3 mins in development finance/wk33
Introduction
Over the summer, I will share links to content I’ve recently digested that I think are relevant for those interested in Development Finance and Impact investing in general. Not all articles featured here are about the DFIs, but in my opinion, they address the markets we invest in and/or speak about subjects/ideas that we should be aware of.
You will note that I am partial to content on Financial Inclusion, Education and Asia in particular.
Key takeaways
- IFC highlights that the inefficiencies of information asymmetries and high transaction costs in the food system provide an opportunity to leverage digitization to move it towards a more resilient, and sustainable model.
- IFC is providing $100m and $40m in financing to VP Bank and OCB respectively, both in Vietnam. If correct, this seems to be in addition to the $212.5m that IFC announced in financing to VP bank back in January.
- The European Investment Bank and the African Import Export Bank, direct 300 million euros to support the recovery and resilience of African Nations in Response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Learn how ADB helped a Vietnamese city implement Digital solutions to facilitate reliable water service to their community.
- The AfDB declares awakening the entrepreneurial spirit of young Africans is key to the development of the continent.
- It is now official: Cambodia has lost duty free access to EU market due human and labour rights violations.
- FMO scored A+ across the board on its recent UNPRI assessment.
Development Finance
IFC & WorldBank
- (06/08/20) Beyond the Pandemic: Harnessing the Digital Revolution to Set Food Systems on a Better Course
- (04/08/20) IFC provides $140m Covid-19 financing to Vietnam’s VPBank, OCB
EIB
CDC
- (14/08/20) CDC’s Head of Asia speaks to VC Circle about India investments and post-COVID outlook
- (13/08/20) CDC’s head of trade finance Admir Imami talk to GTR about a DFI’s response to Covid
- (12/08/20) Making the business case for nature-based solutions
- (10/08/20) Finding opportunity in crisis: What does COVID-19 mean for Africa?
- (10/08/20) CDC Group establishes permanent presence in Egypt
Asia Development Bank
- (14/08/20) Beware of business scams using ADB’s name
- (14/08/20) Five Things to Know: Trends in Road and Railway Trade Efficiency in Central Asia
- (14/08/20) Ensuring Reliable Water Service in VietNam Through Digital Technology
- (12/08/20) ADB to Help Boost Farm Incomes in the Philippines with $400 Million Loan
- (12/08/20) ADB Approves $73 Million Package to Develop Waste-to-Energy Facility in Maldives
- (13/08/20) ADB, UNDP sign deal to boost disaster recovery in Asia Pacific
AFDB
- (14/08/20) The African Development Bank and partners’ digital Coding For Employment program is ensuring African youth are competitive in the global digital economy
- (13/08/20) Awakening the entrepreneurial spirit of every young African is key to continent’s future, development leaders agree
- (13/08/20) ‘Africa’s outlook is positive,’ African Development Bank tells Indian investors and officials
AIIB
FMO
- (13/08/20) FMO ventures into Burkina Faso by leveraging on the expertise of the ACEP microfinance Group
- *(11/08/20) UNPRI Assessment: FMO scores A+ across the board
Proparco
- (10/08/20) Proparco partners with vitas palestine to support individuals and micro-entrepreneurs
- (07/08/20) Proparco is supporting an agricultural company in Kenya
ERDB
- (12/08/20) EBRD supports private businesses in Egypt with $200M
- (11/08/20) EGYPT: EBRD grants $50 million for Engie wind project in the Gulf of Suez
- (11/08/20) Many EBRD economies better placed to exit lockdown than advanced, other emerging markets
DFC
- (06/08/20) W-GDP, DFC Target Additional $6 Billion of Investment in Women
- (04/08/20) DFC Announces New Members of Development Advisory Council
FINDEV
Misc content in development finance
- (13/08/20) Discerning the impact of Covid-19 on fintech firms and their role in financial inclusion
- (10/08/20) Tackling the COVID-19 Hunger Crisis in Africa: How Digital Networks Can Empower Small Farmers and Avert a Looming Disaster — NextBillion
- (12/08/20) ANALYSIS-Land, environment laws diluted as Asia-Pacific nations eye growth
- (12/08/20) FinDev COVID-19 Update | 30 Jul — 12 Aug 2020 / ?Roundup of the most relevant coronavirus-related resources for the microfinance and financial inclusion community
- (10/08/20) How powerful is financial inclusion?
- (05/08/20)Support for Southeast Asian startups tackling big challenges
- (05/08/20) COVID-19 is awful. Climate change could be worse. | Bill Gates
Misc articles interest
- (11/08/20) Technology to transform the mind — A Blockchain VC
- (02/07/20) Psychological-safety leadership in a time of flux | Mckinsey
Country views
India
- (16/08/20) PM Modi announces a solar park to fulfill dream of green Ladakh
- (15/08/20) How new India moved from women’s development to women-led development under Prime Minister Modi
- (13/08/20) A Deeper Look at India’s New Education Policy 2020
- (11/08/20) 3 Questions: Enabling informed migration in India
- (04/08/20) Does ‘Impact’ Lie in the Eyes of Investors in India?
- (03/08/20) Interview: How COVID-19 Will Affect Impact Investing in India
Indonesia
- (13/08/20) Indonesia President Calls to ‘Reboot’ Economy Amid Pandemic
- (12/08/20) Indonesia’s coronavirus fatalities are the highest in Southeast Asia. So, why is Jokowi rushing to get back to business?
- (12/08/20) Warning: Omnibus Law is Threatening Indonesia’s Sustainable Investment
- (11/08/20) US institutions in talks on development investment in Indonesia
- (10/08/20) Why Impact Investing Remains a Key Focus for Investors in the Post Covid-19 Era
Vietnam
- (14/08/20) Vietnam Business Operations and the Coronavirus: Updates
- (14/08/20) Vietnam courts EU investment in medical and drug supply chains
- (13/08/20) Assessing Vietnam’s Economic Prospects for Foreign Investors After COVID-19 — Latest Issue of Vietnam Briefing Magazine
- (12/08/20) Business Risk Management in Vietnam in the Era of COVID-19
- (12/08/20) Chinese dams and the Mekong drought
- (10/08/20) Vietnam’s Solar Industry: Bright Prospects for Investors
- (-/08/2020) Rapid assessment on the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 on children and families in Viet Nam
- (05/08/20) South East Asia — Tropical Storm Sinlaku Brings Flooding Rains to Vietnam, Laos and Thailand
Philippines
- (14/08/20) UBX: Exponential Opportunities for Businesses and People through Digital Transformation
- (04/08/20) Philippines: UN and partners launch major COVID-19 response plan to aid 5.4 million
Myanmar
Cambodia
- (14/08/20) Stopping Cambodia’s Reckless Urban Development
- (13/08/20) Coronavirus pushing Cambodia back into poverty
- *(12/08/20) Cambodia loses duty-free access to the EU market over human rights concerns
- (06/08/20) What’s the deal with Cambodia and China’s FTA?
- (06/08/20) Cambodia-India trade on the rise
Laos
- (15/08/20) Laos gets more funding to mitigate impact of COVID-19 on education
- (14/08/20) New Mekong dam ignores threats to UNESCO World Heritage city, livelihoods and ecosystems
- (12/08/20) Public debt of Laos set to increase due to pandemic effect
Subscription required
The Economist
- (08/08/20) Covid-19 will be painful for universities, but also bring change
- (08/08/20) Covid-19 could push some universities over the brink
- (08/08/20) A new AI language model generates poetry and prose
- (08/08/20) Economics sometimes changes its mind
Financial Times
Enjoy.
If you have suggestions for articles that should be featured in future lists, please drop me a note.