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Jan 15, 2021

Mobilization of Private Finance by Multilateral Development Banks and Development Finance Institutions 2019

The 2019 Joint Report shows mobilization of $63.6 billion for middle- & lower-income countries, with $6.7 billion for LIC only, up 21% from 2018. Total mobilization of $175 billion is up 9%.

English | 60 pages | 2021 IFC

Jan 14, 2021

Taking Action on Trade: From Concern to Support

This note investigates COVID-19-related trade restrictions and discusses their consequences. It also illuminates the importance of trade, especially during the current pandemic, through the voices of global leaders as well as a collective set of emerging market voices.

English | 18 pages | IFC 2021

Jan 13, 2021

Ctrl-Alt-Delete: A Green Reboot for Emerging Markets

The report analyzes the economic and climate benefits of a green post-COVID recovery. The report finds that supporting investments and channeling COVID-19 recovery funds in ten key sectors across 21 emerging markets can generate $10.2 trillion in investment opportunity, create 213.4 million jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) by 4 billion tons. The report focuses on decarbonizing existing and future energy infrastructure, building climate-smart cities, and helping speed the transition of key industries to green production practices.

English | 84 pages | IFC 2021

Jan 6, 2021

Private Credit in Emerging Markets

Private credit broadly refers to nonbank lending to firms. Since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008–2009, private credit has grown considerably. Although the phenomenon of private credit is more predominant in the United States and the United Kingdom, it is also a growing asset class in emerging markets. Private credit appeals to borrowers because of bespoke, structured solutions, longer maturities, greater flexibility, and ease of doing business. Investors also like private credit, because of its attractive risk-adjusted returns. The global economic shock resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has seen marked changes in production and consumption patterns in the real economy, with ripple effects in credit markets. Uncertainty and increased risk aversion spiked a rush to top up liquidity—the so-called ‘dash for cash’— primarily in the bank-intermediated credit and public capital markets.

English | 8 pages—January—Note 98 | IFC 2021

Jan 4, 2021

How Artificial Intelligence Can Help Advance Post-Secondary Learning in Emerging Markets

Tertiary and vocational learning is widely recognized as critical for all countries’ economic success. While progress has been made toward achieving the 4th United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) by 2030—“Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Lifelong Learning for All”—a 2019 UN report shows that some 750 million adults are functionally illiterate. These statistics illustrate the enormous challenge of adequately preparing the workforce for rapid technological change that will require continual reskilling. Although machines with artificial intelligence are likely to replace millions of workers across the world, AI also has great potential to enable workers to keep up with technological change and remain employable. This note attempts to illustrates how AI can support post-secondary learning across the entire tertiary and vocational education sector in emerging markets.

English | 8 pages—January—Note 97 | IFC 2021

Dec 23, 2020

Innovation, Investment, and Emerging Opportunities in Today’s Textile and Apparel Value Chain

Textile and apparel manufacturing is a critical creator of formalized jobs, a well-known path to industrialization, and an enabler of value chain relationships that modernize economies and make them more complex. Today, value chains that support the textile and apparel industries are rapidly evolving. They are integrating new technologies, embracing workplace innovations, adopting sustainable efficiencies, and inventing products and processes to meet the changing demands of global consumers and markets.

English | 8 pages—December—Note 96 | IFC 2020

Dec 21, 2020

Creating Markets in Egypt: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

The Egypt Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) provides IFC & World Bank analysis of growth and investment opportunities, constraints, & policy recommendations.

English - 144 pages | Arabic - 119 pages | 2020 IFC

Dec 17, 2020

IFC Employability Tool: Bridging Education to Employability

Dec 17, 2020

How Has COVID-19 Affected Haiti’s Apparel Industry

This joint study of 33 firms from the garment sector, that represent 87 percent of L’Association des Industries d’Haïti's (ADIH) membership and employ around 55,000 formal workers, provides key insights to help public and private decision makers navigate the crisis, and signals opportunities for the sector.

Dec 17, 2020

Annual Reports: DFI Working Group on Blended Concessional Finance for Private Sector Projects

IFC chairs a working group of more than 20 development finance institutions (DFIs) and has been working with other multilateral development banks and DFIs to promote the adoption of the blended finance principles to ensure a strict and disciplined approach to blended concessional finance to avoid market distortions. The working group has published annual reports since 2017:

Dec 16, 2020

Navigating through COVID-19: Country snapshots on how the pandemic affected MSMEs in the Middle East and Africa

These country snapshots look at the state of business operations in countries across the Middle East and Africa and how businesses are navigating the challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The notes look at three main areas: The financial health and resilience of the MSME sector in the country, the crisis response and future plans of businesses, and MSME support needed from governments and financial institutions.

Dec 15, 2020

Investment Opportunities in Temperature-Controlled Logistics (TCL)

Temperature-controlled logistics will help transport COVID-19 vaccines quickly and safely, and accelerate the global pandemic recovery. In this series, IFC outlines why we need to invest in temperature-controlled logistics now, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

Dec 14, 2020

Corporate Sustainable Bonds in Emerging Markets

An analysis of the status and market potential for green and sustainability or SDG bonds in emerging markets

English | 2 pages | 2017 IFC

Dec 14, 2020

Gender and Microfinance in Myanmar

The report, Gender and Microfinance in Myanmar: The Business Case for Action was produced jointly by IFC's Gender and Economic Inclusion Group and Financial Institutions Group. It contains findings from a survey of over 1,600 employees from eight leading microfinance institutions in Myanmar, as well as interviews with over 450 women microfinance clients.

Dec 11, 2020

Crowdsourcing the Future of SME Financing

This publication showcases best articles from SME practitioners globally on what SME finance will look like in 2030.

Dec 10, 2020

Bridging the Gap: Emerging Private Sector Response and Recovery Measures for Gender Equality amid COVID-19

As COVID-19 widens global gender gaps, IFC and UN Women have partnered to showcase a growing number of companies and organizations around the world that are taking action to ensure the economic inclusion and social well-being of their employees, customers, and suppliers, as well as local communities. This report aims to inform companies around the world on emerging practices and initiatives for supporting women employees, entrepreneurs, and those in value chains amid the pandemic.

English | 34 pages | 2020 IFC & UN Women

Dec 9, 2020

Case Study: Exploring Client Approaches to Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response - Alcazar Energy, Egypt

Alcazar Energy recognizes that workplace bullying, and in particular any forms of sexual harassment, could impact business operations and the employee’s wellbeing.

8 pages | © December 2020 IFC | Complimentary

Dec 9, 2020

Case Study: Exploring Client Approaches to Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response - TAQA Arabia, Energy, Egypt

TAQA Arabia recognized a need to consider specific risks for women as part of the project’s environmental, social, and health and safety requirements.

6 pages | © December 2020 IFC | Complimentary

Dec 9, 2020

Case Study: Exploring Client Approaches to Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response - Asyaport, Infrastructure, Turkey

The case study explores how the company has taken action to promote equal opportunities and highlights the the implementation of the company’s Environmental and Social Action Plan.

7 pages | © December 2020 IFC | Complimentary

Dec 9, 2020

Case Study: Exploring Client Approaches to Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response - Gas Natural Açu (GNA), Energy, Brazil

The case study explores how the company has implemented key elements for prevention of gender-based violence and sexual harassment within the workplace.

9 pages | © December 2020 IFC | Complimentary

Dec 9, 2020

Case Study: Exploring Client Approaches to Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response - Bioparques de Occidente, Agribusiness and Forestry, Mexico

The case study explores how the company has implemented a holistic approach towards the prevention of gender-based violence and sexual harassment within the workplace and its worker housing complexes.

10 pages | © December 2020 IFC | Complimentary

Dec 8, 2020

Sustainable Finance Practices in South African Retirement Funds

A look at opportunities to unlock investment in green & climate finance & support a resilient economy

English | 66 pages | 2020 IFC

Dec 1, 2020

Women and Ride-hailing in Sri Lanka

This research explores whether the ride-hailing industry could play an important role in closing the gender gap in mobility and economic participation in Sri Lanka.

Dec 1, 2020

How the Tourism Sector in Emerging Markets is Recovering from COVID-19

This note explores the factors in specific tourism destinations that contribute to pandemic-related vulnerability, as well as the factors that support the resilience of the tourism sector. Examining all these factors together provides a snapshot of the countries as well as the subsectors that are most likely to recover first, as well as those that will require greater support to weather and recover from the crisis.

English | 8 pages—December—Note 95 | IFC 2020

Nov 30, 2020

Leading a Clean Urban Recovery with Electric Buses

With the imposition of lockdowns in early 2020 due to the onset of COVID-19, bus, train, and metro lines experienced significant decreases in ridership. Between March and April, public transit ridership was down 70-90 percent in some places. These recent challenges have come on top of a fall in public transport ridership over the past decade, all of which leads some to wonder if our ability to get around cities will ever be the same.

English | 8 pages | IFC 2020