Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

US-Africa relations have reached a critical juncture. President Donald Trump’s “America First” approach is reshaping how the US engages with Africa, with widespread implications for trade, aid and geopolitics. This new approach brings both challenges and opportunities for the African continent. By leveraging its vast resources, youthful population and growing geopolitical importance, Africa has the chance to reshape its developmental trajectory on its own terms. Embracing an “Africa First” strategy across the continent could herald an era of self-reliance and prosperity. This is a time for bold leadership, strategic alliances and a united commitment to an “Africa First” future. Discover more here: https://bit.ly/3QABBAM #Africa #geopolitics #development #growth

We are delighted to announce that three of TBI's policy publications have been?featured in the AI for Good and the International Telecommunication Union's #AISkillsCoalition: ? ???The impact of AI on the UK's labour market:?https://bit.ly/3CftwgW ???The impact of AI on the future of work in Asia:?https://bit.ly/43nn1UN ???The importance of digital skills in government:?https://bit.ly/3F5UNUH ? The new digital skills library serves as a global, open, trusted and inclusive programme for #AI education and capacity building. ? Visit the #AIforGood Skills Coalition page to learn more:?https://lnkd.in/efEi3KM4

China’s ‘Two Sessions’ is the country’s most politically significant event of the year. Next week, thousands of delegates will convene in Beijing for the annual conference where the country’s budgets, targets and priorities for the year ahead will be unveiled. This year, uncertainty around the new US administration has sharpened China’s focus on resilience-building and innovation. China’s future prosperity and security will increasingly rely on cementing itself on the right side of the new Industrial Revolution. To anticipate what might be on the table for 2025, geopolitics experts Ruby Osman and Edward Knight translated and analysed over 60 provincial work reports published in the last two years – offering a unique, data-driven perspective on Beijing’s evolving strategy. Read now: https://bit.ly/3DbzkJf

At TBI, we help governments turn bold ideas into reality so they can deliver for their people by advising on strategy, policy and delivery – unlocking the power of technology across all three.? ? To help us drive change around the world, we’re searching for three new Country Directors to join us in:? ? ???? Angola? ???? Democratic Republic of Congo? ???? Kenya? ? The Country Directors will have accountability and oversight across all in-country projects and will lead work on varying policy topics, such as public sector reforms, investment and trade promotion, foreign policy advisory and digital transformation.? ? To apply, visit: https://bit.ly/48xbBye? ? #recruitment #Africajobs #workatTBI #lifeatTBI #director?

This week, TBI’s Executive Director of Politics Ryan Wain explores the urgent need for mainstream politics to embrace bold, transformative change in our latest edition of #InstituteInsights. Drawing on TBI’s research, he examines how the political centre can be rebuilt through ‘Disruptive Delivery’.

Watching China’s all-important Two Sessions? We trawled through hundreds of pages of provincial work reports so you don’t have to! China’s most important government meeting kicks off next week. The Two Sessions will reveal China’s budgets, priorities and GDP target for the year ahead - and give a sense of how Beijing will navigate US unpredictability. When it comes to predicting the Two Sessions, there’s few people better at understanding what central leadership wants than local officials. So we looked at 60+ provincial work reports over two years to get a sense of what could be on the table next week. Key takeaways: ?? The GDP growth target will stay moderately ambitious. Weighting provincial growth targets gives a national estimate of 5.3%. We think there’s a strong chance China repeats 2024’s “around 5%”. That means more consumption-focused stimulus is on the way. ?? Boosting domestic demand will be 2025’s top priority - 19/31 provinces list it as #1, compared to just 5 last year. ?? But it’s innovation that underpins everything. Mentions of Xi’s flagship “new quality productive forces” tripled since last year - leadership sees tech as the key to both security and growth. ?? That’s easier said than done - and Beijing wants provinces to avoid falling into old habits. 21/31 provinces now promise to develop advanced tech “in line with local conditions”. That means greater inter-provincial collaboration, not competition. ?? There’s still a role for the rest of the world amongst all this domestic resilience-building. Mentions of “high-level opening up” have doubled and “Global South” markets were mentioned for the first time. ?? Tensions with the US makes making friends - and deepening supply chain integration - elsewhere more important than ever. https://lnkd.in/ebH8BeiQ

The Climate Change Committee's analysis for EB7 shows the importance of making clean options like heat pumps and EVs affordable and accessible. Without innovation, incentives, and clear market signals, the upfront costs of these will block progress. ? But by rejecting international carbon credits, the Committee is missing a trick. Smart use of high-quality credits could cut costs, drive real emissions reductions, and boost the UK’s global leadership in climate action. We wrote about this opportunity in our paper late last year - check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gHVexuip Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

How should a leader organise the centre of government and their office? How should they prioritise, develop the right plan, hire the right personnel, cope with unforeseen events and crises, and balance short-term wins with long-term structural change? In conversation with De Zeit’s Dr Jochen Bittner and Heinrich Wefing, TBI Executive Chairman Tony Blair discusses the lessons of leadership, reflecting on his time as British Prime Minister and since, advising political leaders across strategy, policy and delivery – enabled by technology. Watch the full episode ?? https://lnkd.in/e4EcqJKk

For too long, UK industrial strategy has been plagued by zigzag policymaking and poor execution, with strategies barely outlasting the political cycle.?The government must break this cycle with a hard-headed new plan that investors can trust – a plan that confronts difficult trade-offs, makes bold strategic choices and acts with urgency to drive economic growth.? ?? New research from TBI and Oxford Economics reveals that green industries could boost UK GDP by up to 5% over the next 25 years. But achieving these gains will be challenging. Success depends on cultivating the UK’s strengths in green services, as well as capturing market share in a range of globally competitive manufacturing sectors, including electric vehicles, where the UK lags behind global leaders. The UK does not fully control its destiny in this race, but without a change in approach, these gains will not materialise. The stakes are high, and so are the opportunities. The government must, therefore, be hard-headed about the choices it makes in ‘going green’.? And while green growth should be an important part of the UK’s growth strategy, it cannot be the only focus. In our latest policy paper, TBI experts Thomas Smith, Hermione Dace, Icaro Rebolledo, Lindy Fursman and Kitty Mant discuss the policy actions needed to make the UK’s Industrial Strategy work: https://bit.ly/3EK3ofs?

Earlier this week, TBI experts in Washington, D.C. hosted a roundtable with leading development experts and policymakers to explore the intersection of #AI and the clean energy transition. With attendees from The World Bank Group, IDB Invest, Oracle, IBM, NVIDIA, UNDP, Atlantic Council, The Wilson Center, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the discussion centred on actionable pathways for leveraging AI-driven energy solutions while also tackling pressing challenges, such as uneven benefits, resource constraints, and growing global inequities. The diverse discussions reflected the collective commitment needed to shape a more sustainable and inclusive energy future – building on TBI’s ongoing research ?? ???Powering AI in the Global South:?https://bit.ly/3CiuGJ2 ???Greening AI: How the UK Can Power the Artificial-Intelligence Era:?https://bit.ly/47u61MM Sign up to our mailing list to learn more about our work in Washington, D.C. and beyond:?https://bit.ly/493lioe