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Jun 17, 2021

Enabling A Competitive Mobile Sector in Emerging Markets Through the Development of Tower Companies

Sharing mobile network infrastructure through specialized companies called towercos is a business model with the potential to accelerate access to quality mobile connectivity for individuals and businesses in emerging markets. A significant number of developing countries have yet to adopt this model, however, and many others continue to struggle with competition issues within their tower markets. This note provides the rationale and policy options for a light regulatory regime that can enable the entry and sustainable development of a dynamic market for towercos in emerging markets. The note also discusses the evolution of the towerco model into small cells and distributed antenna systems, both of which help enable high-speed mobile connectivity technologies like 4G and 5G.

English | 8 pages—June—Note 104 | IFC 2021

Jun 17, 2021

Focus 15: Sustainability Committees: Structure and Practices

This paper proposes the sustainability committee as a mechanism for managing and governing sustainability and provides guidance on this issue to directors and senior managers. It draws from good practice examples of sustainability committees in both developed and emerging markets, which include: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Jun 17, 2021

Food Safety Reforms, Learning from the Best

This report was developed as part of IFC’s advisory activities to support and strengthen food safety systems in emerging markets.

English | 146 pages | IFC 2021

Jun 16, 2021

Demand for Digital Skills in Sub-Saharan Africa

The study was conducted jointly by IFC and the World Bank as part of the Digital Economy for Africa (DE4A) initiative under the broader umbrella of the Human Capital Project (HCP) framework. The DE4A initiative seeks to harness the digital technologies and innovation to transform Africa’s societies and economies to promote Africa’s integration, generate inclusive economic growth and stimulate job creation. The HCP aims to accelerate more, and better investments aimed at better equity and economic growth.

Jun 4, 2021

Sustainability Case Studies: Lessons Learned on Leading Through Crisis and Recovering Stronger

This publication features practical guidance from successful women business leaders on how companies can build their resilience. It is based on survey data, first-hand experience, and lessons learned as these women—all working in emerging markets or fragile contexts—steered their organizations through the COVID-19 crisis.

Jun 4, 2021

Sustainability Case Studies: Lessons Learned on Leading Through Crisis and Recovering Stronger

This publication features practical guidance from successful women business leaders on how companies can build their resilience. It is based on survey data, first-hand experience, and lessons learned as these women—all working in emerging markets or fragile contexts—steered their organizations through the COVID-19 crisis.

14 pages | © June 2021 IFC | Complimentary

Jun 3, 2021

The Power of Batteries to Expand Renewable Energy in Emerging Markets

The global power and transportation sectors of the future will be fundamentally different from today, igniting opportunities for investment in new technologies that can bolster resilience and lower carbon emissions. One of those key technologies is batteries, which are creating increasingly compelling solutions for storing and distributing renewable energy.

Jun 3, 2021

Hydrogen's New Horizon— Scaling Up Clean Hydrogen for the Power Sector

EMERGING ENERGY SOLUTIONS A series on emerging energy trends and opportunities from IFC

Jun 3, 2021

Leadership Training Toolkit for State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs)

The Leadership Training Toolkit for State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) was developed to support countries’ efforts to build capacity of State ownership entities, SOE boards, and SOE senior management.

Jun 3, 2021

Emerging Energy Solutions

Emerging Energy Solutions

May 27, 2021

Small Business, Big Growth: How Investing in SMEs Creates Jobs

This report aims to capture the key constraints that SMEs typically confront and provide a methodology better suited to measuring the job creation effects of SME finance initiatives by DFIs like IFC.

English | 102 pages | IFC 2021

May 26, 2021

Women and e-commerce in Southeast Asia

Across the globe, e-commerce is thriving. In Southeast Asia, the e-commerce market has tripled in size since 2015, and it is expected to triple again by 2025. Two new IFC reports show that this growth could be even higher if we invest in women entrepreneurs on e-commerce platforms.

English | IFC 2021

May 26, 2021

Women and e-commerce in Africa

Across the globe, e-commerce is thriving. In Africa, the number of online shoppers has increased by an average of 18 percent every year since 2014, with similar growth anticipated over the next decade. IFC’s latest report shows that this growth could be even higher if we invest in the women entrepreneurs on e-commerce platforms.

May 26, 2021

Case Study: Grupo Conclina

The largest private hospital in Ecuador, Hospital Metropolitano in Quito, also has one of the strongest reputations for quality of care. This is not an accident; the company’s culture and day-to-day practices have been shaped by major choices that its leaders have made through its history.

May 26, 2021

Creating Markets in Kyrgyz Republic: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

The Kyrgyz Republic Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) provides IFC & World Bank analysis of growth and investment opportunities, constraints, & policy recommendations for private sector development in the country

English - 114 pages | Russian - 120 pages | 2021 IFC

May 26, 2021

Creating Markets in Pakistan: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

IFC & World Bank Pakistan Country Private Sector Diagnostic analyzes private sector development constraints; outlines reforms to attract investments and support growth.

English | 84 pages | 2021 IFC

May 25, 2021

Artificial Intelligence Solutions to Support Environmental, Social, and Governance Integration in Emerging Markets

This paper describes the potential approaches for institutional investors and asset managers to align their investment strategies for emerging markets with the Sustainable Development Goals through environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-integrated investments.

30 pages | © May 2021 IFC, Amundi | Complimentary

May 18, 2021

Private Sector Initiatives in Forced Displacement Contexts: Constraints and Opportunities for Market-based Approaches

The number of forcibly displaced persons has been rising in recent years, and many displacements have become protracted. However, public resources available to assist individuals and families have dwindled, exacerbating already strained situations. Amid this backdrop, private sector initiatives have emerged to help create jobs both for displaced people and their host communities. While market-based approaches in refugee contexts are still new, initiatives in several countries have demonstrated the valuable role that private sector firms and investors can play. This note discusses examples of these market-based initiatives, related challenges, and conflict-sensitive approaches for overcoming these challenges. The note also discusses the important role that development agencies can play in de-risking private sector development through market-creating strategies, partnerships, and blended concessional finance.

English | 8 pages—May—Note 103 | IFC 2021

May 12, 2021

The Early Impact of COVID-19 on Financial Institutions

The global COVID-19 pandemic and diminished economic activity that resulted from it had a significant impact on financial institutions around the world in 2020. In order to gauge that impact and identify the areas of financial institutions’ operations that felt it most acutely, IFC launched a survey of financial institution clients in October 2020. The survey asked managers to share their assessments of the pandemic’s impact primarily along four dimensions: operations, strategic direction, funding, and loan portfolio. This note summarizes key findings extracted from the responses of 149 clients across 65 emerging markets, representing approximately 30 percent of IFC's outstanding portfolio in long-term finance to financial institutions.

May 5, 2021

Ghana Distributed Solar Market Assessment

This market assessment for Ghana surveys the potential for solar solutions to address the energy access and cost issues facing commercial, industrial and residential customers. This analysis focused on identifying and understanding the market dynamics, market sizing, segmentation, and obstacles restricting the full potential of the rooftop solar market. These focal points are critical to designing interventions to accelerate a budding market opportunity. Both reports also explore solar project economics, which are increasingly favorable in Ghana and many other markets.

May 5, 2021

Nigeria Distributed Solar Market Assessment

This market assessment report for Nigeria surveys the potential for solar solutions to address the energy access and cost issues facing commercial, industrial and residential customers. This analysis focused on identifying and understanding the market dynamics, market sizing, segmentation, and obstacles restricting the full potential of the rooftop solar market. These focal points are critical to designing interventions to accelerate a budding market opportunity. Both reports also explore solar project economics, which are increasingly favorable in Nigeria and many other markets.

Apr 30, 2021

Gender Equality, Infrastructure and PPPs | A Primer

The primer is an important first step toward gender equality in PPP projects. It consolidates and draws from a wide spectrum of examples that cut across sectors to demonstrate how infrastructure, its development, and the policies and regulations governing its construction and operation, can play a role in closing gaps between women and men. It also pinpoints approaches for ensuring that projects not only do no harm, but also serve as vehicles for empowerment, providing practical guidance that can be systematically integrated into PPP projects and frameworks.

English | 92 pages | 2019 World Bank

Apr 30, 2021

Boosting Tourism: Environmental and Social Diagnostic of the Tourism Sector in Solomon Islands' Western Province

This study gives investors an overview of the potential environmental and social (E&S) risks, impacts, and opportunities, with a focus on a tourism corridor in the Western Province, Solomon Islands, and how to reduce potential risks and impacts to realize the tourism development opportunities.

232 pages | © April 2021 | Complimentary

Apr 29, 2021

Market Assessment: The Student Housing Landscape in South Africa

Education is key to building human capital. Expanding access to quality tertiary education and vocational education and training institutions can help reduce income inequality and promote social mobility through greater access to skills, training and jobs. One of the challenges that South Africa's formal tertiary education system faces is a shortage of high-quality, affordable student housing units.

Apr 28, 2021

Enabling Private Investment in 5G Connectivity in Emerging Markets—An Assessment of Challenges and Policy Options

This note proposes a high-level framework to assess challenges and policy options to enabling private sector-led investment in 5G connectivity in emerging markets. 5G is the latest mobile network technology and it has the potential to provide high-speed Internet connectivity and enable digital transformation across multiple sectors of an economy. The proposed framework leverages industry data to articulate the digital divide and benchmark the enabling environment for 5G connectivity in emerging markets. The note concludes with recommendations on policy options and business strategies, drawing from early experiences in advanced markets and major opportunities and challenges in emerging markets.

English | 8 pages — April —Note 102 | IFC 2021