The IMF’s April 2025 Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa presents a clear warning: regional growth is slowing, debt pressures are mounting, and donor assistance is declining. Yet the report outlines critical opportunities particularly in domestic revenue mobilization, structural reform, and private sector activation that can shape a more resilient …
Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur on Feb 13, introduced the bill in Lok Sabha to abolish some tribunals where public at large is not litigant. The bill proposes to 'provide a mechanism for filing an appeal directly to the commercial court or the High Court, as the …
Lok Sabha passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021, on 12 Feb. It was passed by the Rajya Sabha on February 8, 2021. The Bill amends the J&K; Reorganisation Act, 2019 that bifurcated the former State into Union Territories of J&K; and Ladakh. It seeks to replace the …
This brief examines the importance of peri-urban ecosystems and outlines possible policy responses in India to preserve and manage these areas to contribute to sustainable and climate-resilient development. While the brief provides a general overview of peri-urban areas in India, acknowledge that approaches to these areas need to be sensitive …
In commercial agriculture, contracts coordinate production and trade, linking input suppliers to producers, all the way to end buyers. A better understanding of these chains of contracts can enable development practitioners and policymakers to increase scope for rural producer agency. This requires examining how contracts are made and how their …
This report analyzes four core areas of corporate governance in South Asia in light of global trends and best practices. It assesses the necessary regulatory preconditions for strong financial and economic development. The four core areas analyzed are (i) corporate governance legal frameworks, (ii) board structure and board diversity, (iii) …
The CAT Climate Governance series seeks to produce a practical framework for assessing a government’s readiness - both from an institutional and governance point of view - to ratchet up climate policy and implement adequate transformational policies on the ground, to enable the required economy-wide transformation towards a zero emissions …
The CAT Climate Governance series seeks to produce a practical framework for assessing a government’s readiness – both from an institutional and governance point of view – to ratchet up climate policy and implement adequate transformational policies on the ground, to enable the required economy-wide transformation towards a zero emissions …
The CAT Climate Governance series seeks to produce a practical framework for assessing a government’s readiness - both from an institutional and governance point of view - to ratchet up climate policy and implement adequate transformational policies on the ground, to enable the required economy-wide transformation towards a zero emissions …
Decarbonising the world’s economy involves action from all aspects of society and the economy. Governments in all countries play a critical role in enabling this transformation and as such the ability, fitness and readiness of a country’s climate governance will play a critical role in determining the speed and volume …
As a second wave of COVID-19 causes further economic and social disruption, smart data-driven cities, powered by smart infrastructure and solutions, are using data analytics and predictive modelling to help shape their pandemic response to limit the loss of human life and minimize economic disruption. This report presents the ways …
‘Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance in India’is a continuation of the work on health systems strengthening. It contributes by suggesting mainstreaming of surveillance by making individual electronic health records the basis for surveillance. Public health surveillance (PHS) is an important function that cuts across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of …
Odisha has topped all Indian states in urban governance, according to an annual index prepared by a non-partisan body that called for greater reforms and empowerment of city governments. Nagaland ranked at the bottom. Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh followed Odisha to round up the top five. Jharkhand, Arunachal …
There is vast literature on groups as a useful mechanism for rural development, especially for women. However, for group participation to fulfil on potential benefits to women, gender-specific constraints must be addressed. This study examines how to promote gender-inclusive governance of mixed-sex selfhelp groups in the African context, analysing twenty …
This report proposes a new independent regulatory body for Indonesia’s electricity sector, in particular for investment planning, procurement, tariff setting, and electrification.A situational analysis and review of stakeholder opinions strongly indicates that the current decision-making structures in the electricity sector of Indonesia are inadequate. The report explains the current context …
The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on countries in the Asia- Pacific region. Not only have the health consequences led to over 170,000 deaths in the region, but the socio-economic costs have exceeded those of the Asian financial crisis in 1997. The cascading impacts of this health emergency …
More than three billion people live in agricultural areas with high to very high levels of water shortages and scarcity, and almost half of them face severe constraints. Furthermore, available freshwater resources per person have declined by more than 20 percent over the past two decades globally, underscoring the importance …
This new report from WHO and UNICEF is an urgent call to transform sanitation for better health, environments, economies and societies. Citing evidence on what works from successful countries and global guidelines, WHO and UNICEF call for strong government leadership and investment in resilient sanitation services. The report charts an …
UNESCO shows 40% of poorest countries failed to support learners at risk during COVID-19 crisis and urges inclusion in education. Fewer than 10% of countries have laws that help ensure full inclusion in education, according to UNESCO’s 2020 Global Education Monitoring Report: Inclusion and education – All means all. The …
This paper outlines food security’s impact across areas such as natural resources, trade, violent conflict and climate change, and its implications for achieving SDG 2: Zero Hunger. It also seeks to give geopolitics a more prominent place in the food security debate. Assessing the prospects for Zero Hunger—Sustainable Development Goal …
Society’s poorest, most marginalised and excluded people have little say on the triple crisis of climate change, nature’s degradation and poverty; yet they are most affected by it. Climate finance is a key resource to help them deal with the impacts of this crisis. This paper uses six criteria for …
