Development Finance
REIMAGINING GLOBAL FINANCE TO MEET BORROWER NEEDS
The analysis we have conducted at Development Reimagined is very clear: the International Finance System (IFS) needs to be reimagined and redesigned to center borrowers, providing significantly more fair and concessional finance for low-income and middle-income countries to fund their growth and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We are a consultancy team that focuses on opportunity as much as risk. Our team provides expert development finance analysis, including on debt levels, loans, trade, financing gaps, investment and much more, as well as innovative ideas for raising more and higher quality finance. We’ve produced multiple flagship reports, including a handbook with Options for Reimagining Africa’s Debt System, as well as forecasting analysis of infrastructure needs for African countries across the continent.
Our data-driven analysis forms the basis of strategic and operational support and recommendations to governments, private sector and the public on sovereign debt, foreign direct investment and the IFS. We also specialize in providing this support in a coordinated way (i.e., across several borrowers) to enable borrowers to learn from each other and devise sustainable and effective strategies for engaging creditors.
Reimagining the international financial system of tomorrow
meet Our expert lead
JADE SCARFE
Jade is a Project Manager for Development Reimagined’s flagship project Africa Unconstrained, which focuses on financing needs and debt vulnerabilities of African countries. Her research focuses on China-Africa development finance alongside debt vulnerabilities, infrastructure needs and South-South cooperation. She has worked with a breadth of stakeholders from China, Africa and the wider international community, including governments, private sector, NGOs and civil society. Her writing has appeared in a number of publications, including The Africa Report, The China-Africa Project, The Diplomat and more. Jade holds a Master’s in China and Globalisation studies from King’s College London.
What we do
Keeping you one step ahead of development finance trends
We convene regular and impactful dialogues between African diplomats, policy-makers and businesspeople in different countries and settings – particularly African organizations on the ground in China – and we are proud to support African organizations in developing SDG-related or Agenda 2063-aligned partnerships in China (and vice versa).
We provide expert tailored advice and strategic recommendations for governments, the private sector and financial organizations (including multilateral development banks) to promote SDG-friendly economic growth and to secure or disburse high-quality grants, loans and investment projects and portfolios.
Elevating the impact of your development finance projects
Connecting you with powerful and reliable development partners
From invite-only, closed-door discussions to large-scale, public events, we organize online and hybrid events to bring diverse partners together to review today’s development finance challenges, propose forward-thinking solutions and coordinate next steps.
We offer professional coordination services to bring together high-level stakeholders from Africa, China and across the world to find innovative solutions to development finance challenges, while exploring areas of long-term collaboration for new financial opportunities.
Bringing together vital perspectives and uncommon wisdom
How we can help you
Sound Strategic Advice
Whether you’re aiming to get more out of your relationship with African and Chinese stakeholders, identify and mitigate geopolitical risks, or design and assess an aid project or loan, we have the experience to help you develop deep, data-driven, and truly sustainable strategic plans. As an independent, African-led consultancy with industry-leading expertise on African economies as well as China’s development, we work with private companies, government agencies, and international organizations of all sizes. Our clients on development finance matters include United Nations agencies, leading Chinese enterprises, European development agencies, and African government ministries.
Evidence-Based Analysis
Backed by data, our analyses simplify seemingly complex development finance topics that are often misunderstood or presented at surface level. We combine our 50+ years of experience, extensive in-house databases on development finance projects, and an unrivaled expert network of key African, Chinese, and European decision-makers to produce industry-leading research on all dimensions and vehicles of development finance, including loans, investment, grants, ESG risks and opportunities, and geopolitical or sociocultural analysis. We bring a unique perspective and deep data-driven insights to elevate the reach and impact of your development finance project.
BROWSE OUR WORK ON DEVELOPMENT FINANCE

INFOGRAPHIC: What does the Upcoming African Development Fund (ADF) 17th Replenishment Mean for the Continent?
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,

REPORT: The Future of African Development: Strengthening African Financial Institutions for Sustainable Growth and Development
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

REPORT: The State of Play of U.S.-Africa Relations
[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.

Unlocking Private Sector Climate Finance in Africa: Gaps and Opportunities
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

Infographic: Reimagining the World Bank: A Call for Equity in Global Governance
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

Infographic: The 2022 US-Africa Summit Commitments – what was and wasn’t met, and does it matter?
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

Infographic: How can the IMF Quota System be Truly Reimagined to Work for Africa?
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

Report: Who is Really Bridging Africa’s Infrastructure Financing Gaps?
[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

Event: ACET & DR Roundtable on IMF and World Bank Decision-making Power and Africa
[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

Report: Reforming the IMF Quota System and World Bank Voting Shares
[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

Infographic: African Economic Resilience in a Turbulent 2025
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

Policy Brief: Empowering Growth: Key Strategies for a Successful 17th African Development Bank Replenishment
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

Event: Maximizing the Impact of Africa’s Multilateral Financial Institutions – What Next?
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

Event: Enhancing Development Finance Institutions Financing for Cross-Border Regional Infrastructure in Africa
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

Report: Options For Scaling up Private Sector Climate Finance In Africa
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
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