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World Bank Group: Can Resource-Financed Infrastructure Fix the Natural Resource Curse?

By Håvard Halland, John Beardsworth, Bryan Land, and James Schmidt How can resource-rich countries ensure that a sufficiently large share of oil, gas, and mining revenues are used for productive investment rather than excessive or wasteful consumption? “Resource-financed infrastructure” (RFI)

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Dr Rachid Yazami: A Battery-Powered Future

Dr Rachid Yazami almost single-handedly invented a global business now worth some $15bn annually. But, he’s not in it for the money. Rather, this Morocco-born scientist is motivated by the thrill of discovery. Dr Yazami has some seventy patents to

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New Report Identifies Major Clean-Tech Market Opportunity for Small Businesses in Developing Countries

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries can generate significant growth and create jobs by seizing a potential $1.6 trillion market opportunity in clean technology. Latin America and Africa are among the largest markets for SMEs in clean technology

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New UN Report Calls for Major Changes in Global Economic Governance, Management

Six years after the start of the global economic and financial crisis, the world economy has still not found a sustainable growth path, argues a new United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report released on September 10, 2014. 

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Otaviano Canuto, World Bank Group: Liquidity Glut, Infrastructure Finance Drought and Development Banks

The world economy faces huge infrastructure financing needs that are not being matched on the supply side. Emerging market economies, in particular, have had to deal with international long-term private debt financing options that are less supportive of infrastructure finance.

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World Bank Reaffirms Commitment to the People of Egypt and the Country’s Development Priorities

World Bank Regional Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, Inger Andersen, affirmed support to the people of Egypt and the country’s development priorities and underscored the Bank’s commitment to exploring new projects and scaling up existing ones. 

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Making Every Drop Count: Reducing Water Loss in the Middle East and North Africa Region

The problem of water loss has become an even greater challenge for public utilities throughout the Middle East and North Africa region due to climate change, which threatens natural water supplies and increases the cost of new waterresources. Malta, with

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Demand for Sustainable Developments Rises as UAE Residents Vote for a Greener Lifestyle

Emaar Community Management showcases latest initiatives at Cityscape Global Dubai, UAE, 1 September 2014: Emaar’s Community Management programme will be at the forefront of sustainable developments on show at Cityscape Global this month, as UAE residents reveal their desire to adopt

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From Lebanon to Brazil – Joseph Safra

A Global Presence The Safra family fortune – today expressed in billions of dollars – originated on the dusty tracks of the well-trodden camel route between Aleppo, Syria and Istanbul. At the dawn of the 20th century, Jacob E. Safra,

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Otaviano Canuto, World Bank Group: Commodity Super Cycle to Stick Around a Bit Longer

Some analysts have predicted that the commodity price boom has played itself out. However, natural resource-based commodity prices (with the exception of shale gas and its downward pressure on US natural gas prices) have remained relatively high over the last

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