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 place by Central Banks around
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 – many countries across the
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 supply chain disruptions accompanied
In October, the world’s attention was firmly placed on China, as the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) commenced. Not only is the CPC among the most important events in China’s political system (it decides the
Why do countries, especially African countries, borrow money? Infrastructure development is certainly at the top of the list. Simply put, countries borrow to build. They borrow to construct roads, rehabilitate railway lines, expand ports, and improve internet connectivity. We recently
INTRODUCTION: New Report says that Africa’s pharmaceutical sector can become self-sufficient – using evidence from China and India Making Africa’s Pharmaceutical Ambitions A Reality: Lessons from China and India In a follow-up to our August 2022 report on the African
Who We Are? Created by Internet giant Tencent, Wechat is the most popular instant messaging software in China, with 1,200 million users around the world and more than 1,000 million are in China, which means this app exists in almost
It’s an often-cited fact that the African continent is particularly vulnerable to the direct and indirect effects of climate change – a vulnerability that has been exacerbated by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – while being responsible for just a tiny
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic-induced drug and vaccine supply issues, attention has started to shift towards the idea of “local manufacturing” in Africa. This is necessary. A new report “MAKING AFRICA’S PHARMACEUTICAL AMBITIONS A REALITY: Part 1 –
Who We Are? Last week, hundreds of fashion enthusiasts gathered in Kigali for the eagerly awaited Kigali Fashion Week. Known for its thriving fashion industry that has produced fashion brands that are becoming globally renowned such as Haute Baso and
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 severe lack of analysis on
Yesterday the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) released their eagerly awaited International Development Strategy. It has been an agonizing wait; the international development community have been expecting this strategy since the publication of the Integrated Review back in
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
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
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
I live in Scotland. A lot of people are often surprised at that. They’re also often surprised to hear that DFID has a large office in Scotland, just on the outskirts of Glasgow. From my desk on the top floor
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
I’ve been a Senior Economist in DFID for just over a month. Many friends and colleagues are excited about my new role…even people I don’t know that well. My first challenge has been giving a clear answer to the question “what
