THE GLOBE INVEST

At a recent conference on funding infrastructure in Africa held in London, a fellow speaker lamented the lack of solutions these events yielded. His observation was that the talking points and conclusions at these events always appear to be the same, but that solutions seem few and far between. I resolved to not only spend the next day at the conference cataloging the repetitive themes that afflict infrastructure in Africa, but also to try and think of some creative solutions. Corruption The first session highlighted a number of issues, but the most pugnacious point of view was expressed by an investor who felt that Africa’s biggest (if not only) problem with getting infrastructure funded on the continent is  corruption . Although corruption is widespread in African government functions, it affects the procurement of infrastructure disproportionately. Some sources estimate that the continent’s procurement contracts for infrastructure are inflated by 20%-30% by corrupt ...

auritius has no indigenous fossil-fuel energy reserves. What is the government’s strategy for ensuring that it keeps capacity ahead of demand? Mauritius is much concerned about energy security as it is heavily dependent on imported fuels. In its nationally determined contribution, the Government has committed to expand solar, wind and biomass energy production and other renewable energy sources and gradually shift towards the use of cleaner energy technologies, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), while modernising the grid. The target is to achieve 35% renewable energy by 2030. This strategy encompasses institutional strengthening, developing the necessary regulatory framework and encouraging investment in renewable energy. A Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) has been set up and is working on licensing of operators and is expected to encourage fair competition in the electricity sector and ensure the sustainability and viability of the utility services. How is the country pr...

The concept of artificial intelligence (AI) has been around for some time. Government organisations and big enterprises have been experimenting with this technology for decades.   The results have led to all kinds of solutions that make the world smarter and more efficient. However, AI’s mass implementation into the small-business sector is still relatively new. For entrepreneurs who aren’t specialised in areas like machine-learning and big data analytics, reading up on the  potential of AI  and how to incorporate it into everyday business practises can certainly be overwhelming. Yet, ignoring the AI trend is simply not an option for either new or veteran entrepreneurs. What's more, the skeptically mindset and overall resistance many of them have long had about and to new technology need to be left behind. Here are three mindsets entrepreneurs need to have about AI if they want to use it to improve their day-to-day operations: 1. AI can ...

Foreign investors are pouring more capital into Pakistani real estate as Chinese infrastructure investment improves the country’s accessibility   Rather than investing in the center of densely populated cities like Karachi, foreign investors are tending to create urban clusters in more peripheral locations The Pakistani property market has experienced growing interest in recent years, largely due to close international ties between China and Pakistan. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $62bn project to develop Pakistani infrastructure and energy.  With better access to cities across Pakistan, investors are seeing more opportunities to build on the land near these new developments. CPEC projects include the $2.8bn Peshawar-Karachi Motorway, set to open in August 2019, and the East Bay Expressway in Gwadar Port in the south, which is due to be completed later this year. Both will dramatically help to facil...

Inversiones Security is playing a leading role in the drive to tighten corporate governance and facilitate greater fiscal transparency in Chile’s burgeoning financial services sector Santiago, the capital of Chile. The South American country is renowned for its strong financial services sector and its market-orientated economy   Chile is ranked as a high-income economy by the World Bank and is considered to be South America’s most stable and prosperous nation. It leads Latin American nations in competitiveness, income per capita, economic freedom and low levels of perceived corruption. Although Chile has high economic inequality as measured by the Gini index, it is close to the regional mean. Chile has a market-oriented economy and a reputation for strong financial institutions. Its sound economic policy has given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America Chile has a market-oriented economy characterised by a high level of foreign trade and a reput...

The downside of China’s behemothian industrial capability is that it remains the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter. It is, however, now leading the way in green energy development Commercial buildings immersed in fog in Shanghai, China. Despite being the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gas, China is now leading the charge for green energy development   The Chinese economy has long been dominated by heavy industry, the export of manufactured goods and the development of infrastructure, all of which have significantly contributed to the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, China is the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases. It is therefore surprising that China is also the global leader in renewable energy development. China is in the process of a transformative re-orientation of its economy, with its focus shifting increasingly towards technology and a service-based economic model. Despite coal making up the largest part of China’s power cons...