As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact, alongside the continued Russia-Ukraine crisis, international cooperation is increasingly important to ensure sustainable and inclusive recovery. This month, the UK government released an updated Integrated Review
Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen, Director General Wu Peng, Your Excellency Sylla Deputy Director Zhang Jianhua Resident Coordinator Chatterjee I want to express my sincere appreciation, on behalf of Development Reimagined, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and China
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
Who We Are? COVID-19 has ravaged agricultural sectors across the world, with lockdowns, falling demand, and supply chain issues resulting in many producers unable to export their products. The South African wine market was thought to be no exception. But
News from Ethiopia in early 2021 from many international media outlets has focused on whether the government will or will not ask for debt suspension or cancellation under a new framework that has been agreed by the Group of 20
Over the past 5 years the East African region has been benefiting from increased trade due to growing FDI into the region, driven primarily by new players such as China alongside a vibrant economy. However, this growth has produced a dilemma
This year I got a great, albeit unusual Christmas present. On Christmas Day, my company, Development Reimagined – the first Kenyan Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise in Beijing – was accepted as a member of the China Africa Business Council (CABC)
The African continent is home to 16% of the world’s population and 19% of its youth. We often hear the negative side of this – with young people making up 60% of unemployed Africans, with youth unemployment over 30% in North
The American President’s comment on “shithole” countries may have shocked the world but it is not the first time I have been made to feel that the African continent is viewed negatively. There has been a great deal of public
I sometimes worry that I work too hard. This is the third valentine’s date with my husband that I’ve missed because of working abroad. I’m currently in Nigeria for the fifth meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation’s
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
During my teenage years, I had a good number of friends who were determined to be DJs. Personally, I was never very excited by DJ’ing, mostly because I found it rather difficult to a) find great music that other people
Here in the UK, according to national statistics (PDF 2.44MB) the government spends an average of £8,745 on each person per year providing services. But if you live in a lower middle-income country like Pakistan or Sudan, your government will
If you’ve ever watched the seminal British comedy Yes, Minister, you’ll know that “technical” and “bureaucratic” are 2 words often associated with civil servants. They are also 2 words often associated with international organisations, though I won’t name any names…
This year I’ve been lucky enough to be one of the Guardian’s International Development Journalism Competition judges, which means I have had my first insight into what it is like to “judge”. From Britain’s Got Talent to The Voice, there
Did you know that Wikipedia had several predecessors? According to this article, there were plenty, but one of the main reasons they didn’t become as well known was because they didn’t explicitly relate themselves to a product that people already knew
A few months ago, DFID’s Secretary of State Justine Greening announced the beginning of a new, non-aid based relationship with India focused on trade and the private sector. Around the same time, David Cameron, announced a focus for the UK’s G8 presidency
A few weeks ago I went to see the new James Bond film Sky Fall. Without giving away too much, at one point in the film James Bond goes to a remote part of the UK. The area is portrayed
I’ve always been a fan of birthdays. Mine falls on June 20th. Last year, I had a wonderful celebration. It wasn’t just because of the presents – I got to spend the weekend in the countryside with my closest friends, enjoying
It’s Climate Week in the UK, and I’ve been busy working with several enthusiastic colleagues to organise photo exhibits, seminars and leaflets for DFID staff to better understand climate change and their impacts. It’s been great working in a team –
Most week days, I wake up at around 6.30am to go for a run, do some yoga or go to the gym. It makes me feel alive and ready for the day, and I am usually more productive and focused
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
I’ve just finished reading “When a Billion Chinese Jump” by Jonathan Watts. It took me a while – it’s a pretty huge book, with copious notes to flick back and forth to. But I am glad I got there. Yes,
It’s a big week of change for DFID this week. Despite apparently being in the “sexiest” department in Whitehall (according to the London Evening Standard at least!) we’re all actually reeling from the news that our fantastic Permanent Secretary Minouche Shafik
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
