management—and how these intersect with broader fiscal and development policy frameworks. My approach draws on political economy, economic history, and quantitative methodologies (e.g. econometrics) to develop a comprehensive understanding of long-term development trajectories and inform effective policymaking.

Currently, my work focuses on taxation in contexts characterized by high informality, public debt management, and the financing of climate and development initiatives—particularly in relation to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing climate change. I also maintain a strong interest in informality, especially as it relates to natural resources, such as access to land and tenure security, and access to water.

You may get in contact with me at  abgw@diis.dk or  abel.gwaindepi@ekh.lu.se or abelgwaindepi@gmail.com