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Blog post
Energy and empowerment in Lebanon: Impact of reliable energy supply in changing women’s lives
The effects of poor-quality energy supply are not gender neutral, and fall more heavily on women. New research from Lebanon explores how sustained energy access enhances women’s day-to-day lives and better protects female-headed households. While access to sustainable energy is a necessary development goal for all countries, the co-benefits brought to gender equity should...
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Blog post
Four ideas to bring clean power to fragile states
Energy access has the potential to catalyse enormous social and economic gains in fragile states. Below are four ideas from global leaders to make this a reality. Affordable and reliable electricity is critical to improve education, health, and job creation, and can contribute significantly to peace and stability. Without it, fragile countries will be left even further...
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Blog post
The impact of COVID-19 on smallholder farmers in India and the way forward
IGC’s look at COVID-19’s economic influence in developing countries continued with an event focused on India, where the pandemic reveals the increasing vulnerabilities of smallholder farmers and an agricultural market badly in need of reform. Nearly 90% of India’s agricultural sector is made up of small and marginal farmers. These farmers are particularly...
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Blog post
Powering up energy investments in fragile states
On 24 February, 2021, IGC’s Council on State Fragility and the g7+ Group of 20 fragile and conflict-affected countries launched the Call to Action: Powering up energy investments in fragile states. On this occasion, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (former President of Liberia), Namita Vikas (Founder and managing Partnrs, auctusESG) , David Cameron (Former Prime Minister, United...
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Blog post
How the pandemic can be a catalyst for city climate action
Recovering from the socioeconomic shock of COVID-19 will not be easy. Effective decisions on where to put investment will be the key to unlocking greater prosperity for developing cities. We discuss what actions developing cities could focus on to kickstart their economies while helping the global fight against climate change. The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic...
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Blog post
The value of a ‘seat at the table’: Elite interference in Lebanon’s public procurement
Elites in weak bureaucracies have ample incentives to interfere in public procurement. New research from Lebanon shows how billions of dollars in foreign infrastructure funding are more likely to be contracted to firms that are politically well-connected. To improve public infrastructure procurement, greater accountability from elites is needed. The explosion at...
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Blog post
Nutrition in India: A look at the policy Initiatives, investments, and outcome indicators
With an aim to decrease malnutrition, India has implemented several nutrition interventions in the last half century, including the National Food Security Act 2013, NIPCCD, ICDS and the mid-day meal scheme. Even with strong constitutional and legislative policy, plans, programme commitments and institutions, as well as a spurt in GDP growth, dietary diversity and...
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Blog post
How transport reforms have impacted urban connectivity in Kenya
For this third blog in our series on Chinese and African urbanisation, we explore how transport reforms have affected the delivery of urban connectivity infrastructure in Kenya, and how this compares with the different growth experiences of Chinese cities. Early investment in transportation has been a fundamental feature of China’s relatively successful urban and...
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Blog post
The compliance challenge: Raising property tax revenues in Kampala
Property taxes are an important potential source of revenue for cities. Faced with limited municipal revenues and rapidly growing populations, taxes on the value of land and property can offer a significant source of funding for cities to provide local services and to tap into financing for larger investments. Recent improvements to the tax administration system in Kampala...
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Blog post
Tax reforms to support an equitable and pro-poor recovery in developing countries
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained government finances. To address these fiscal challenges and support growth, policymakers will need to mobilise revenue in a way that encourages an inclusive recovery. Tax policy will therefore need to be innovative, efficient and equitable. Across the globe, pandemic containment efforts and disbursal of economic and health support...
Blog post
Reinvigorating Yemen’s electricity system: Avenues for reform in the midst of war
The power generation system in Yemen is in a very poor state and urgently needs to be resuscitated. Achieving this will require switching to cheaper and renewable energy sources like solar, making key repairs to the transmission and distribution system, restoring livelihoods to off-grid communities through decentralised renewable energy systems, and making fundamental...