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Uganda is a major net recipient of remittances, with inflows contributing approximately 4% to its GDP in 2016. While mobile money has expanded access, the sector faces significant hurdles, including high costs for transfers from developed countries, an oligopolistic mobile money market, and restrictive KYC requirements that exclude approximately 16% of adults without national IDs. Infrastructure gaps in rural areas—specifically poor roads and low electrification—further hinder the expansion of formal services. The report highlights the disruptive potential of the 2018 mobile money tax and recommends mandating interoperability, adopting a risk-based approach to AML/CFT, and transitioning from interim guidelines to a formal e-money law.

At its 21st meeting in October 2018, the GCF Board approved 19 new projects and programmes totaling USD 1.04 billion in GCF investment to support over USD 4 billion in climate action across more than 50 countries. The Board also accredited 16 new entities, appointed the World Bank as the Fund's Trustee, and launched the process for the GCF's first formal replenishment to be concluded by October 2019. Governance updates included the establishment of a Performance Oversight Committee and the appointment of Javier Manzanares as Executive Director ad interim.

The document examines how host governments can stimulate direct local employment in mining to drive socioeconomic growth and maintain a social licence to operate. It outlines a five-step process for developing local employment policies: assessing the sector's role in national development, evaluating labour supply and demand, setting goals, formulating policies, and monitoring outcomes. The report categorizes interventions into regulatory 'stick' policies—such as employment quotas, mandated training, and visa restrictions—and facilitative 'carrot' policies, including bidding preferences, fiscal incentives, and support for training facilities. It emphasizes the need for context-specific strategies that address gender inequality and the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples, while warning that automation and technological trends may shift future workforce requirements.

The report analyzes local content policies (LCPs) used by mineral-rich nations to increase the use of domestic labor, goods, and services in the mining sector. It details various policy instruments—ranging from mandatory quotas and ownership requirements to government incentives and voluntary business initiatives—and examines their practical application in countries such as Norway, Chile, Ghana, and Brazil. The document argues that LCPs often fail when implemented as blanket provisions without clear objectives or sufficient industrial capacity. It identifies critical prerequisites for success, including institutional readiness, a favorable business climate, and a long-term vision that transcends political cycles. The report concludes that effective LCPs require a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures, robust monitoring through key performance indicators, and strong partnerships between governments, mining firms, and local suppliers to ensure sustainable economic diversification.

The document highlights that rural electrification often fails when supply is expanded without addressing the barriers to end-use demand, such as high equipment costs and lack of financing. It provides evidence from historical US programs and modern sub-Saharan African minigrids to show that stimulating productive use improves system capacity utilization and financial viability. The authors recommend that development partners implement financing mechanisms, support the private sector in equipment sales, and update national policies to include end-use targets.

The paper examines the role of women in the renewable energy sectors of Rwanda and South Africa, highlighting a systemic disconnect between gender-equality policies and their practical implementation in large-scale infrastructure projects. In Rwanda, while national gender strategies are strong, private sector integration remains low. In South Africa, the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme is praised for its structure but lacks specific gender-based targets and monitoring. Key barriers identified across both contexts include limited access to STEM education for women, a lack of gender-responsive financing for women-owned businesses, and a 'tick-box' approach to gender targets by developers. The document proposes a three-tier toolkit focusing on political mandates, financial mechanisms, and educational pipelines to foster a more inclusive energy value chain.

The paper examines how African countries attempt to move beyond the export of raw minerals through resource-based industrialisation, specifically focusing on the role of Chinese investment. It analyzes tools such as export restrictions, local content requirements, and fiscal policies, concluding that these measures often fail due to inadequate infrastructure, energy shortages, and a lack of human capital. The author argues for a shift toward 'product space diversification'—developing capabilities that allow for a broader variety of exports—rather than focusing solely on downstream mineral processing (beneficiation).

The author contends that Africa's high fertility rates, particularly in countries like Tanzania, hinder economic growth by maintaining a high ratio of dependents to working-age people. By comparing Africa to the 'Asian Tiger' economies and the US, the text illustrates how a higher ratio of working-age persons per dependent drives income growth. The document suggests that improving water, sanitation, education, and contraceptive access could lead to a significantly larger economy and the elimination of poverty by 2063.

JUMEME is deploying a solar mini-grid model in Tanzania that combines electricity provision with local business development, specifically through its 'KeyMaker Model' which leverages local resources like tilapia fishing to create sustainable revenue streams. Following a successful pilot on Ukara Island, the company is expanding to 11 mini-grids by the end of 2018, with long-term goals of 300 mini-grids serving one million people.

The Green Aggregation Tech Enterprise (GATE) is a proposed guarantee facility designed to mitigate demand and payment risks for mini-grids in Sub-Saharan Africa. By guaranteeing a baseline level of revenue, GATE aims to transform mini-grids into a bankable asset class, shifting their financing from donor grants to private debt. The instrument will be piloted in Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, and the DRC, with a phased implementation pathway moving from a proof-of-concept (2018-2019) to full commercialization by 2028-2030. Financial modelling suggests that at scale, GATE can be sustainable and catalytic, potentially mobilizing US$ 1.725 billion in private investment by 2030 and providing electricity to millions of households and businesses.

The Smallholder Forestry Vehicle (SFV) is a proposed financial instrument designed to scale smallholder forestry in Africa by aggregating tree production contracts into a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). By separating the high-risk establishment and harvest phases from the lower-risk growth phase, the SFV aims to lower the cost of capital and attract institutional investors. A proof-of-concept facility targeting US$ 35 million in coastal Kenya is proposed to restore 5,000 hectares of degraded land and provide climate-resilient savings to over 16,000 households. The analysis suggests that with concessional debt and first-loss equity, the vehicle can achieve a gross internal rate of return (IRR) of 11.1%. Long-term goals include expanding into Greater East Africa and mobilizing up to US$ 8.5 billion in initial investment to meet regional land restoration targets.

The Smallholder Forestry Vehicle is a proposed financial instrument designed to enable forestry companies in Africa to access long-term, low-cost finance by aggregating smallholder tree production contracts into a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). By separating the high-risk establishment and harvest phases from the lower-risk growth phase, the vehicle aims to attract institutional investors, including pension funds and impact investors. A proof-of-concept facility targeting US$ 35 million in coastal Kenya is proposed to demonstrate risk-adjusted returns and climate resilience benefits, such as land restoration and diversified income for farmers. The analysis suggests that the instrument can leverage significant private capital and be replicated across other East African nations to meet land restoration targets.

The document argues that empowering women in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) requires a holistic approach combining economic, social, technical, and political interventions. Key recommendations include literacy and awareness campaigns to challenge traditional norms, technical and leadership training to reduce dependency on men, and the provision of gender-sensitive financial services and equipment. It emphasizes the need for legislative reforms, such as mandatory gender-impact assessments within environmental impact assessments, and the promotion of women-led cooperatives and associations to improve market access and governance.

The report examines the economic landscape of SADC, noting a decline in intra-regional trade and investment since 2013 and a persistent overdependence on primary commodities. It identifies key barriers to integration, including non-tariff barriers, infrastructure gaps in energy and transport, and a lack of policy harmonisation. While the report highlights the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), it argues that sustainable growth requires a shift toward regional sector complementarity and the creation of regional value chains (RVCs) to reduce vulnerability to global commodity price shocks.

The report argues that most low- and lower-middle-income African states are decades away from a demographic dividend due to high youth dependency ratios and slow demographic transitions. While the global working-age to dependent ratio peaked in 2012, Africa's is forecast to peak shortly after 2070. The author suggests that aggressive roll-out of modern contraception, eliminating gender inequality in education, and improving basic infrastructure could advance this dividend. A modelled 'Demographic Dividend' scenario suggests that by 2063, Africa could have 418 million fewer people but a GDP in purchasing power terms US$1.7 trillion larger than under the current trajectory, significantly reducing extreme poverty and narrowing the income gap with the rest of the world.

The report evaluates Kenya's development prospects to 2040, highlighting a contrast between strong human capital (health and education) and a significant deficit in core infrastructure (water and sanitation). While Kenya is a regional leader in ICT and renewable energy, it faces challenges from a large youth bulge, corruption, and climate-driven food insecurity. The report presents three scenarios: 'Stuck in Traffic' (current path), 'Tuko Kazi' (positive interventions), and 'Bila Hopes' (stagnation and instability).

The document analyzes the ineffective responses to Burundi's political crisis, highlighting the lack of coordination between the UN, AU, and EAC. It identifies the Burundian government's intransigence and the institutional inexperience of regional bodies as primary obstacles. The author recommends a strategic overhaul that leverages comparative institutional strengths, improves evidence-based research, and ensures international access to the country to prevent mass atrocities.

The document outlines findings from a multi-year research project on FDI in SADC, highlighting that while FDI can catalyze regional trade and economic development, its success is heavily dependent on governance, policy certainty, and the transition from donor-led to private-sector-led investment. It examines the FDI regimes of South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Mozambique, and Tanzania, alongside specific analyses of the energy, transport, and agricultural sectors (specifically macadamia nuts and soybeans). The briefing concludes that regional value chains in SADC remain limited and that the primary barriers to deeper integration are trade facilitation and the lack of private sector opportunities rather than a lack of financing.

The document examines the increase in sovereign debt across Africa, specifically focusing on the role of Chinese financing and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It challenges the notion that China is 'trapping' African nations, noting that African governments actively seek these loans to address an annual infrastructure financing deficit of approximately $93 billion and to compensate for declining commodity prices. However, it highlights significant risks, including the opacity of loan terms, the potential for corruption, and the impact of debt servicing on public spending. The author recommends greater transparency from both China and African governments, and a stronger link between debt-funded projects and concrete local benefits.

The document outlines a four-step process for governments to leverage mining investments for national development: aligning with national objectives, taking stock of current capabilities, crafting specific policies, and establishing monitoring mechanisms. It details five types of local content policies: local procurement, direct employment, horizontal linkages (infrastructure and capabilities), downstream beneficiation, and the fostering of national mining firms. The guide emphasizes that policies must be context-specific, gender-equitable, and compliant with international trade and investment laws, while warning that automation may reduce future employment and procurement opportunities.