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Analysis: International Trade: Year in Review 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted global trade in 2020. However, it has also caused new paradigms to emerge, some of which point to potentially positive outcomes over the medium term.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
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Bangladesh to Begin COVID-19 Vaccinations Next Month
The South Asian country of more than 160 million in November signed a deal with the Serum Institute of India to buy 30 million doses of the vaccine developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Health Care
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Development Bank of the Philippines Lends $13.4 Million to Agriculture Startup Project
State-run Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has lent P645 million to a domestic agriculture enterprise to help improve its banana flour and coconut sugar manufacturing and export capabilities.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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CropIn Raises US $20 Million in Series C Funding Round to Advance the Reach of Its Farm Management and Predictive Analytics Solutions in Asia
CropIn, a leading global artificial intelligence and data-led agri-tech organisation empowering stakeholders to reimagine agriculture with data, has raised US$ 20 million in a Series C funding round led by ABC World Asia, an Asia-focused private equity fund dedicated to evidence-based impact investing.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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How Mexico’s Central Bank Plans to Move Payments to Digital
In Mexico, the pandemic is moving the needle toward digital payments — specifically mobile payments — to become more widely embraced by businesses and consumers alike.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Latin America
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Insurance in the Age of COVID-19: The Pandemic Highlights the Need for a New Approach
With much of the world on lockdown due to COVID-19, many businesses are closing down – either temporarily or permanently – with devastating effects on individual welfare and entire economies. This has amplified the importance of insurance, says Kate Rinehart-Smit at Cenfri. She explores how the sector can make a greater impact – not only on the resilience of businesses and individuals, but on broader economic development.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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How to Support Entrepreneurs in the Time of Coronavirus
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing falling demand, mandatory store closings, labor shortages and other challenges for businesses around the world – and micro and small businesses are especially vulnerable. How can development organizations help these critical drivers of local economies? Juan Carlos Thomas and Andrea Bettosini at Technoserve provide answers to this question, based on past experience helping businesses weather socio-political upheaval in developing countries.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Social Enterprise, Transportation
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A Paradigm Shift for Fintechs: Why a Coherent Data Strategy Has Become a Business Necessity
The global increase in internet access has led to an explosion in digital data, with 33 zettabytes produced in 2018 alone – a number predicted to increase to 175 zettabytes by 2025 (1 zettabyte is 1 trillion gigabytes). Meanwhile, the advent of machine learning and the Internet of Things has changed the way businesses process this information. Analysts at MicroSave (MSC) explore how fintechs can leverage this new data and analytics technology to obtain a competitive edge – and to benefit their customers.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
