Posts by Rebecca Regan-Sachs
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Monday
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May 7
2012NexThought Monday: How Innovative Financing Mechanisms Are Helping Afghanistan’s Farmers
It’s not easy to improve farmers’ livelihoods in any developing country. Add in ongoing violence, feeble institutions, and some of the lowest living standards in the world, and the task can seem nearly impossible. But in August 2010, a project team from DAI landed in Afghanistan to do just that—by implementing USAID’s Agricultural Credit Enhancement (ACE) program, which aimed to lend $100 million to farmers and agribusinesses to invest in agriculture across the country.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Education
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Monday
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March 26
2012Africa Election Watch: Poverty and Power in Senegal
The implications for Senegal’s significant impoverished population are substantial. While incumbent President Wade had promised to cut down on corruption and enhance economic opportunity in Senegal, ordinary citizens have seen little improvement in living standards, even as foreign investment flows into the country’s profitable mining, telecommunications, and service industries.
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- Uncategorized
- Tags
- governance
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Wednesday
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January 4
2012Best Ideas of 2011: Invest in Africa
In Africa today, years of small changes are adding up to potentially big payoffs for the savvy investor. This past year alone saw important gains in good governance and economic growth on the continent, while economic woes continued apace overseas. One of the best ideas of 2011 to gain serious currency can be summarized simply: invest in Africa.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship
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Tuesday
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November 15
2011The 2012 ‘Doing Business’ Report: A Traveler’s Guide
Access to credit, reliable electricity, reasonable tax codes and other factors key to a business’s long-term success?for better or worse?often lies with a country?s government. The World Bank ranks these factors in its annual Doing Business Report. This year?s survey also provided intriguing insights for developing world entrepreneurs.
- Categories
- Education, Entrepreneurship
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Wednesday
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October 26
2011Two Ways to Kill Potential: Liberia and Cameroon
Earlier this month, two western African countries held presidential elections. On the surface, they have little in common ? one country recently emerged from a brutal civil war and has an abysmal economy; the other has been peaceful for decades and enjoys abundant revenue streams. And yet both countries are classic stories of wasted potential.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
- Tags
- measurement
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Friday
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September 23
2011Africa Election Watch 2011: Zambia
Was this the referendum on Chinese business in Africa? In a somewhat surprising turn, perennial opposition leader Michael Sata secured victory this week against incumbent president Rupiah Banda in Zambia’s national election. Sata is known as "King Cobra" for his often vituperative statements that have targeted Chinese business practices in Zambia.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship
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Wednesday
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August 17
2011Updated: The Ugly Truth About Famines
The drought, which spurred the UN to declare a famine for the first time since 1984, has affected the entire Horn of Africa, including much of Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. And yet the only areas where the UN has officially declared a "famine" are two pockets of southern Somalia controlled by the al-Shabab militia.
- Categories
- Education, Health Care
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Thursday
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June 30
2011Back From the Brink: How Good Governance Spurs Growth in Post-War Liberia
Liberia has become much friendlier to entrepreneurs and business interests since President Sirleaf took office. The average number of days required to start a business plummeted from 68 to 20. (The worldwide average is 24). The number of start-up procedures required to register a business dropped from 10 to five, below the global average of 7.8.
- Categories
- Education
- Tags
- academia