Insights

South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) empowers developing nations to drive economic growth through shared innovations, capacity-building, and peer learning. This approach enhances trade, infrastructure, and technology exchange, promoting self-reliance and regional integration. As the Global South contributes over half of global growth, SSTC offers an inclusive model for sustainable development, complementing existing North-South cooperation. Increased South-South trade and multilateral development financing are critical for empowering countries to address development challenges effectively, facilitating the UN Sustainable Development Goals through innovative solutions and knowledge sharing.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa | ICT, Financial services, Education, Health
How economic development can be accomplished through South-South and Triangular Cooperation
The UK government aims to allocate up to £2 billion annually by 2028-29 for England's environmental land management scheme to support nature-friendly farming practices. This funding is intended to assist farmers in restoring ecosystems but contrasts sharply with cuts to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Defra will manage the initiative with fewer resources, raising concerns about its capacity to monitor compliance and effectiveness. Furthermore, an estimated £6 billion per year is needed to meet habitat restoration and net zero targets, indicating that the proposed funding falls significantly short. Additionally, investments in new technologies overshadow ecological initiatives, leaving significant gaps in biodiversity and local health benefits. Urban development plans lack measures for integrating nature-positive strategies, risking the loss of green spaces.
Nature-friendly farming budget swells in UK – but cuts elsewhere make recovery fraught
Manufacturing industries are facing significant challenges due to climate change, geopolitical tensions, and cyber threats, particularly affecting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that lack the resources to manage supply chain disruptions. Traditional supply chain finance methods have proven insufficient, focusing on short-term solutions without fostering systemic resilience. A new approach, known as programmatic supply chain finance, treats interconnected suppliers as integrated portfolios, promoting coordinated investment in technology, capacity, and workforce development. This strategy aims to build robust supply chains that enhance competitiveness, sustainability, and the ability to withstand shocks.
Education, Financial services
Strengthening manufacturing supply chains for a new industrial era
ASEAN is transforming global tensions into regional opportunities through strategic multi-alignment, moving beyond traditional non-alignment. The region is proactively cultivating multiple partnerships, resulting in increased trade with China, the US, and stable ties with the EU. ASEAN's projected growth of 4.6% in 2024 positions it as an economic bright spot amid global fragmentation, with significant foreign investment, particularly from Gulf sovereign funds. The region aims to establish itself as a hub for both digital and blue economies, enhancing its global negotiating power and attracting new investments.
Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Viet Nam | Health
Why ASEAN must transform global tensions into regional opportunities
Detecting dangerous AI is essential to maintain public trust in the wake of deepfake frauds, such as the $25.5 million theft from engineering firm Arup via sophisticated AI-generated impersonations. Deepfakes are evolving from political manipulation to targeted corporate attacks, with a staggering 1,740% increase in deepfake fraud cases in North America from 2022 to 2023. Current detection methods show significant deficiencies, with accuracy rates for automated systems or human identification remaining low. To combat these threats, organizations are adopting advanced multimodal detection systems and fostering a multi-layered resilience that integrates technology, policies, and human verification methods.
Financial services
Why detecting dangerous AI is key to keeping trust alive in the deepfake era
The aviation industry faces significant challenges in achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, primarily due to the high costs and limited availability of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). SAF can reduce carbon emissions by up to 80%, but its production currently meets only 0.7% of global jet fuel consumption. Costs are expected to remain two to three times higher than conventional jet fuel until 2030. Collaboration between industry and governments is crucial to enhance SAF production and create an investment-friendly environment, including potential levies on fossil fuels to support sustainable initiatives. Geopolitical issues further complicate supply and production stability.
The cost of sustainable aviation fuel: Can the industry clear this key hurdle?
Indonesia's nickel sector is thriving amidst rising global demand for EV battery materials, but it faces significant scrutiny regarding environmental and social impacts. Muchtazar, the sustainability head at Nickel Industries, emphasizes the need for responsible practices within mining, which has increasingly contributed to deforestation and pollution. He aims to weave sustainability into the company's operations and foster a culture where sustainability professionals can influence decision-making. Muchtazar's daily routine involves staying informed on ESG developments, engaging with colleagues across departments, and promoting Nickel Industries' commitment to reducing carbon intensity by 50% by 2035 and achieving net zero by 2050.
24 hours with... Nickel Industries sustainability head Muchtazar
Denmark assumed the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July amid significant challenges, including geopolitical tensions, climate emergencies, and social inequalities. The presidency is positioned to enhance EU unity, focusing on security and defence, particularly in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Denmark aims to bolster EU-NATO collaboration, promote defence investments, and drive technological advancements. Additionally, the presidency will prioritize the green transition to ensure economic resilience. Danish leadership seeks to reinforce public trust in the EU by demonstrating the union's capacity to effectively address crises and support shared democratic values.
Denmark
The symbolism of Denmark’s EU presidency
At least 2.6 billion people lack internet access, highlighting a significant digital divide. Deemah AlYahya, head of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), emphasizes the importance of digital inclusion for equitable economic growth. The DCO aims to remove barriers, especially for women, youth, and underserved communities, through initiatives like WE-Elevate, which supports women-led businesses. They track progress with tools like the Digital Economy Navigator. Challenges include varying levels of digital development and regulatory differences among countries. The organization stresses the necessity of cooperation to ensure equitable benefits from AI advancements.
Education, ICT
Q&A: Offline and left out – digital divide excludes billions
Missions, inspired by the work of Mariana Mazzucato, aim to guide government-led economic growth and address social issues like climate change through innovative orchestration rather than top-down planning. Popular among various governments, including the EU and South Korea, they face challenges in implementation, particularly in the UK, where critics suggest the government is merely using the term without genuine commitment. Despite their potential benefits, uncertainty remains regarding their effectiveness and integration into policy. The article suggests examining the obstacles to strengthen missions as Labour progresses into its second year.
Why are
Indonesia requires integrated reforms to diversify its economy and address social and regional disparities to achieve high-income status by 2045. Recent progress includes significant infrastructure improvements and rising incomes; however, challenges such as income inequality, climate risks, and labor market informality persist. To meet the goals of Golden Indonesia 2045, Indonesia must focus on economic diversification, enhancing social inclusion, prioritizing a green transition, and strengthening international partnerships and regional integration.
India, Indonesia, Kenya | ICT
Development Miracle or Middle-Income Trap? How Indonesia Can Accelerate Progress Toward Golden Indonesia 2045
Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) poses risks that must be understood and addressed to promote social good. Red Teaming is introduced as a practical tool for assessing AI systems, particularly in identifying stereotypes, biases, and potential harms. The UNESCO Report highlights examples of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) linked to Gen AI and offers recommendations for mitigation. It emphasizes that organizations can employ structured exercises in Red Teaming to evaluate and challenge the impacts of Gen AI, facilitating evidence-based advocacy for equitable AI practices.
Red Teaming Artificial Intelligence for Social Good
The convergence of wearable technologies and social sentiment analysis enables the development of proactive consumer and patient engagement strategies through integrated AI systems. This approach utilizes continuous data streams from wearables combined with behavioral insights from social media, facilitating hyper-personalized experiences and predictive health alerts. The framework incorporates machine learning, natural language processing, and real-time analytics to enhance engagement while addressing ethical and privacy concerns. Case studies across healthcare, retail, and public health demonstrate significant improvements in satisfaction, retention, and health outcomes, marking a shift towards anticipatory engagement ecosystems.
Harnessing Wearable Data and Social Sentiment: Designing Proactive Consumer and Patient EngagementStrategies through Integrated AI Systems
The increasing importance of data is recognized globally, reflected in numerous regulatory acts like the EU's Data Strategy and the African Union's Data Policy Framework. Data processing significantly impacts economies and society, essential for modern research and addressing global challenges such as climate change. The Global Data Law Conference Series gathered legal scholars to discuss diverse regulatory approaches, aiming to critically assess current data laws and explore future issues like effective data sharing, localization requirements, and international regulation. The proceedings emphasize a constructive and forward-looking perspective on global data governance.
ICT
Comparative Data Law
China is harnessing data from its 1.1 billion internet users and extensive surveillance systems to drive economic and national security initiatives. The government views data as a critical production factor, with President Xi Jinping emphasizing its revolutionary impact on global competition. Recent policies include assessing state-owned data as assets and mandating data sharing across government levels. A forthcoming digital ID system will centralize online activity data, potentially enabling state oversight. China's aim is to establish a vast national data network that enhances AI training and supports new businesses, diverging significantly from Western data norms.
Denmark, India, Taiwan, China | Financial services, ICT
China is building an entire empire on data
Tech companies have recently achieved significant victories in the copyright disputes regarding the use of copyrighted materials for AI training. A US judge ruled that Anthropic's utilization of books to develop its AI system did not violate copyright law. Similarly, Meta's case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence of market dilution. Meanwhile, writers have filed a lawsuit against Microsoft for copyright infringement related to its Megatron text generator. Additionally, ongoing legal battles involve major corporations like Disney and NBCUniversal against Midjourney, as well as lawsuits from prominent record labels against music generator companies. These cases reflect differing fair-use analyses based on the type of media involved.
AI companies start winning the copyright fight
Reliable international data is crucial for preventing conflict, combating poverty, and fostering global cooperation. Current challenges include a staffing shortfall at the UN Statistics Division and the rise of disinformation, particularly on social media, which undermines public trust and evidence-based policymaking. Governments are struggling to standardize and share their data, risking the integrity of decision-making, especially in developing nations like Ethiopia. The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of strong data systems for crisis response. A global Trusted Data Observatory is proposed to improve access to trustworthy data while respecting national sovereignty.
Financial services, Health
Bad data leads to bad policy
The book "Money, Power and AI" explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making (ADM) within financial firms and governments. Experts analyze how these technologies generate profits and power, revealing the mechanisms and motivations behind their deployment. The contributors, including lawyers and social scientists, advocate for new regulatory frameworks to mitigate the potential harms associated with AI and ADM, emphasizing the need for increased scrutiny and accountability of those who utilize these technologies.
Money, Power and AI
A study published in Nature Aging suggests that chronic low-level inflammation, or "inflammaging," may not universally increase with age as previously believed. Researchers compared inflammatory patterns in older adults from industrialized nations (Italy and Singapore) with Indigenous groups (Tsimane and Orang Asli) living traditional lifestyles. While inflammaging was evident in the industrialized groups, the Indigenous populations exhibited no consistent increase in inflammation with age and demonstrated very low rates of age-related diseases, despite higher inflammation levels in some cases. This indicates that lifestyle factors, including diet, activity levels, and infection exposure, might play a crucial role in inflammation and aging.
Ageing isn’t the same everywhere – why inflammation may be a lifestyle problem
Society must adapt to the increasing global life expectancy, projected to exceed 77 years by 2050, to harness the potential for greater prosperity. However, the gap between life expectancy and healthy living is widening, leading to rising healthcare costs and financial strain during long retirements. The interconnected challenges of health, wealth, and work create a systemic risk to long-term prosperity. Solutions include prioritizing healthspan over lifespan through preventative measures, integrating older workers into the economy, and redesigning financial systems to support prolonged retirement periods, creating a resilient framework for an aging population.
Education, Health, Financial services
Why society must adapt to our longer lives

Forum Spaces

© 2026 All rights reserved
Privacy Policy & Terms of Service