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Perspective: If we want to improve global health, we need to tax the things that are killing us
Today, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and I announced the Task Force on Fiscal Policy for Health. We are bringing together fiscal-policy, development and health leaders from around the globe, including ministers of finance, to address the enormous and growing health and economic burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The hope is to identify underused fiscal-policy tools to lighten that burden.
- Categories
- Health Care
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IFMR group looks to appoint investment banks for share sale
IFMR group, which provides financial services to lower income population and the companies serving this segment, plans to go public and is in talks to hire investment banks for the same, two people aware of the development said.
- Region
- South Asia
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Report: Improved financial inclusion could boost global bank revenues by US$200b
Driving greater financial inclusion – the availability of affordable, accessible and relevant financial products – will generate sizeable economic benefits, according to the report, boosting GDP by up to 14% in developing economies such as India, and 30% in frontier markets such as Kenya.
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A World Bank economist apologized for unfair country rankings and will redo four years of results
The high-profile rankings are intended to encourage governments to remove obstacles to business and incentivize economic development. The report combines measures of how easy it is for an entrepreneur to start a business, obtain credit, pay taxes and enforce contracts, among other things.
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Global Income Inequality May Fall as Emerging Markets Skill Up
The world will see the number of skilled workers -- those with nine or more years of education -- rise 30 percent to 2.16 billion by 2040, up from 1.66 billion in 2011, according to a new World Bank report. Thanks to their growing populations and investments in education, developing countries are expected to contribute all of those additional educated workers.
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Press release: Insurers Leverage New Technologies and Reinvent Business Models to Reach Underserved Consumers, Report Finds
The Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion (CFI) and the Institute of International Finance (IIF), with the support of MetLife Foundation, today released a new report detailing the factors spurring inclusive insurance around the world. It reveals how both traditional and new insurers are breaking open new markets and reaching underserved customers through the use of innovative technologies, business models, product design, and partnerships, enabled by effective regulatory environments.
- Categories
- Finance
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Five African tech trends to look out for in 2018
The BBC's Clare Spencer picks five African tech trends to look out for in 2018.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Press release: The Church Pension Fund Invests in $75 Million Off-Grid Solar and Financial Access Senior Debt Fund
The Church Pension Fund invested $17 million in the Social Investment Managers & Advisors Off-Grid Solar and Financial Access Senior Debt Fund I, B.V. The $75 million fund will provide loans to microfinance institutions, distribution companies, and manufacturers in the off-grid solar sector located in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
- Categories
- Investing