Insights

Inclusive education in Mongolia aims to strengthen educational cultures, policies, and practices to ensure all children feel accepted and valued. Key to this initiative is fostering an inclusive culture that supports children with disabilities in transitioning from segregated to mainstream schools. Raising awareness among teachers and parents is vital for facilitating this transition and realizing the right to inclusive education.
Bangladesh, Mongolia | Education
Advancing Inclusive Education in Mongolia: Opportunities and Challenges
Fintech has the potential to significantly transform financial services in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program countries by driving economic growth, enhancing financial inclusion, and facilitating cross-border trade. A coordinated regional approach is advocated to support innovation through measures like open banking and digital payments, which are crucial for e-commerce. The report emphasizes the role of regulatory sandboxes in developing new fintech products and stresses the importance of fostering local fintech ecosystems for consumer protection and economic resilience.
Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan | Financial services
Unlocking the Potential of Fintech in Central Asia
Hannah Arendt's "The Origins of Totalitarianism" offers critical insights into contemporary far-right populism. Arendt argues that totalitarianism seeks to reshape individuals by eradicating human variability and isolating them, thus extinguishing personhood. Political crises often stem from seemingly trivial developments, as seen with the rise of antisemitism and the normalization of anti-immigrant rhetoric. This shift reflects a broader movement away from common sense towards paranoid ideological fantasies appealing to marginalized individuals. Arendt warns against interpreting new political trends with outdated frameworks, highlighting the risks of failing to recognize evolving threats to democracy.
How Hannah Arendt can help us understand this new age of far-right populism
The UK economy has faced prolonged underperformance, reviving concerns about its status as the "sick man of Europe." Historically, the "British disease" denoted low investment, productivity, and growth, particularly from the 1950s to the 1970s. Despite past remedies like increased competition from EU membership, current challenges persist with plummeting GDP growth, from an average of 2.34% per year pre-2008 to just 0.46% post-crisis. Brexit has further reduced GDP by 6-8%. Urgent reforms are necessary, especially in education and energy costs, to address the ongoing productivity puzzle and avoid deindustrialization.
Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Poland, United Kingdom | Health
Whether it’s a ‘productivity puzzle’ or the ‘British disease’, the UK economy has been underperforming for decades
Consider a progressive consumption tax where taxation is based on spending rather than income. This approach encourages savings during high-earning years, potentially leading to increased productivity and wages over time, benefiting lower-income households who rely on earnings. Research suggests that transitioning from an income to a consumption tax could enhance living standards by roughly 10% without significantly increasing regressive impacts. Integrating concepts like income averaging can reflect true lifetime consumption patterns, maintaining tax administration through existing social security records while reducing penalties for higher earnings.
Financial services
What if we taxed what people spend, not what they earn?
Highlighting the most popular posts of 2025 as we approach 2026, the top articles include: 1. Robert H. Wade's analysis on the future of the IMF amidst Donald Trump's presidency and America's disengagement. 2. An interview with Brian Klaas discussing Trump's impact on democracy in the U.S. and globally. 3. Ronnie Das critiques the UK's new mandatory digital ID scheme, warning it overlooks EU lessons. 4. A report by Fernando Casal Bértoa and José Javier Olivas Osuna on Spain's declining democracy under Pedro Sánchez. 5. Marina Cino Pagliarello examines Giorgia Meloni's leadership in Italy, balancing nationalism with pragmatism.
Financial services
Our most popular posts of 2025
President Trump’s budget cuts to climate and weather research institutions are deemed a significant disservice to both Americans and global communities reliant on climate data. Experts, including Columbia University’s Jeffrey Sachs, warn that these cuts may hinder critical research necessary for adapting to increasing extreme weather events. These changes threaten the National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), vital for providing weather modeling and data support to various sectors. Sachs also emphasizes the potential for China to enhance its climate diplomacy, suggesting the establishment of a United Nations campus in China focused on energy transformation and global sustainable development.
Trump’s funding cuts for climate agencies ‘a huge disservice’ to Americans and the world, expert warns
The 2025 update of the GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) by the World Bank reviews digital transformation in the public sector across 197 economies. It assesses four areas: Core Government Systems (CGSI), Online Public Service Delivery (PSDI), Digital Citizen Engagement (DCEI), and GovTech Enablers (GTEI), utilizing 48 indicators. The findings reveal progress since 2022 but highlight growing disparities between high- and low-income economies. Advances are noted in core systems and service delivery, while digital citizen engagement lags. The report calls for enhanced interoperability, sustainability of online services, and targeted support for low-income regions.
Albania, Algeria, Angola, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Cambodia, Chad, Chile, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Zambia, Zimbabwe | Financial services, Health, ICT, Education
GovTech Maturity Index 2025 : Tracking Public Sector Digital Transformation Worldwide
Trust in public institutions and the value of truth is declining, leading to a crisis of truth in democracy. While truth has traditionally been associated with democracy, this focus can conflict with other democratic values, contributing to societal alienation and supporting populist movements. Experts must remain accountable in their pursuit of truth, but true democratic life requires more than facts; it necessitates subjective understanding and cultural constructs. Emphasizing truth over meaning fosters disconnection, suggesting that a balance between the two is essential for building a more cohesive and resilient society.
Is democracy always about truth? Why we may need to loosen our views to heal our divisions
AI-driven personalization in advertising is rapidly evolving, exemplified by OpenAI's ChatGPT, which enhances consumer engagement through tailored recommendations and automated shopping assistance. Features like ChatGPT Atlas and "instant checkout" aim to streamline purchases within the platform. However, despite its growth, only a small portion of searches are shopping-related, prompting exploration of integrated advertising models. While consumers appreciate personalized suggestions, many desire autonomy in their purchasing decisions, leading to concerns around intrusive retargeting. The future may see closer similarities between Western and Eastern platforms, potentially blurring the lines between content and advertising, raising ethical concerns about transparency and user vulnerability.
How ChatGPT could change the face of advertising, without you even knowing about it
Across wealthy Western societies, public confidence in a better future is declining, with many believing that their descendants will face worse conditions than current generations. This shift marks a waning belief in progress as an inevitable historical force, a concept rooted in Western thought. Historical and philosophical traditions have long grappled with this tension between hopeful progress and looming decline. Contemporary surveys, including those from Denmark and Pew Research Center, reveal widespread pessimism about economic and social futures, reflecting anxieties over climate change, technological disruption, demographic shifts, and cultural uncertainty. This suggests a broader cultural era marked by doubt about ongoing progress and stability.
Africa, Latin America | Financial services
Faith in Progress Has Lost its Footing
The publication outlines a policy assessment and action plan aimed at enhancing Thailand's sustainable, low-carbon transport sector from 2025 to 2035. It reviews the current e-mobility landscape, identifies gaps and opportunities, and benchmarks against global progress. The plan includes recommendations for policy and infrastructure improvements, linking these to investments to mobilize private capital, enhance coordination, and create new business opportunities in the regional e-mobility market. It was collaboratively developed with the Ministry of Transport and other organizations.
Thailand
Accelerating Thailand’s E-Mobility Transition: Policy Assessment and Action Plan 2025–2035
Early childhood development is crucial for lifelong health and learning, yet millions of children in Asia remain unmeasured in data systems, resulting in their invisibility in policy and funding. Despite significant brain development occurring before age five, early developmental indicators are often absent from fiscal decision-making, largely due to fragmented data systems and the complexity of measuring developmental milestones. Current methods, such as UNICEF’s Early Childhood Development Index, are underutilized, leading to delayed interventions and a lack of support for vulnerable children. Some countries are beginning to enhance monitoring systems, recognizing the need for integrated approaches to early childhood development.
Cambodia, Ghana, Indonesia, Mongolia | Financial services, Health, Education
Measuring Little Lives: Building Asia’s Human Capital
Ecological myopia limits climate action by viewing climate change as a standalone issue rather than as part of broader Earth system disruptions. This narrow perspective prevents recognition of the links between climate, social, and economic policies, and obscures the urgent challenges posed by climate impacts, such as record heat and droughts in the Amazon. A political geoecological approach is proposed to address this myopia by integrating climate, economic, and social considerations, recognizing the interconnectedness of modern society with ecological systems. Rethinking these relationships is essential for effective climate policy and resilience, particularly as humanity's activities continue to destabilize the planet.
Nigeria | Financial services, Health
Ecological myopia: the blind spot holding back climate action
Data-first leadership integrates commercial judgment with data-driven insights to enhance decision-making and organizational value. Leaders must treat data as a strategic asset, adopt statistical reasoning in strategic discussions, and foster a culture of experimentation. Key action steps include mapping data flows, integrating data, software, and services, and using data to craft compelling narratives that align stakeholders. Understanding the historical context of innovation aids strategic investment in AI. Additionally, leaders should address employee concerns about AI, positioning it as an opportunity for growth rather than a threat.
Education
Data-First Leadership in the Age of AI
Investors are being urged to focus on resilient health opportunities resulting from the financial risks posed by climate change, which significantly impacts economic volatility through health effects. By 2050, climate-related health impacts may lead to $12.5 trillion in economic losses and increased healthcare costs, affecting productivity and stability across various sectors. Upcoming market expansions include telehealth and climate-resilient infrastructure, with projected substantial returns on investments in these areas. Catalysts such as technological advancements, policy support, and innovative financing structures are set to drive the growth of the resilient health market, promising benefits up to ten times the initial investment.
Africa | Financial services, Health
Resilient health: a new investment frontier
Companies that prioritize LGBTQ+ inclusion demonstrate enhanced sustainability outcomes. Research analyzing 898 U.S. firms from 2010-2023 reveals that inclusive workplaces foster innovation, leading to better environmental performance, such as reduced emissions and increased renewable energy use. The legalization of same-sex marriage positively influenced companies in supportive states, indicating that a broader culture of inclusion can drive sustainability. This finding underscores the importance for businesses to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) with environmental strategies, suggesting that a commitment to inclusion is a crucial factor for sustainable innovation.
LGBTQ+ inclusion can boost corporate sustainability
Vivian Sun, senior director at Jabil, highlights the company’s early adoption of AI to enhance manufacturing processes, focusing initially on quality control. Jabil utilized machine learning for color matching and computer vision to detect visual defects, improving inspection speed and allowing employees to focus on more engaging tasks without layoffs. Sun recommends starting small with AI projects centered on solving real business problems. She anticipates a future where AI agents function like digital coworkers, enhancing tasks and decision-making. Additionally, Jabil employs a combination of machine learning and generative AI for accurate international trade code assignment, demonstrating AI's ability to augment human intelligence, not replace it.
Education
Adopting AI: Starting Small While Thinking Big
AI is enhancing healthcare by improving efficiency, diagnostic accuracy, and patient access, but it is limited by classical computing in modeling complex molecular interactions. Quantum technologies are emerging to address these gaps, enabling advancements in drug discovery, diagnostics, and data security. Early implementations, such as quantum magnetocardiography at Mayo Clinic and collaborations between IBM and Moderna, illustrate their potential. While AI offers immediate improvements, quantum computing promises transformative breakthroughs, necessitating readiness from healthcare leaders to integrate both technologies effectively for optimal healthcare advancements.
Health, Education
Quantum vs AI in healthcare: How they differ and why leaders must prepare for convergence
Artificial intelligence (AI) requires substantial energy infrastructure, creating a new global energy challenge. As emerging economies drive urbanization and digital adoption, they face the risk of AI-related energy demands overshadowing their development needs. To support AI growth sustainably and securely, it is essential to expand energy sources, strengthen grids, and invest in infrastructure. Energy consumption is rising, particularly for data centers, which could nearly double by 2030. A pragmatic energy strategy should ensure security, affordability, and sustainability, especially for countries in the Global South to avoid leaving them behind in the digital era.
Africa, Latin America | Education
Powering the future: Why the AI revolution must be built on real energy security

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