As the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) concessional financing arm, the African Development Fund (ADF) has been a cornerstone of Africa’s progress for over 50 years, channeling over US$50 billion in cumulative investments from ADF-1 to ADF-16 into critical sectors like
Africa receives a disproportionately small share of global development finance, accounting for just 2% of global public debt and approximately 7% of all developing country debt as of 2023. Yet the continent will need approximately USD 402 billion between 2024-2030
[October 2025] U.S.–Africa relations are at a critical inflection point, shaped by shifting geopolitical priorities, declining development aid, and intensifying great power competition. Historically, U.S. engagement with Africa has been driven less by African priorities than by American strategic interests—first
It’s no secret that African countries face the brunt of climate change, despite having contributed the least to global emissions. Indeed, as Climate watch highlights Africa has only contributed less than 4 of global carbon emissions, even though 17 of
The World Bank, founded in the post–World War II era when many current members were still under colonial rule, faces a growing legitimacy crisis. Its governance structure has not kept pace with modern norms of democracy and accountability. Despite multiple
Since President Trump took office a second time, many commentators and the Oval Office itself have suggested a huge shift in Africa-US relations. At Development Reimagined, however, we never take commentary for granted. The data always reveals all. So, we
Date published: July 23, 2025. The IMF, functioning as the global “lender of last resort,” utilizes a quota system to determine member countries’ financial contributions to the IMF, voting power, level of IMF access to IMF resources and SDR allocations.
[July 2025] It’s no secret that the African continent faces a persistent infrastructure financing gap. The African Development Bank (AfDB) estimates the continent needs at least USD 86.7 billion annually to meet Agenda 2063 goals, with 76% required for infrastructure.
[June 2025] If development effectiveness is the objective, then reforming the institutions dominating global development finance must be a starting point. This premise framed a high-level roundtable co-hosted by the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) and Development Reimagined on
[JUNE 2025] The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are arguably the most important players in the international financial system. The IMF, known as the world’s “lender of last resort,” is tasked with promoting financial stability, while the World
Date published: July 1, 2025 In April 2025, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO). Amid global economic uncertainty, rising debt, and inflationary pressures, the forecasts are cautiously optimistic about Africa’s near-term growth. But is
Date Published: May 21, 2025. The 17th replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF), set to take place in November 2025, comes at a critical juncture marked by increasing development needs and a rapidly changing geopolitical environment. Although the Fund
Date Published: April 25, 2025. On April 22, 2025, on the sidelines of the World Bank/ IMF Spring Meetings, Development Reimagined together with the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI) convened a high-level panel discussion titled “Maximizing the Impact
Date Published: April 23, 2025. On April 22nd, 2025, AUDA-NEPAD and Development Reimagined co-hosted an event in Washington, D.C., titled “Enhancing Development Finance Institutions for Cross-Border Regional Infrastructure in Africa.” The event brought together senior representatives from across the continent’s
Date Published: March 19, 2025. Climate finance is undoubtably one of Africa’s most challenging and pressing areas of development. African countries require substantial financing to meet their climate needs. Between 2020 to 2030, based on African government’s Nationally Determined Contributions
Date Published: March 17, 2025. Under President Trump’s second term, U.S. foreign policy has undergone significant shifts, with direct implications for U.S.-Africa relations. To explore these changes, Development Reimagined (DR) hosted an expert roundtable on March 11, 2025, bringing together
Date Published: February 17, 2025. A new joint report by Development Reimagined, the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET), and AfriCatalyst, explores how African countries can enhance their agency in the global financial system through better borrower coordination. For decades,
Date Published: February 15, 2025. The African Union Commission has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Development Reimagined, reinforcing the continent’s drive to reshape global financial systems, unlock new development finance, and advance Africa’s position with global partners. The
Date Published: February 11, 2025. Over the last two decades, more African nations have joined the sovereign debt system. While in the 1990s only South Africa had a sovereign credit rating, today, 32 out of 55 African countries are rated
Happy 2025! As we enter a new year, at DR we’ve been asking the question – what lies ahead for the continent, particularly in terms of economic growth? Released in October 2024, the IMFs World Economic Outlook (WEO) continues to
Date Published: November 13, 2024. Almost 30 years ago, South Africa became the first African country to issue a Eurobond – a bond issued in a currency different from the currency of the country it was issued. As of August
Date Published: October 28, 2024. 24 October 2024: On the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings, Development Reimagined and Falémé Conseil hosted a distinguished panel to explore the different methodologies of credit rating agencies (CRAs) and how
Date Published: October 27, 2024. On October 23rd, Development Reimagined (DR) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), co-hosted a panel discussion titled “Strategies for Reducing Private Sector Costs in Africa: Unlocking Economic Growth.” The event brought together
Date Published: September 28, 2024. On the eve of the United Nations (UN) Summit of the Future in New York, a group of leading African organisations – the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission
Date Published: September 25, 2024. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is the lending arm of the World Bank Group for middle-income and “credit-worthy” low-income countries – meaning that not all countries can access it. It provides loans
Date Published: September 19, 2024. On September 7th, the Alliance for African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI) and the African Union (AU), with the support of Development Reimagined, organized a high-level forum on “Building Bridges: Collaboration for Growth Between African Multilateral
Date Published: September 19, 2024. In an evolving global economy, it is critical to reimagine the global financial architecture (GFA) that can constrain the future of low- and low-middle-income countries. The African continent, with its immense potential and growing economic
Date Published: September 17, 2024. The International Development Association (IDA) is the concessional lending arm of the World Bank Group. IDA has the potential to be a key financing instrument for many African countries, as it provides concessional finance and
Date Published: June 17, 2024. On Thursday, 13th June, Development Reimagined hosted an event titled “Reimagining the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) for Africa – Going Beyond the Replenishment.” During the recent Spring Meetings, World Bank President Ajay Banga
Date Published: May 31, 2024. Back in December 2023, World Bank President, Mr Ajay Banga, called for the replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA) to be the “largest of all time”. The aim of this is to address the
Date Published: May 31, 2024. On Tuesday May 24, 2024, Development Reimagined hosted an event “How Should Africa Reimagine Debt and Development Finance?” This event, held as an Official Side Event during the African Development Bank Group Annual Meetings, gathered
Date Published: May 28, 2024. As of August 2023, 19 African countries had 91 active, US$-denominated Eurobonds. With a final debt repayment date of September 2061, the values of annual debt repayment vary across countries and are largely dependent on
Date Published: May 9, 2024. On Tuesday 16th April, on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, Development Reimagined (DR) and the Center for Global Development (CGD) co-hosted a US-Africa experts roundtable to discuss the future of US-Africa relations,
Date Published: May 3, 2024. By Development Reimagined and the African Union. On 17th April, on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, Development Reimagined and the African Union, came together to host a timely event that explored concrete
Date Published: April 19, 2024. During the 2024 World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings in Washington DC, the Development Reimagined team hosted a panel discussion with Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center (GDPC) on “Reimagining the IMF Quota System for Africa”, on
Date Published: April 18, 2024. Although the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is known as a “lender of last resort”, according to its own statements it is much more. It works to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity by supporting economic policies
Date Published: April 17, 2024. Released in January 2024, the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects (GEP) echoes sentiment from the tail-end of 2023 – that global economic growth remains fragile and constrained by coordinated price stability policies put in
Date Published: February 1, 2024. In 2023, the African Union was officially included as a full, permanent member of the Group of 20 (G20) to form the G21. At Development Reimagined, we have been at the center of campaigning for
Date Published: December 3, 2023. On November 29th in Addis Ababa, after two days of deliberations with Ministers of Finance, the Organization of Southern Cooperation (OSC) formally announced the establishment of the Common Leveraging Union of Borrowers (CLUB), a novel
Date Published: November 10, 2023. On the sidelines of the 2023 World Bank – IMF Annual Meetings in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Friday 13th October 2023, Development Reimagined (DR) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) hosted an event
Date Published: November 6, 2023. The latest IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO) was released in October 2023, during the IMF and World Bank’s Annual Meetings – which were held on the African continent in Marrakesh for the first time in
Date Published: October 31, 2023. On Thursday 7th September 2023, Development Reimagined held an event on the sidelines of the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi. The event, aptly named Breaking the Bias: Rethinking Debt Sustainability for Africa’s Future, focused on
Date Published: September 11, 2023. On the sidelines of the African Climate Summit, Development Reimagined hosted an event aimed at challenging the status quo embedded within the international debt system. African countries operate in a creditor-centric international financial system where
Date Published: September 7, 2023. Development Reimagined’s new report reveals that five selected African countries – which have either been classed as “in debt distress” or as “high risk” – will need to spend between 9% – 58% of GDP
Date Published: September 7, 2023. On August 30th, during this year’s African Conference on Debt and Development (AfCoDD III), Development Reimagined co-organized a panel discussion with the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) on the topic of
Date Published: June 14, 2023. A few months ago, the Paris Summit for a “New Global Financial Pact” was announced to be held in June 2023. So far, the Summit has been met with mixed reviews, with the aim to
Date Published: May 18, 2023. IMF released a new Africa-focused report In a recent address to the 3rd Pan-African Parliament Summit, the President of Kenya William Ruto remarked: “The discursive profile of the continent has too often been focused on
Download Our Policy Brief Date Published: May 9, 2023. The international financial system values creditors’ interests, needs, and priorities more than borrowers. If we take the case of Zambia, for instance, which between 2012 and 2015 acquired approximately USD 3
Date Published: May 3, 2023. In August 2021, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued its largest allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) worth 650 billion USD to boost global liquidity and support member countries in their post-COVID-19 recovery. In this
Date Published: April 27, 2023. In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) replaced the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with the aim of ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Just before the
Date Published: March 24, 2023. It has been almost a year and half since the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced its largest global allocation of SDRs, US $650 billion (or SDR 456.5 billion), to member countries to boost global liquidity
Date Published: March 22, 2023. New report reveals that four selected African countries who have sought G20 debt restructuring will need to spend between 9.7 – 49% of GDP annually on infrastructure spending to meet the SDGs. New report by
Date Published: February 14, 2023. Following on from a turbulent half a decade – with the China-US trade war, the COVID-19 pandemic itself plus supply chain disruptions accompanied by inequitable vaccine access, the Russia-Ukraine War and, now, subsequent inflation crisis
Date Published: January 4, 2023. October 2023- Does the IMF expect Economic Growth in African Countries in 2023? Over the past 4 years, the world has endured the economic fallout from the China-US trade war, the COVID-19 pandemic itself plus
Date Published: November 10, 2022. Panellists: Co-hosts: During Africa Climate Week 2022 in Libreville, Gabon – Development Reimagined co-hosted a side event with African Climate Foundation (ACF) and Environmental Defence Fund Europe (EDF). Our joint event convened key stakeholders
This event was co-hosted by CGD and Development Reimagined. October 2022
Date Published: October 10, 2022. REIMAGINING THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCE SYSTEM FOR AFRICA- IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings Policy Brief In the run-up to the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington D.C in October 2022 Development Reimagined
Date Published: September 26, 2022. Prior to and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, civil society, governments and media outlets have issued constant warnings of a ‘African debt crisis’. While our infographics to date have shown that these concerns are overblown for
Date Published: September 22, 2022. On the 30th of August 2022, Development Reimagined in partnership with the African Union Permanent Mission to China organized a hybrid closed-door roundtable discussion “Sub-Regional Discussion for the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and
Date published: May 23, 2022. NEW ANALYSIS: Forecasting The Infrastructure Financing Needs of Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire to 2030 Numerous international organizations often stress the importance of infrastructure for development, including in Africa’s development. Yet, there is a
Date published: May 20, 2022. On 24th February 2022 Russia announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine. Since then, not only has the war led to loss of life, destruction of property and business, it has immensely affected global trade
Date published: May 6, 2022. On April 20th, Development Reimagined in partnership with the University of Pretoria Centre for Human Rights organized a closed-door stakeholder event on “Innovative Approaches to Development Finance and Debt Vulnerabilities for African Countries”. The event
Date published: May 4, 2022. On the 13th and 14th of April 2022, the African Union Permanent Mission to China and Development Reimagined organized a Special Dialogue on “Coordinating on Regional Infrastructure Projects under the African Union’s Program for Infrastructure
Date published: April 26, 2022. In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) replaced the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with the aim of ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Just before the
New Report: Deep Dive of Financing Needs & Debt Vulnerabilities Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal & Côte d’Ivoire 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic has created new financing pressures amongst African countries, with countries having to finance socio-economic protection measures and vaccination rollouts, whilst
On February 9th 2022, we hosted the second event of our Ambassadors Roundtable series with Ambassadors and their representatives of West Africa based in China. Co-ordinating across diplomatic missions in China, the focus of discussion was on regional infrastructure in
The China-Africa Internet Development And Cooperation Forum Speech by a senior African diplomat in China at the China-Africa Internet Development And Cooperation Forum in Beijing (August 2021). Recommendations by the Development Reimagined team for the FOCAC 2021 action plan are
In July 2021, we hosted the first event of our Ambassadors Roundtable series with Ambassadors and their representatives of West Africa based in China. Co-ordinating across diplomatic missions in China, the focus of discussion was the challenges surrounding West African
In July 2021, we hosted the first event of our Ambassadors Roundtable series with Ambassadors and their representatives of West Africa based in China. Co-ordinating across diplomatic missions in China, the focus of discussion was the challenges surrounding West African
China-Kenya relations are at a critical stage as the two countries face enormous challenges related to debt sustainability, a severe trade imbalance, and the public health crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, Kenya remains a strategically vital country
In January 2021, China finally published its White Paper on International Development Cooperation. I say finally because – having seen white papers on aid published in 2011 and 2014, some people at least had the expectation that the next in
Hannah Ryder, CEO Development Reimagined visited Sangua, or ‘Three Melon Community’ in Anhui Province, to understand how private capital can support poverty reduction? Can the same be done elsewhere? Watch her vlog to find out! On November 23, 2020 China announced
China’s medical supplies for 18 African countries arrive at the Kotota International Airport in Accra, capital of Ghana, April 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng) Trilateral cooperation, a buzzword in the field of aid and development cooperation, refers to a “development relationship
Updated Every Two Weeks This week, we saw a major dispute unfold between Zambia and private sector lenders, who rejected the government’s request for a 6 month payment holiday, due to Zambia’s needs to spend on COVID19 management. The private
Blue skies and cows grazing on pristine green pastures. Smiling celebrities. Cultural heritage sites and healthy lifestyle motifs. Milk products with these images fly off the shelves in China. It’ s ultra-high temperature (UHT) long-life milk, stocking refrigerators and stacked
Updated Weekly What is the latest update on #COVID19 cases and responses across #African countries? As usual, our weekly infographic is here to help you digest the key headlines quickly, with additional analysis to bring out information you won’t find
Updated Weekly There is one word this week that we have been hearing a great deal. Debt. Concerns are being expressed by many international development organisations about the potential for a debt crisis, especially given the World Bank’s gloomy update
As COVID-19 spreads across the African continent, an African Union report has suggested that the outbreak could lead to a serious food security crisis in Africa, with as estimated 2.6% to 7% decline in agricultural production predicted for 2020. The
Updated Weekly COVID19 first entered the African continent on 14th February 2020, and since then many African governments have been responding with both speed and determination. Last week, we explored what governments are doing to “flatten the COVID19 curve”. This
President Jin Liqun, President Ahmed, Distinguished leaders, guests, ladies and gentlemen, It is an absolute honor to welcome you all to this conference. Thank you in particular to those who have travelled literally across the globe to be here. I
The Development Reimagined Infographic series explores which countries are and aren’t signed up to China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative Announced in 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping, The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has promised new business and development
Hannah Ryder, CEO Development Reimagined explores how one village in China, that initially grew just one crop, has cut poverty in just a decade… but will it last? Can the same be done elsewhere? Watch her vlog to find out!
Good afternoon everyone. The title of the keynote I’ve been asked to give to you today is “caught in between the West vs China – can Africa rise to the play?” The way I interpret this is how African countries
Development Reimagined’s infographic series With the second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) kicking off, all eyes are on China to understand more about the far- reaching Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the potential impacts and opportunities for developing countries.
African countries are seeking to industrialize. From Addis Ababa to Dakar, Cape Town to Cairo, the impetus to manufacture is now a priority for much of the continent. As the President of the African Development Bank Akinwumi Adesina put it:
Having kept the meeting date hush-hush until just two weeks ago, governments across the African continent are preparing their final briefings and security plans for the seventh Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Ministerial, and Third FOCAC Summit. To be
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning! It is my honor to be here today, I am the CEO of an international development consultancy called Rui Na Xin (Development Reimagined), and the former deputy country director for UNDP here in
A Kenyan saying goes, “When two elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers”. News headlines over the past few weeks have been dominated by two “elephants”, the US and China, and what looks like the beginning of a protracted trade war between
Whether you see it as taking place at the beginning of the calendar year or at the end of the Chinese year, the now annual visit by the Chinese Foreign Minister to the African continent is a remarkable tradition. Alongside
Ask anyone with a basic knowledge of Africa which country is more poised for success – Zimbabwe or Kenya – and he or she will undoubtedly answer “Kenya.” Events of the last week would seem to confirm that verdict. On
Creating jobs and entrepreneurs is key for sustainable development; At least three ways China can use the Belt and Road Initiaitve to create jobs and entrepreneurs across the world; China’s local governments should use “going out” strategically to innovate and
As a small child growing up in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, our annual family holiday to the beautiful beaches of Mombasa always began and ended with a degree of trepidation. My sister and I would jump into the car and
Living in China, it’s been impossible to miss the country’s first ever Belt and Road Forum (BRF). The forum concluded on Monday, with outputs including a detailed declaration and numerous — over 270 — bilateral deals in areas such as
尊敬的各位来宾，女士们, 先生们, 大家下午好！Wanawake na mabwana, Habari zenu! Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. It is a real pleasure to be here today to open this first ever award ceremony aiming to both recognise and incentivise the best Chinese reporting on my
One of the most cited statistics about China may well be the number of Chinese who have been lifted out of poverty over the last 35 years. At over 800 million, it is a huge number – and an extraordinary
There is no doubt that relations between China and African countries are becoming ever more intertwined and important. In what has now become an annual tradition to visit Africa as a priority continent at the beginning of the year, Foreign
As part of my preparation to return to work early next year, I have recently started the search for someone to look after my son full-time during the day. Being in Beijing, I don’t have the same network of family
Late last year and early this year African heads of state and Government leaders gathered together at two key events. The first was the 6th summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The second was the 26th African
I’ve recently celebrated my first anniversary of working in China, and I can wholeheartedly say it has been fantastic so far. In particular I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by supportive and enthusiastic colleagues. To be very honest,
June is always a busy month for my family, as three of us have a birthday in the space of two weeks. Father’s day also takes place in June, and it’s also my husband and my wedding anniversary. There is
This month, I had my first visitor to Beijing. My mother-in-law joined me for ten days. Luckily enough, we get on very well, so we had a great time. I prepared a packed itinerary covering her two weekends here, and
I’m entering into my fourth week here in Beijing, and one of the experiments I tried last weekend was to order a takeaway. I was tired from a very hectic week of meetings – that was my excuse anyway! But
A couple of days ago, I had coffee with a friend and ended up talking about my move from London to Glasgow, just over a year and a half ago. I told my friend that when I first moved, I started
One of the things I love about my job is getting to meet people from all over the world. Just recently, I had the opportunity to meet a bunch of officials from Saudi Arabia. They were in charge of running
Chinese and African construction teams work together on a development project in Angola. Picutre: Dieter Telemans/Panos Anyone following my Twitter account will have noticed that I’ve recently developed a strange obsession with all things China. China even featured in my
My primary school had some quite strong incentives to drive up performance. Every end of term, our teachers would test us and rank my classmates and I against each other. It was the extremes that mattered – top and bottom.
In January, I always enjoy reading the Economist’s World In Year X publication – which sets out their forecasts for big headlines under a number of categories. What I particularly like is their review of how correct their forecasts were
One of last week’s editions of the Financial Times featured an article by John Kay, a top UK economist, saying that “clarity of thought and clarity of expression tend to go together”. And he’s right – presenting complexity in a
