Value Chains

Reimagining the Future of Entrepreneurship Support in East Africa: 25 Solutions that Could Change the Game

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(tl;dr) East Africa’s startup scene is booming – but many incubators and accelerators are stuck in a cycle of donor dependence, generic programmes and weak investor trust. A new William Davidson Institute study maps these system failures and, more importantly, presents 25 concrete solutions: from revenue-generating “acceleration as a service” and sector‑specific support, to venture … Read more

Germany’s BMZ Launches Ambitious Action Plan for Stronger Economic Partnerships

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Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has unveiled a new action plan, “Strong Partnerships for a Successful Economy Worldwide”, marking a major shift in the country’s development cooperation strategy. This plan, introduced by Federal Minister Alabali Radovan, aims to forge deeper ties between German businesses and development policy, blending commercial opportunities with … Read more

EU Aid for Trade to Least Developed Countries: Critical Shortfalls, Missed Targets, and the Road to Reform

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(tl:dr) EU aid for trade to least developed countries (LDCs) remains a critical aspect of the bloc’s development cooperation, aiming to address barriers to trade, foster economic growth, and contribute to poverty reduction. However, European Court of Auditors Special Report 17/2025 delivers a sobering assessment: needs are recognized and support is being delivered, but EU … Read more

Bioeconomy: Charting a Course Between Climate Action and Sustainable Development

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As a Policy Advisor, it was a privilege to reflect on the vital discussions held at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference on June 3, 2025. This round table, expertly moderated by Melina Walling of the Associated Press, brought together a distinguished panel of experts – Jukka Kantola, Roberto Jaguaribe Gomes de Matos, Éliane Ubalijoro, Rosalie Matondo, … Read more

Unlocking entrepreneurship opportunities for youth could lower unemployment and bring social benefits

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WYR2020

UN report finds youth social entrepreneurship can create jobs and help the most underserved communities The World Youth Report: Youth Social Entrepreneurship and the 2030 Agenda seeks to contribute to the understanding of how youth social entrepreneurship can both support youth development and help accelerate the implementation of the SDGs. To do so, the Report first synthesizes … Read more

Global Value Chains have spurred growth but momentum is flagging

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Global value chains (GVCs) powered the surge of international trade after 1990 and now account for almost half of all trade. This shift enabled an unprecedented economic convergence: poor countries grew rapidly and began to catch up with richer countries. Since the 2008 global financial crisis, however, the growth of trade has been sluggish and … Read more

OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector

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The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector helps enterprises implement the due diligence recommendations contained in the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises along the garment and footwear supply chain in order to avoid and address the potential negative impacts of their activities and supply chains. It supports … Read more

The European External Investment Plan to boost jobs and growth in developing countries

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EU External Investment Plan

The European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD) is the heart piece of the EU’s new External Investment Plan (EIP). Its role is to help boosting private and public investment in our partner countries to address some of the obstacles to growth and some root reasons for irregular migration. The EFSD Strategic Board includes the EU … Read more

Evaluating the training on the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET)

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ECOWAS

The ECOWAS Commission received support for the training in 2014 from the West African Trade Integration Promotion, (WATIP) which is implemented by GIZ. Part of the evaluation will provide suggestions for future training. The evaluation is being conducted by an expert team of Saana Consulting and African Trade and Sustainable Development (AFTSD). The GIZ Support … Read more

EU supports the Caribbean private sector

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Carribbean outlet

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and the European Union (EU) have signed the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) agreement worth EUR 24 Million to support regional private sector development. At the 11th EDF launch and signing ceremony, held yesterday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Barbados, Head of Delegation of the EU to … Read more

Weitzenegger joins SEEDwork Sustainable Economic Development and Employment

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Karsten Weitzenegger is an Associate of SEEDwork, the expert association for sustainable economic development and employment. Please visit my profile at http://www.seedwork.net/profile/karsten-weitzenegger SEEDwork is a registered non-profit association composed of professionals with long-standing experience in technical and financial development cooperation. The purpose of the association is the promotion of societal and economic development in developing … Read more

Standardisation should focus more on innovation

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EU standardisation policy should focus more on product innovation and competitiveness, the European commission argued on Tuesday in a new policy paper. Standards and technical harmonisation can help speed-up the uptake of environmental technologies and liberalise trade in rapidly-growing markets, it said. The commission’s policy paper outlines actions for a more market-led standardisation policy. Current … Read more