Impact Investing & ESG
Impact Management: How the Right Data Can Drive Performance for People and the Planet
What, who, how much, at what risk- and how does the impact compare to what would have happened anyway?
Investing in Women: Closing the Gender Capital Gap in Southeast Asia
With assets under management estimated at US $114 billion, the impact investing space has grown strongly in the recent past and plays an important role in filling the SME financing gap in emerging markets, with a range of financial instruments that can be tailored to the individual needs of women’s businesses.
United States & Europe
US Employment Growth Misses Forecasts for August
The US economy added 156,000 jobs in August, less than the previous month and below expectations.
Developing Economies
Climate Change Threatens Agricultural Trade in Pacific Rim Economies, UN Agency Warns
With global warming expected to significantly impact future yields in countries located closer to the equator, the United Nations agriculture agency is calling on Asia-Pacific economies to take a leading role in adaptation and mitigation.
US $9.5 Billion City Water Projects Open for Investment
New research from CDP, the international environmental reporting and data non-profit, today reveals that US$9.5 billion worth of city water projects are now open for investment. The cities most concerned about their water supply lie in Asia and Oceania (84%); with serious risks also identified in Africa (80%) and Latin America (75%).
Sustainable Tourism- A Tool for Development and Poverty Eradication
The United Nations General Assembly has designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, underscoring its power to help eradicate poverty. Tourism is also singled out in three of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Specifically, tourism is tied to the goals on sustainable economic growth and decent employment, sustainable production and consumption, as well as the conservation and sustainable use of oceans.
Zambia’s Economic Outlook is Now Stable- Standard and Poor’s
Rating agency Standard and Poor’s has revised Zambia’s economic outlook from negative to stable. It says Zambia’s improving growth prospects and greater liquidity in its banking system have prompted it to change its outlook on the country.
Kenya Presidential Election Cancelled by Supreme Court
Kenya’s Supreme Court has annulled the result of last month’s presidential election, citing irregularities, and ordered a new one within 60 days.
The Potential for Growth and Africa’s Informal Economy
The informal economy in sub-Saharan Africa is the second-largest in the world, after Latin America and the Caribbean. From 2010-2014, the sub-Saharan Africa’s informal economy accounted for 38 percent of GDP to the region.
Using Plastic Bags is Now Illegal- and Punishable by Jail Time- in Kenya
After trying to institute a ban several times in the past decade, Kenya officially banned the use of plastic bags on August 28, 2017.
Here’s How China is Changing Africa’s Future
China is rolling out its Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI, a project to build a new “Silk Road” that could change the meaning of globalization itself. China’s inclusion of Africa in the BRI means the continent is suddenly confronted with a whole new set of opportunities and quandaries. On the positive side, some East African governments see the influx of Chinese investment in infrastructure and manufacturing as a way to bridge infrastructure gaps and to position their countries as new logistics and manufacturing hubs that could serve not only in Africa, but also the Middle East and Europe.