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NexThought Monday – Needed: A New Kind of Infrastructure: Digital infrastructure must be a priority – and the need goes beyond technology
For decades, the development community has stressed the importance of infrastructure, usually focusing on things like roads and water systems. But to ensure that the benefits of the mobile revolution reach the world’s poor, we now need to consider digital infrastructure as well. And as USAID’s Nandini Harihareswara describes it, this must include more than cell phone towers and Internet cables.
- Categories
- Technology
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Building the Business Case for Health Sector Strengthening
As the Ebola virus in West Africa wanes, multilateral and bilateral donors along with NGOs and country governments are making a concerted push to strengthen health systems across the developing world to protect against future health crises.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- infrastructure
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NexThough Monday – Facebook.org’s Budding ‘Walled Garden’: What it could mean for Internet consumers, developers in emerging markets
If Facebook.org becomes a significant part of the mobile Internet landscape in emerging markets, the model that it establishes may become the de facto standard. Yet Facebook remains firmly in control of regulating participation – and thus innovation – writes Bryan Pon, Research Director for Caribou Digital.
- Categories
- Technology
- Tags
- infrastructure
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Vodacom Tanzania Plans $100 Million Expansion in Rural Areas
Vodacom Tanzania Ltd., the country’s biggest mobile operator, will spend 200 billion shillings ($100 million) expanding its network this year to tap market potential in rural areas and add mobile-money subscribers.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Villagers Armed With Smartphones Can Help Stem the Rising Rate of Suicides in India
India has among the highest rates of depression in the world. If Deepika Padukone, a leading Bollywood actress, hadn’t talked publicly about her battle with depression, you probably wouldn’t know.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- infrastructure
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A Better Way to Pay for R&D? (Part 2): Pilot projects designed to help get Health Impact Fund ‘across the finish line’
After pilot projects have shown the Health Impact Fund really works, Professor Thomas Pogge says, "It will not be difficult to get some far-sighted – and cash-strapped – governments to become HIF supporters. And an agreement to create the HIF might then be reached, perhaps at a G20 meeting."
- Categories
- Health Care
- Tags
- infrastructure
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How to Stop Worrying and Love the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
China launched the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in October of 2014 and has met with nothing but opposition from the United States. Officially, the objection cited by the United States is a lack of clarity about AIIB’s governance, as well as concerns about whether the AIIB will adhere to strict environmental and labor standards in its operations. It is clear, however, that U.S. opposition also derives from fears that the AIIB — spearheaded by China and part of China’s “New Silk Road” strategy — will diminish U.S. leadership in the region.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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World Bank President Outlines Strategy to End Poverty, Welcomes New Development Partners
World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim today announced a broad strategy to end extreme poverty by 2030, and he welcomed emerging players such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank, established by the BRICS countries, as potentially strong allies in the economic development of poor countries and emerging markets.
- Categories
- Energy