Transforming Education Across Eastern and Southern Africa

Expand Systems, Equip with Skills, Empower Allburundi-3-1430x953Building forward-thinking systems to turn the tide on learning poverty

In Eastern and Southern Africa, about 89% of ten-year-old children are unable to read and understand a short text, reflecting a high percentage of learning poverty that was exacerbated during the pandemic. Globally, Sub-Saharan Africa continues to have the lowest participation rate in tertiary education despite enrollment doubling globally between 2000 and 2013 across all regions of the world. And in many parts of the region, especially the fragile and conflict-prone countries, societal barriers continue to persist, keeping many girls and boys out of school and preventing women especially from being educated and becoming equal members of society.

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Can African trade integration be a game changer?

New World Bank research shows the agreement among 54 countries would likely draw more foreign direct investment, amplifying its benefitstextile_hero.jpg

Imagine that a large African textile company wants to set up a new factory in a neighboring country to help establish a regional value chain for its production. It would likely face many months of cumbersome paperwork to obtain the necessary approvals and receive an investor license. Visa restrictions may make it difficult to bring in specialists to train local staff, while other staff may not even be allowed to work because their professional degrees are not recognized. Even after it is operational, the firm’s shipments of components could be hindered by traffic jams at border crossings, duplicative paperwork, and countless rounds of inspections.

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Social Cohesion and Forced Displacement: A Synthesis of New Research

 

Global displacement trends are shifting. UNHCR estimates that more than 100 million people around the world were forcibly displaced as of May 2022. Global crises – including climate change, COVID-19, conflict, and rising costs of living – have increased the risk of social tensions and have highlighted the importance of social cohesion.

Watch the global launch of Social Cohesion and Forced Displacement: A Synthesis of New Research. This report synthesizes findings from a joint series of 26 working papers on forced displacement and social cohesion. This analysis offers actionable insights for policymakers and development practitioners on mitigating the negative effects of displacement and effectively promoting social cohesion.

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FDI drops and MIGA innovates

IFC Insights

Stormy Waters for Business in Emerging Markets

As the sun set on the Landwasser valley in eastern Switzerland and this year’s World Econonomic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, government, business, and civil society leaders from across the globe headed home to promote the forum’s mandate of bold collective action to address ongoing crises.

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