3 mins in development finance/wk38
4 min readSep 28, 2020
Introduction
During the crisis, I decided to 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.I publish this list weekly. I hope you enjov and please follow me for more updates.
Development Finance
IFC & World Bank
- ( — /09/20) Impacts of the COVID-19 Crisis on Private Equity Funds in Emerging Markets “- IFC”
- ( — /09/20) Strengthening One of Africa’s Universities in a Time of Crisis “- IFC”
- ( — / — /20) Artificial Intelligence in Emerging Markets — Opportunities, Trends, and Emerging Business Models “-IFC”
- ( — / — / — ) How to Rebuild From the Shock of COVID-19 “- IFC”
- ( — / — / — ) First Person: Bangladesh’s Road to Recovery “- IFC”
- (17/09/20) IFC and NEXI to Jointly Advance Private-Sector-led Development in Poor and Fragile Countries “- IFC”
- (16/09/20) IFC and Collectius launch the first distressed asset recovery platform to address the impacts of COVID-19 on the banking sector and consumer finance in East Asia Pacific “- IFC”
EIB
CDC
Asia Development Bank
African Development Bank
- (23/09/20) Virtual Event: African Development Bank Webinar: Asian Private Sector — Doing Business in Africa “-AFDB”
- (18/09/20) Africa needs urgent trade finance boost in the wake of COVID-19, report finds “-AFDB”
- (14/09/20) Despite COVID-19 pandemic, Africa still a prime investment destination, participants affirm at AfDB webinar for Asian audiences “-AFDB”
- (10/09/20) Supporting Public Private Partnerships in Africa: African Development Bank ready to scale up “-AFDB”
FMO
- (17/09/20) Dutch bank proposes further investment in Myanmar’s BRAC “-AsiaNikkei”
- (07/09/20) Monthly transaction overview — August “- FMO”
EBRD
DEG
BIO
PROPARCO
Swedfund
FinnFund
Findev Canada
Misc content in development finance
- ( — / — / — ) Donor Financing for Gender Equality: Spending with Confusing Receipts| “-Center For Global Development”
- (17/09/20) Crypto Regulation in Nigeria: Catalyst for Mass Adoption or Barrier to Growth? “- Ventures”
- (15/09/20) ADFIAP joins the Philippine sustainable finance alignment initiative “-ADFIAP”
- (14/09/20) JPMorgans’s fresh idea for development finance “-Euromoney”
- (10/09/20) Podcast: The women fighting sexual abuse in the factories where your jeans are made | “- News The Guardian”
- (02/09/20) Pandemic is widening poverty gap between women and men, new UN findings show “-Devex”
- (02/09/20) 15 African statisticians unite to advance gender data across the continent “-Devex”
Misc content around technology of interest
- (16/09/20) A Booming Fintech Investment and Exit Landscape in South East Asia “-FintechNews”
- (15/09/20) AMTD Reveals the 5 Fintech Startups Selected for its S$11.5M Fund “- FinTech”
Country Views
Indonesia
Vietnam
Subscription Required
The Economist
- (12/09/20) Is the office finished? “- The Economist”
- (03/09/20) Can private equity’s numbers be trusted? “- The Economist”
- (03/09/20) Can India’s biggest company keep getting bigger? “- The Economist”
- (03/09/20) The World Bank’s business-rankings mess “- The Economist”
- (03/09/20) Economists are turning to culture to explain wealth and poverty “- The Economist”
- (05/09/20) Two damning portrayals of Indian finance “-The Economist”
Financial Times
The Diplomat
- (18/09/20) LGBT Community Targeted by Police in Indonesia “- The Diplomat”
- (18/09/20) Economic Security: Vietnam’s Cardinal Policy Goal “- The Diplomat”
- (16/09/20) Can Offensive Cyber and Information Control Capabilities Be Simultaneously Measured? “- The Diplomat”
- (14/09/20) Three-Horse Race for Vietnam’s Next Communist Party Chief — The Diplomat
- (10/09/20) India’s Rich Prosper During the Pandemic While Its Poor Stand Precariously at the Edge “- The Diplomat”
WSJ
- (15/09/20) Social and Emotional Learning Has Never Been More Important — or More Difficult “-WSJ”
- (15/09/20) Tradition Clashes With Zoom Over How to Properly Honor Your Ancestors “- WSJ”
- (09/09/20) Myanmar Soldiers’ Confessions to Killing Rohingya to Be Part of Genocide Case “-WSJ”
Forbes
Impact Alpha
Nikkei Asian Review
- (20/09/20) Can Cambodia fill the gap left by EU sanctions with China FTA? “-AsiaNikkei”
- (19/09/20) China AI startups surge forward with $30bn funding since 2016 “-AsiaNikkei”
- (15/09/20) Chinese resort developer in Cambodia hit with US sanctions “-AsiaNikei”
- (12/09/20) In Jakarta suburb, Mitsubishi and Temasek unit plan smart city “-AsiaNikkei”
