Development, History, Middle East and Africa, Politics

From Guns to Gold: The Wagner Group’s exploitation of Africa and Ukraine

PMC (“Private Military Company”) Wagner, more commonly known as The Wagner Group, is a paramilitary organisation based in Russia. Founded in 2014, Yevgeny Prigozhin a Russian oligarch and a close confidant of Russian president Vladimir Putin, took over the company shortly after its founding. The Wagner Group first came to prominence during the Donbas conflict in Ukraine from 2014 to 2015. The Wagner Group’s activities … Continue reading From Guns to Gold: The Wagner Group’s exploitation of Africa and Ukraine

Nico Sesson FarreApril 28, 2023April 22, 20251 Comment

Asia, Development, Finance and Markets, International

Microfinance: What went wrong?

In 1983, Mohammed Yunus founded the Grameen Bank. His idea was simple: the bank would grant tiny loans, often no more than $100, to women in rural Bangladesh who had no access to credit. In the following decades, repayment rates for some schemes were as high as 98%, and Yunus attracted major funds from backers such as the Ford Foundation. In 2020, more than $50 billion of credit was being given to the poor – this time, by giant global banks, … Continue reading Microfinance: What went wrong?

thomasbpotterApril 28, 2023Leave a comment

Development, Middle East and Africa

Nigeria’s Reliance on Oil

The idea of universally accessible electricity and safe public infrastructure – in the likes of roads – has become widely regarded as basic and expected in the west. However, in Nigeria, blackouts and unsuitable roads have become regular encounters. It is now ranked as amongst the bottom 20 nations via the Global Peace Index; crime rates have reached some of the highest levels in the … Continue reading Nigeria’s Reliance on Oil

bamisayetApril 28, 2023Leave a comment

China, Development

The holes in the road – has China’s Belt and Road initiative been too ambitious?

Over the past ten years, the world has witnessed the staggering growth of China from a developing nation to the worlds second largest economy by GDP. One of its most notable projects is its infamous Belt and Road initiative. This has led China to become the biggest creditor in the world, larger today than the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World bank, driving billions of dollars of … Continue reading The holes in the road – has China’s Belt and Road initiative been too ambitious?

phillipsb5April 28, 2023Leave a comment

Asia, Development, Environment

The Lost Snow Leopards: Seven Steps to Rejuvenate Central Asian Economies

Central Asia (made up of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) has historically been a dominant player on the world’s economic stage. Its role as the heart of the legendary Silk Road (the main land corridor between Europe and Asia) and the USSR’s mining powerhouse in the 20th century rightfully earned these countries the nickname ‘the Snow Leopards’. However, the USSR’s collapse in 1991 has left the region at risk of … Continue reading The Lost Snow Leopards: Seven Steps to Rejuvenate Central Asian Economies

Sean TanApril 28, 2023April 28, 2023Leave a comment

Chart of the Month, Europe, UK, US

Chart of the Month – April 2023

April’s chart shows that inflation in the UK is lasting longer and staying higher than much of the OECD. We can see that, while inflation dropped 0.3% in the UK in March, inflation fell by 1.6% in the Eurozone; in the US, it peaked last June. Food inflation remains at 19%; energy inflation at 67%. Why is the UK struggling to take the wind out … Continue reading Chart of the Month – April 2023

thomasbpotterApril 28, 2023May 18, 2023Leave a comment

Chart of the Month, Europe, UK

Chart of the Month – March 2023

March’s Chart of the Month displays the percentage differences in tertiary education, participation in the workforce, and average wages, between women and men in the UK. It highlights the gender disparities that still exist within the labour market. For instance, in 2020 average wages for female workers were 15% lower than for men, yet they were 5% more likely to be in tertiary education. Over … Continue reading Chart of the Month – March 2023

Zihan TianMarch 31, 2023April 28, 2023Leave a comment

Asia, Development

India’s rapid population rise: A blessing or a curse?

The world’s population surpassed 8 billion in November 2022. India and China are currently the two most populous countries, with 1.408 billion and 1.412 billion citizens, respectively. In April 2023, India is expected to overtake China to become the most populated country in the world. This rapid population growth will, no doubt, have numerous impacts on India and the rest of the world, but will … Continue reading India’s rapid population rise: A blessing or a curse?

akshatjakotiahMarch 16, 2023March 27, 2023Leave a comment

Chart of the Month, UK

Chart of the Month – February 2023

Strikes in the UK are at a record high. February’s Chart of the Month examines the causes behind this unparalleled increase of discontent in wages and its implications on the UK’s economic recovery. In the last 10 years, there have been two spikes in working days lost to strikes. Over several days in July 2014, millions of people took part in protests, including teachers, firefighters, … Continue reading Chart of the Month – February 2023

Zihan TianMarch 6, 2023April 11, 2023Leave a comment

Development, Environment, International

Tourism and Development: the path less travelled

Recent decades have seen an unprecedented amount of economic development as ’emerging nations’ have sought to raise incomes per capita and reduce levels of absolute poverty. Their economies have grown, and citizens have experienced an improvement in their overall standard of living. Developing countries share some characteristics such as lower growth, lower standards of living, worse education, and lower life-spans, when compared to developed countries. Many … Continue reading Tourism and Development: the path less travelled

Zihan TianMarch 6, 2023March 27, 2023Leave a comment