Tag: infrastructure finance
-
DFC Names Kenya-Based Regional MD to Lead Africa Investments
DFC Expands Africa Footprint with Kenya-Based Regional MD The United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has announced a strategic leadership move aimed at deepening its investments across Africa. Selam Demissie has been appointed as the new Regional Managing Director, based in Kenya, signaling a renewed focus on East Africa’s growing development and investment opportunities.…
-
Can China Win a New Global Hegemony? Lessons from Simandou and Guinea’s Ore Route
Introduction: A race for global influence A rising China faces a long-term competition for global influence, especially as Western alliances adapt to shifting economic power. The Simandou iron ore project in Guinea—featuring the mines, a dedicated rail corridor to the coast, and a purpose-built barge port at Morébaya—offers a concrete case study in how resource…
-
Tanzania’s BRICS Moment: Why Joining the New Bloc Is No Longer Optional
Introduction: A Strategic Pivot for Tanzania As Tanzania charts its growth path toward Vision 2050, the country faces a pivotal decision about its place in a rapidly evolving global economic landscape. The BRICS bloc, long seen as a counterweight to traditional Western financial institutions, is expanding. For Tanzania, joining or closely aligning with BRICS is…
-
Tamil Nadu’s Debt Numbers: Are We Reading the Story Wrong?
Introduction: The debate over Tamil Nadu’s debt figures A recent post by a Congress party colleague has sparked a broader debate about Tamil Nadu’s public debt. The central claim — that the state’s debt is alarming — has been echoed in social media and some commentaries. But as with many fiscal numbers, the context matters.…
-
NamWater Faces a N$2.8 Billion Debt Burden Threatening Namibia’s Water Future
Overview of the debt challenge Namibia’s national water utility, NamWater, is grappling with a mounting debt of about N$2.8 billion. The arrears come from a diverse mix of customers, including town and municipal councils, mines, private consumers, rural communities, and other local authorities. This growing unpaid balance poses a serious risk to the utility’s ability…
-
ASEAN Power Grid: Lessons from the Region’s Worst-Case Scenarios to Shape Best Practices
Understanding the ASEAN Power Grid Initiative The ASEAN Power Grid (APG) aims to harmonize electricity networks across Southeast Asia, connecting fast-growing markets and improving energy security. With more than six major interconnection projects underway—spanning subsea cables and overland links—the APG faces a complex mix of technical, regulatory, and socio-political challenges. Analyzing worst-case scenarios in this…
-
AIIB President Defends China as a Responsible Stakeholder amid a Polarized World
Introduction: A Defiant Position in a Fragmented World The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has long stood at the intersection of global finance and geopolitics. As its first president defends China’s role as a “responsible stakeholder,” the institution finds itself navigating a world that is increasingly polarized. With China as its largest shareholder and Beijing…
-
AIIB’s First President Defends China as a Responsible Stakeholder in a Polarized World
AIIB’s Role and the Debate Over Neutrality The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has long presented itself as a pragmatic, rules-based development lender focused on financing infrastructure across Asia and beyond. Its inaugural president, addressing critics who view Beijing as a central driver of a more polarized international order, defended China’s role as a “responsible…
-
AIIB’s First President Defends China as a Responsible Stakeholder in a Less Multilateral World
Introduction: A Credited Role in a Polarized Era The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has positioned itself as a financially pragmatic alternative to traditional Western-led institutions. Its founding president, a key architect of the bank’s governance, has repeatedly defended China as a “responsible stakeholder” in an international system that frequently views Beijing through a contested…
-
India-Canada Trade Revival: A $50 Billion Plan Takes Shape at the G20
New Momentum in India-Canada Economic Ties The relationship between India and Canada is entering a new phase of economic collaboration, as leaders commit to a bold, $50 billion trade plan announced during a high-profile meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian counterpart Mark Carney used…