Asia and the Pacific remains the fastest-growing region in a world beset by challenges. But growth has slowed, and inflationary pressures have risen with surges in food and fuel prices from the war in Ukraine. Climate change and the lingering impacts of COVID-19 still loom large.

So, what can countries and companies do to build up resilience?

This edition of IFC Insights includes a focus on two key drivers to help build a resilient future – investments in the digital space and expanding trade between emerging markets.

Just consider Singapore, one of Asia’s biggest economic success stories, which is becoming an important partner for countries on the African continent. Its total trade with Africa grew to US$10.9 billion last year, up 25 percent from the previous year, and there are now more than 100 Singaporean companies on the continent.

G. Jayakrishnan, Executive Director at Enterprise Singapore, tells Insights there’s tremendous potential in Africa – a market he describes as one which no company should ignore.

In Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, digital technology is empowering farmers as start-ups like Sayurbox tap into tech to transform the way food goes from the farm to the plate, putting more money in farmers’ pockets.

And learn how IFC is developing a tool that uses machine learning to generate higher quality insights into the environmental, social, and governance performance of companies, projects, and countries.

Enjoy reading!

–  Ruth E. Horowitz, Regional Vice President, Asia and the Pacific