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“It’s the Wild West”: Zombie Mines Multiply in South Africa’s Opaque Coal Sector
African Arguments visited ten “active” coal mines around Ermelo in South Africa. Three were abandoned, and had been for years according to locals.
- Categories
- Environment
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Analysis: Navigating a Silent Crisis: Understanding the Impact of E-Waste on Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Unorganised e-waste recycling units like Seelampur serve as the primary backbone of many low and middle-income countries (LMICs).
- Categories
- Environment, Health Care, Technology, WASH
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Regulatory Roadblocks are Holding Blended Finance Back: Here are Three Concrete Ways to Address Them
After hitting a 10-year low in 2022, blended finance flows bounced back to a five-year high of $15 billion in 2023. But despite this renewed momentum, Andrew Apampa at Convergence points out that blended finance faces a number of challenges that hinder its ability to scale — including the complex web of policies and regulations that deter highly regulated financial institutions from investing in emerging markets. He discusses these obstacles and presents some promising solutions, as outlined in Convergence’s State of Blended Finance 2024 report.
- Categories
- Investing
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Analysis: Three Ways to Put Women at Heart of Plugging the Green Skills Gap
While the green transition is expected to have a net-positive impact on job creation, many businesses still haven’t implemented programmes to upskill and create opportunities for their workforces.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Global
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World Bank Provides $1 Billion Grant, $500 Million Concessional Credit for Ethiopia
Reforms supported by the operation help increase the private sector orientation of Ethiopia’s economy by addressing the root causes of macroeconomic imbalances and expanding trading opportunities.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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How Young People are Driving Africa’s Digital Future: A Recent Report Highlights the Impacts of Technology — And the Need for Greater Support
With over 400 million people between the ages of 15 and 35, Africa has the world’s youngest population — and by 2050, this youth population is projected to increase by 73%. As Grace Natabaalo and Chelsea Horváth at Caribou Digital explain, young Africans are leveraging digital platforms to find work, education and more — but they face numerous challenges in accessing and using technology. They share highlights from a new report based on discussions with 20 young people from seven countries across Africa, which show the impact of digital technology — and how this impact could be amplified.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
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Design as a Catalyst for Impact: How a First-of-its-Kind Design Policy in Kerala Could Foster a New Approach to Public-Private Partnerships in India
The Indian state of Kerala recently approved a State Design Policy — the first of its kind in the country. As Manoshij Banerjee and Mohammed Shahid Abdulla explain, design policies aim to increase citizens' quality of life by providing guidance to help optimize the design of everything from infrastructure to government policy. They share examples of strategic design choices that have made a major impact on businesses, governments and the communities they serve, and explore how Kerala’s design policy could lead to new opportunities for public-private partnerships in India.
- Categories
- Technology, Transportation
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Vietnam Mandates Facial Recognition for Digital Payments Above $390
The new policy change received validity from the State Bank of Vietnam at the start of July, with the banking regulator hinting at a strict enforcement of the rules.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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