In the global context of the COVID-19 pandemic, new consumer trends and digitization are reshaping markets and firms. Several high-potential economic sectors in Moldova have an opportunity to pivot their recovery and emerge from the pandemic stronger and more successful than before. The Moldova Future Technologies Activity (FTA), funded by USAID and Sweden continues the…
These briefs serve as a reference point for development practitioners interested in leveraging blended finance approaches in project design and delivery and improving the quality of engagement with the private sector. They include a primer that provides a targeted, high-level overview of blended finance mechanisms to contextualize the sector-specific technical briefs. The briefs also articulate…
Since the end of its civil war, Lebanon has shown incredible resilience through recent events such as the Arab Spring and the Syrian armed conflict, which resulted in an influx of refugees and significant shifts in agricultural trading. The ongoing impact of the Beirut blast and the pandemic have only furthered the country’s extreme political…
The USAID Durable Communities and Economic Opportunities (DCEO) activity addresses the conflict’s underlying drivers by building Iraq’s local communities’ resilience. Under the Business Competitiveness and Job Creation Initiative (BCJCI) and 100 Solutions for Stability Task Orders, DCEO bolsters community members’ ability to advocate for the changes their communities need and supports private sector networks to…
In frontier and conflict markets, identifying promising businesses and supporting their development is critical for creating jobs in an environment of inclusive growth. USAID’s Investment Facilitation Activity in the DRC (USAID Invest) is a five-year program that aims to foster private investments into the DRC. By cultivating a pipeline of high-potential businesses across sectors, with…
In Tunisia, high unemployment — particularly among college-educated youth — has been an ongoing source of sociopolitical tension and has left some Tunisian youth more susceptible to recruitment by extremist political groups. This is especially true in Tunisia’s rural regions, which are economically disadvantaged. For Tunisia to succeed politically and economically, it must focus on…
Uzbekistan’s agriculture sector has embraced diversification, unlocking new markets for its goods. But challenges to stronger agricultural market systems remain, including inconsistency in post-production, a lack of participation by women and youth, and limited educational and policy reforms. The USAID Agribusiness Development Activity tackles these challenges to boost private sector-led growth in Uzbekistan’s agriculture sector.…
In Ukraine, enabling environment reforms and agriculture sector gains are vital for economic growth. Particularly in eastern and southern Ukraine, there is an economic decline of industry, and isolated rural communities have limited access to markets throughout the rest of Ukraine and Europe. The USAID Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities (AGRO) activity cultivates national and grassroots…
Emerging economies such as Colombia, Philippines, and South Africa offer sophisticated financial sectors that historically failed to reach marginalized groups. In Colombia specifically, this left rural areas largely unbanked and excluded from the broader economy, after decades of war. In four years, USAID/Colombia’s Rural Finance Initiative (RFI) — implemented by Chemonics — has linked more…
In the Philippines, economic progress is constrained by weak competitiveness and non-inclusive growth. However, recent high-level economic reform directives, like the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program and the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, present opportunities to transform the country’s economic trajectory. The USAID Delivering Effective Government for Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth (DELIVER) project promotes economic competitiveness…
Rapid urbanization in developing countries is shifting demand for agricultural goods. Meanwhile, the digitization of value chains is generating more transparent information on the pricing and movement of goods. These changes within food systems open windows of opportunity for agripreneurship — that is, entrepreneurship in the agriculture sector — both on the farm and beyond…
Political developments since the Maidan “Revolution of Dignity” give Ukraine the opportunity to create an open and competitive economy that can sustain growth over time, withstand systemic shocks, and provide economic opportunities to all Ukrainians. The USAID Competitive Economy Program (CEP) promotes a strong, diverse, and open economy by enhancing the business environment for small…