Forum for Trade and Development

The African Development Bank has announced it will be decentralizing its structure and repackaging how it tackles key issues in development, as part of implementing its new 10-year strategy. Former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Bank President Akinwumi Adesina, is pushing to increase capacity at local offices, reframe the continent’s agriculture sector around commercialization, … More African Development Bank Changing Stucutre In Bid To Reframe Key Issues

The UK Conservative Party conference drew to a close on Wednesday as the aid community began to absorb a range of new reforms, announcements and calls to action from government leadership. The conference, an annual meeting of the UK’s governing party, began on Sunday with reports that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had hinted he wanted the Foreign … More Change Is A Coming For UK Aid

Dr Greg Mills & Major General Dickie Davies The Danish government recently decided to shut its diplomatic mission to Mozambique, historically one of its most important African development aid partners. They have done so because of the need to focus Danish efforts and rationalise expenditure, the choice helped by flagrant mismanagement of the economy by … More Making Africa Work – some lessons for Donors

This afternoon the Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel addressed the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.   Central to her message were the steps the department is taking to ensure value for money and a tougher approach to supplier management.   The size of the UK’s Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) budget, which is … More Priti Patel sets out stricter approach to DfID supplier management

The International Development Secretary, Priti Patel, has warned that the United Nations system is simply not adapted to the challenges of today, in the face of unprecedented humanitarian challenges, protracted crises and mass displacement. This frank warning came at the UN General Assembly, at a UK-led event on reforming the development system. At the event, Priti Patel … More Priti Patel Warns United Nations – Time To Adapt

African nations will have more resources at their disposal to meet the Sustainable Development Goals if their national revenue authorities can boost tax collection. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa estimates that the continent loses more than $50 billion through illicit financial outflows per year, much of this linked to tax avoidance and evasion. With an eye … More How Can Taxes Boost African Revenue?

President Donald Trump’s vow to put “America first” includes a plan to drastically cut assistance to developing countries and merge the State Department with USAID, according to an internal budget document and sources.   The administration’s March budget proposal vowed to slash aid to developing countries by over one-third, but contained few details. According to … More Could This Be The End Of USAID?

When UK Prime Minister Theresa May called a surprise election last month there was widespread speculation that the Conservative manifesto would drop the commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on overseas aid enshrined in law in 2015.   The commitment has been strongly opposed by many within her party, as well as … More May’s Commitment To 0.7%

As the UK Government continues to push on resolutely in the direction of Brexit, the headlines and projections as to what this will mean for the economy do not make for hopeful reading. An uncertain and costly process seems largely unavoidable.   It is against this backdrop that the Government embraced Commonwealth Day this week … More UK Invests Trading Hopes In Commonwealth

The World Bank is on a mission to increase awareness and interest in economic development. Part of this will be a new free online course that will teach participants about financing for development in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals.   Their last course was a huge success with nearly 32,000 people registered to … More Are MOOC’s The Key to Inspiring an Interest In Sustainable Development?