The CGD Podcast
Center for Global Development
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International development experts share their ideas on how wealthy countries can promote prosperity in developing countries.
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Pandemic Proof: Reflecting on Media Coverage of COVID-19
Javier speaks with Natasha Loder from The Economist and John Burn-Murdoch from The Financial Times about keeping pace with the demand for information during the Covid-19 pandemic, confronting the flood of misinformation and disinformation, and lessons learned on reporting during health emergencies.
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Mar 2, 2023
Lagos to Mombasa: What Can Space Tech Do for Africa?
To kick off Season 2 of Lagos to Mombasa, Gyude reflects on the intricacies of climate change and development in Africa and explores how space-based technologies can help. Temidayo Oniosun of Space in Africa and Rose Croshier from CGD join Gyude to discuss the intersections of space technology with extreme weather events, agriculture and food security, and regional capacity and preparedness.
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Feb 23, 2023
Pandemic Proof: Making Sense of Medical Countermeasures
How can we ensure that medical countermeasures—such as diagnostics and vaccines—are ready to go at local, national, and global levels when the next pandemic emerges? Amanda Glassman speaks with Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall of Institut Pasteur of Dakar and Dr. Rachel Glennerster of the University of Chicago about lessons learned during COVID-19 and opportunities for future preparedness.
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Feb 22, 2023
CGD Podcast: Preparing for Nigeria’s Elections with Amaka Anku
When Nigerian voters head to the polls on Saturday to elect the country’s next president, all of Africa—and beyond—will be watching. CGD's Gyude Moore sits down with Amaka Anku, head of the Eurasia Group's Africa practice, to discuss the advantages and challenges of the leading candidates, the role of Nigeria’s substantial youth population, and what this election might mean not just for Nigeria and for Africa but for democracy itself.
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Jan 26, 2023
Pandemic Proof: Learning from Sweden on Superbugs
Malin Grape, Sweden’s Ambassador of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), joins Javier Guzman to discuss Sweden’s track record on AMR, the outlook and priorities for its EU presidency, and initial reflections on Sweden’s innovative program for purchasing antimicrobials.
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Dec 15, 2022
Pandemic Proof: Learning from COVID-19 in Taiwan
Dr. Yi-Chun Lo of Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control and National Taiwan University Hospital joins Javier Guzman to discuss Taiwan’s COVID-19 experience and broader pandemic preparedness and response efforts. Together, they discuss the lessons Taiwan learned from previous outbreaks like SARS, successes and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the Taiwan model could be applied in other settings to better prepare the world for the next health emergency.
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Dec 13, 2022
Lagos to Mombasa: What Did COP27 Mean for Africa?
In this bonus episode of Lagos to Mombasa, Gyude invites two experts who were on the ground in Sharm El Sheikh for COP27—the UN’s annual conference on climate—to report back with their observations and takeaways: Faten Aggad of the African Climate Foundation and Ian Mitchell of CGD. Together they discuss the trajectory of climate finance across Africa, including loss and damage payments to most-affected countries; the complexities of accounting for emissions and consumption levels; and what the next steps might look like for African policymakers and activists.
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Nov 17, 2022
Pandemic Proof: Understanding Public Health Surveillance
How does public heath surveillance work, and how can it be done better? Amanda Glassman tackles these questions with Dr. Oliver Morgan of the WHO and Dr. Theo Vos of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Together, they examine the successes and limitations of public health surveillance during COVID-19; the infrastructure, incentives, and investments needed to strengthen capacity; and ways to ensure higher quality and more representative tracking of existing and emerging disease threats.
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Oct 17, 2022
The Changing Development Paradigm with Rémy Rioux
CGD's Masood Ahmed speaks with Rémy Rioux of Agence Française de Développement about the fifth annual Development Leaders Conference, the perfect storm of crises facing development agencies, and how new ways of thinking and financing can help them achieve their goals.
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Oct 13, 2022
Pandemic Proof: Seeking Equity in the COVID-19 Response
On this episode of Pandemic Proof, Dr. Ayoade Alakija, the World Health Organization’s Special Envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) and co-chair of the African Union’s African Vaccine Delivery Alliance, joins Javier Guzman to discuss global cooperation during health emergencies. Together they reflect on the role of ACT-A in facilitating the development of and equitable access to medical countermeasures during the COVID-19 pandemic; highlight advantages and disadvantages of regional initiatives; and call for a truly representative global health system.
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Sep 15, 2022
Pandemic Proof: Learning from COVID-19 in Latin America
Countries in Latin America were hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. On this episode of Pandemic Proof, Amanda Glassman welcomes Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr., candidate for Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), to the podcast to discuss impacts and lessons learned. Together they reflect on the politicization of the public health response, the importance of health system surveillance, and the role of regional entities like PAHO and national regulatory agencies in vaccine regulation and rollout.
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Aug 25, 2022
Pandemic Proof: Evaluating the Monkeypox Response
Dr. Boghuma Titanji, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine, joins Javier Guzman to reflect on the ongoing monkeypox outbreak and response. Together they discuss the parallels between monkeypox and previous infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19; inequities in access to vaccines and treatments; and the role national, regional, and international entities must play in preparedness and response to avoid making the same mistakes when the next—inevitable—pandemic hits.
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Jul 28, 2022
Pandemic Proof: Making Preparedness a Priority
On this first episode of new CGD podcast series Pandemic Proof, co-hosts Amanda Glassman and Javier Guzman take stock of where things stand on the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss global priorities to strengthen capacity for pandemic preparedness and response. Victor Dzau, President of the National Academy of Medicine, then joins Amanda to discuss securing adequate investment and coordinating multilateral action to end the current pandemic and better prepare for and respond to the next infectious disease threat.
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Jul 20, 2022
Introducing: Pandemic Proof
Get ready for Pandemic Proof, a new podcast from the Center for Global Development. Hosted by CGD's Amanda Glassman and Javier Guzman and featuring guests from around the world, Pandemic Proof confronts weaknesses in the global architecture for pandemic preparedness and response and explores policies and reforms that can better protect our world in the future.
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Jun 14, 2022
A New Paradigm for Decision-making with Patience Marime-Ball and Ruth Shaber
CGD's Megan O'Donnell speaks with coauthors Patience Marime-Ball (Women of the World Endowment) and Ruth Shaber (Tara Health Foundation) about the data backing the economic benefits of gender inclusivity, the work that went into creating their new book, and their recommendations for unlocking higher returns and lower risk.
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Apr 1, 2022
Lagos to Mombasa: Recap and Reflections on Season 1
Gyude shares his takeaways from the first season, underlines the importance of elevating underrepresented ideas, and makes an announcement about Season 2.
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Mar 14, 2022
Health Insurance in India with Shankar Prinja
CGD's Javier Guzman speaks with the Indian National Health Authority's Shankar Prinja about the structure and benefits of the PMJAY insurance scheme, the challenges of large-scale programs, and the need for researchers and policymakers to work together to produce and make use of evidence on what works.
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Mar 10, 2022
Lagos to Mombasa: Was the AU-EU Summit a Success?
Malado Kaba of Falémé Conseil and Inge Kaul of the Hertie School join Gyude to discuss the commitments made at the long-awaited AU-EU summit, the ways in which the participants were portrayed, and whether issues beyond aid, such as research, innovation, and trade, got the attention they deserved.
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Dec 13, 2021
A History of USAID with John Norris and Wade Warren
CGD's Sarah Rose speaks with John Norris of the Gates Foundation and Wade Warren of Deloitte Consulting about Norris's new book on USAID, including USAID’s internal balancing act between development and geostrategic mandates, structural vs. sectoral initiatives, and the challenges USAID will face in its next decades.
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Dec 2, 2021
Lagos to Mombasa: What Does the Climate Crisis Mean for Africa?
Zainab Usman of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Olumide Abimbola of the Africa Policy Research Institute join Gyude to discuss the implications of the European Green Deal for Africa, the outcomes of COP26, and the impacts of the climate crisis on pandemic recovery.
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Nov 23, 2021
Inside the Development Leader's Conference with Carin Jämtin and Alexia Latortue
CGD's Masood Ahmed speaks with Sida's Carin Jämtin and MCC's Alexia Latortue about their takeaways from the 2021 Development Leaders Conference, including the tensions between national and global challenges, how development agency leaders can address them, and what these decisions might mean for agency mandates going forward.
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Nov 18, 2021
Lagos to Mombasa: How Can African Countries Increase Migration Opportunities for Skilled Youth?
Africa’s youth population is expected to hit one billion this year, and African countries are not on track to produce enough jobs. Dawit Dame of Ethiopia’s Jobs Creation Commission and Edwin Righa of the International Organization for Migration join Gyude to discuss how African countries can prepare for and enhance labor migration abroad.
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Nov 4, 2021
Lagos to Mombasa: How Can Digital ID Improve Lives through Social Protection?
CGD's Anit Mukherjee and Ugo Gentilini of the World Bank join Gyude to discuss how governments reach people with social protection programs, how such programs have been used during the pandemic, and what governments should do now to prepare for the next‚ inevitable, pandemic.
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Oct 21, 2021
Lagos to Mombasa: How Can Digital ID Be Harnessed for Development?
Dr. Joseph Atick, Executive Chairman of ID4Africa, and Alan Gelb, CGD Senior Fellow, join Gyude to discuss the evolution of ID systems across Africa, the benefits and risks of digital ID systems, and what African governments can learn from countries like India about what works and what doesn’t.
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Oct 20, 2021
The Future of Education in Afghanistan with Zuhra Faizi and Rob Jenkins
CGD's Susannah Hares speaks with Zuhra Faizi of Harvard and MIT and Rob Jenkins of UNICEF about the history and current status of Afghan education, the role of community-based schools, and what international institutions must do now to keep Afghan children in school.
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Oct 7, 2021
Lagos to Mombasa: How Do We Accelerate EU-Africa Investment?
CGD’s Mikaela Gavas joins Gyude to discuss barriers to private investment in health and infrastructure projects and how a new initiative—an Accelerator Hub—could help local businesses and institutions in Africa develop financially viable proposals and connect them with investors.
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Sep 23, 2021
Lagos to Mombasa: How Do We Evaluate (and Rank) Commitment to Development?
CGD’s Ian Mitchell joins Gyude to discuss the newest edition of CGD’s Commitment to Development Index, which ranks 40 of the world’s most powerful countries on policies that affect more than five billion people living in poorer nations. How do Africa’s development partners rank, and where is improvement needed?
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Sep 9, 2021
Lagos to Mombasa: Can Agriculture Drive Economic Growth in Africa?
This episode of Lagos to Mombasa asks: could ag policy be a means to post-COVID-19 recovery in Africa? Linda Manda of Standard Bank Group and Gillian Pais of McKinsey & Company join Gyude to discuss the true potential of the agriculture sector, not just in addressing Africa’s own food security needs but also in its global contributions.
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Aug 26, 2021
Lagos to Mombasa: How Does Africa Attract Private Investment to Meet Its Development Needs?
In this episode of the new series Lagos to Mombasa, Abebe Aemro Selassie of the IMF and Charlie Robertson of Renaissance Capital join Gyude Moore to discuss how to increase investment in transportation, power, water, health, and education infrastructure to spur economic growth in African countries.
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Aug 19, 2021
Demystifying Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) with Adrienne Cheasty
CGD's Mark Plant and University of Oxford's Adrienne Cheasty, formerly of the IMF, on how SDRs work, what the IMF's new allocation means, and what needs to happen to ensure its effectiveness
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Aug 12, 2021
Lagos to Mombasa: How Does the Pandemic End in Africa?
This first episode of the new Africa-centered podcast series Lagos to Mombasa examines how African governments can shape their responses to the pandemic and prepare for the future. Patrick Tippoo of Biovac and the African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative and Prashant Yadav from CGD join Gyude Moore to discuss options and opportunities.
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Aug 11, 2021
Women's Economic Empowerment in India with Soumya Kapoor
Megan O'Donnell of CGD and Soumya Kapoor of IWWAGE on breaking down the barriers that keep Indian women from the workforce, the roles of local and international actors, and promising policy models in India
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Aug 5, 2021
Coming Soon! Lagos to Mombasa: The Trans-Africa Podcast from the Center for Global Development
Next week CGD will launch the new podcast series Lagos to Mombasa: The Trans-Africa Podcast from CGD. The series will focus on policies, problems, and promise across Africa. Join Gyude Moore every two weeks as he speaks to researchers and practitioners about some of the biggest development challenges facing the continent.
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Jun 15, 2021
Vaccine Certificates with Pam Dixon and Camilla Ravnbøl
Anit Mukherjee of CGD, Pam Dixon of World Privacy Forum, and Camilla Ravnbøl of the University of Copenhagen on how vaccine certificates work, what challenges they pose, and how to make sure no one gets left behind
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Jul 30, 2020
Aid Transparency During COVID-19 with Henry Asor Nkang and Gary Forster
CGD's Sarah Rose; Henry Asor Nkang from Nigeria's Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning; and Publish What You Fund CEO Gary Forster on the current state of aid data transparency, the impacts of the pandemic, and how countries and donors can use data to improve development efforts
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Mar 26, 2020
Coordinating Country Aid with Bella Bird, Sharmarke Farah, and Jonathan Papoulidis
CGD's Sarah Rose, Bella Bird of the World Bank, Sharmarke Farah of the government of Somalia, and Jonathan Papoulidis of World Vision on the potential of country platforms for aid coordination—specifically the history and progress of Somalia's platform, the importance of country ownership, and how to make the best use of lessons learned.
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Feb 25, 2020
Consent in Development with Stephanie Kimou and Angela Bruce-Raeburn
CGD's Megan O'Donnell, Stephanie Kimou of PopWorks Africa, and Angela Bruce-Raeburn of Global Health Advocacy Incubator discuss the impact of the colonization of Africa on development culture, the economic and social impacts of aid workers flooding a struggling country, and a future where development is led by the so-called "beneficiaries" themselves, not by well-meaning foreigners.
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Feb 20, 2020
US Policy Toward Africa with Howard French
CGD's Gyude Moore and journalist Howard French discuss US perceptions of Africa, the business opportunities the US is leaving on the table, and how policy changes could benefit both the US and African countries.
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Jan 21, 2020
Creative Development with Bobby Pittman and Ladipoe
CGD's Amanda Glassman talks with Kupanda Capital's Bobby Pittman and rapper Ladipoe about development opportunities in Africa's entertainment industries, Bobby's experience working with Nigerian record label Mavin Records, and the inspiration behind Ladipoe's songs.
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Dec 11, 2019
Lessons from Ghana on Universal Health Coverage with Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt
Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt, Director of Technical Coordination at Ghana's Ministry of Health, explains how Ghana's health services have evolved, how they select which medicines to cover, and how to maintain political will for health reform.
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Dec 9, 2019
Next Steps for Nigeria's Border Situation with Amaka Anku and Nonso Obikili
CGD's Gyude Moore, Amaka Anku of Eurasia Group, and Nonso Obikili of Economic Research Southern Africa on Nigeria's recent border closure. They discuss the history between Nigeria and Benin, the costs of the border closure for people living in poverty, and possible next steps for the Nigerian government.
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Nov 26, 2019
Investing in Women with Priya Krishnan, Jen Braswell, and Graham Wrigley
CGD's Megan O'Donnell, KLAY founder Priya Krishnan, and CDC Group's Jen Braswell and Graham Wrigley discuss the importance of investing in women, how to find good investments, and how to get partners on board.
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Oct 21, 2019
Sounds Robotic: Carl Benedikt Frey
In this episode of Sounds Robotic, host Charles Kenny talks with Carl Benedikt Frey, co-director of the Program on Technology and Employment at the Oxford Martin School, about his fears that the wage stagnation and rocketing inequality that resulted from the first industrial revolution could be repeated thanks to the spread of automation and artificial intelligence today.
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Oct 3, 2019
How Significant Is Household Headship? with Agnes Quisumbing and Dominique van de Walle
IFPRI's Agnes Quisumbing joins CGD's Dominique van de Walle and Megan O'Donnell to discuss the contexts in which headship is (and isn't) useful, the importance of the circumstances leading to female headship, and how headship can relate to women's property rights and financial security.
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Aug 21, 2019
Sounds Robotic: Benno Ndulu
In this episode of Sounds Robotic, host Charles Kenny talks with Benno Ndulu, an academic director of the Pathways for Prosperity Commission on Technology and Inclusive Development, about opportunities presented by new technologies to speed equitable growth.
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Aug 16, 2019
Parenting by the Data with Emily Oster
Cribsheet author and economist Emily Oster on the data behind health recommendations for pregnant women, how to balance children's and parents' needs, and how policymakers can empower parents to make good decisions for their families.
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Jul 15, 2019
Prospects for Prosper Africa – CGD Podcast
Landry Signé, Aubrey Hruby, Judd Devermont, and Gyude Moore on their expectations for the new Prosper Africa initiative and the roles that infrastructure, communication, and the US Development Finance Corporation might play in its impact.
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Jun 20, 2019
Sounds Robotic: Amolo Ngweno
In this episode of Sounds Robotic, host Charles Kenny talks with Amolo Ngweno, CEO and East Africa Regional Director for BFA, about her recent paper on what technological advance might mean for the informal sector.
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Jun 18, 2019
Justice for the Displaced? with Canadian Senator Ratna Omidvar
Canadian Senator Ratna Omidvar on how the Frozen Assets Repurposing Act would work, what it could mean for Canada, and why it resonates with her personally.
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May 7, 2019
Sounds Robotic: Bright Simons
In this episode of Sounds Robotic, host Charles Kenny talks with Bright Simons, founder of the mPedigree Network and VP at the IMANI Center for Policy and Education, about the problems with the “leapfrogging” narrative of innovation in frontier markets, especially in Africa.
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May 2, 2019
Looking Beyond Aid with Ian Mitchell
CGD's Ian Mitchell on why looking beyond aid is important for development, how the Commitment to Development Index measures and weighs various development factors, and what’s ahead for the Index.
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Mar 7, 2019
To Brand or Not to Brand? with Gyude Moore
Gyude Moore, former Minister of Public Works in Liberia and current visiting fellow at CGD, on aid branding, what China does differently, and what innovation could help developing countries save big on infrastructure.
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Mar 6, 2019
Sounds Robotic: Tom Standage
In this episode of Sounds Robotic, host Charles Kenny talks with Tom Standage, Deputy Editor of the Economist, about the potential upsides of AI and automation as well as the "lump of labor" fallacy as applied to robots.
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Feb 11, 2019
Sounds Robotic: Shahid Yusuf
In this episode of Sounds Robotic, host Charles Kenny talks with Shahid Yusuf, who argues that the old path to rapid growth—manufacturing export goods—is less and less of an option for poorer countries, and there isn’t a clear new path to replace it.
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Feb 7, 2019
The Politics of Big Data with Yuen Yuen Ang – Sounds Robotic & CGD Podcast
Yuen Yuen Ang on how to make your data more meaningful, the dangers of big data in cases of oppression, and whether political freedom is really a requirement for technological development.
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Jan 29, 2019
National Development Banks with Stephany Griffith-Jones
Economist Stephany Griffith-Jones on the role development banks can play in innovation, how they should interact with private actors and governments, and what new institutions can learn from their predecessors.
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Dec 17, 2018
Sounds Robotic: Susan Liautaud
In this episode of CGD podcast miniseries Sounds Robotic, host Charles Kenny talks with Susan Liautaud about the ethical responsibilities of technology firms in an age of algorithmic control, the weaponization of social media, and the responsibilities of technology-using firms towards workers whose jobs evolve or disappear in the face of AI and robotics.
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Dec 13, 2018
The International Development Finance Club with Scott Morris
CGD senior fellow Scott Morris on how the International Development Finance Club institutions could increase their development impact, and, in light of the passage of the BUILD act earlier this year, how the new US Development Finance Corporation can get off to a good start.
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Dec 3, 2018
Sounds Robotic: Lant Pritchett
In this episode of new CGD podcast miniseries Sounds Robotic, host Charles Kenny talks with Lant Pritchett about the role of knowledge and technology in economic growth and the problems developing countries face.
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Dec 3, 2018
Sounds Robotic: Diane Coyle
In this first episode of new CGD podcast miniseries Sounds Robotic, host Charles Kenny talks with Cambridge University’s Diane Coyle about fears of job loss and inequality from advances in robotics and automation, as well as the regional impact of past technological change and what it might imply on a global scale.
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Nov 29, 2018
Beyond ID with Anit Mukherjee
Anit Mukherjee on why ID is so important for development, what needs to happen to keep people’s data safe, and what developing countries who are considering implementing new ID systems need to know.
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Nov 20, 2018
Financing the SDGs with Martin Chrisney
Martin Chrisney, Director of the International Development Assistance Services Institute at KPMG, on why private sector investment is critical to financing the SDGs, how development finance institutions can “blend” together public and private finance, and what governments can do to kickstart economic growth
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Nov 6, 2018
Energy for Growth with Todd Moss
Todd Moss, CGD senior fellow and executive director of the recently-launched Energy for Growth Hub, on why the Hub was created, how big the energy gap is, and why the tradeoff between residential and industrial energy isn’t really a tradeoff at all.
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Aug 9, 2018
Targeted Development with Sarah Bermeo
Sarah Bermeo, political economist and author of Targeted Development: Industrialized Country Strategy in a Globalizing World, on how rich countries’ motivations for development have evolved, what they mean for developing countries, and where we are now.
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Jul 19, 2018
How Girls Become Leaders with Joyce Banda
Former president of Malawi Joyce Banda on how leaders are made, the challenges she faced as Malawi's first women president, and how the development community can help African girls reach their full potential.
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Jun 14, 2018
A Nation of Immigrants with Denis McDonough
Former White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough on the state of US immigration policy, the case for refugee resettlement, and national identity.
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Jun 7, 2018
Rewriting the Migration Story with Louise Arbour
Louise Arbour, Special Representative for International Migration at the United Nations, on why we need to do better on migration, how international cooperation enhances national sovereignty, and what’s at stake in the ongoing negotiations for the Global Compact for Migration.
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Mar 28, 2018
Lessons from Liberia with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia and Africa’s first elected female president, on the impact of private sector investment, the urgency of action on climate change, and the resilience of developing countries.
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Mar 8, 2018
The Anti-"Sausagefest" Episode with Alice Evans
King's College London lecturer Alice Evans on how social change happens, the consequences of male bias for developing countries, and the larger takeaways of the "#sausagefest" incident for development experts.
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Feb 9, 2018
Plan B for Development – World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim
World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim on robots in the workplace, multilateral cooperation, and the development potential of blockchain.
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Jan 24, 2018
Canada's Bold Commitment to Women's Empowerment – Marie-Claude Bibeau
Marie-Claude Bibeau, Canadian Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, on Canada's new feminist international assistance policy, the need for psychosocial support for refugees, and the links between family planning and development.
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Jan 11, 2018
Invest in Girls’ Futures – DFID Chief Economist Rachel Glennerster
DFID's new chief economist Rachel Glennerster on her goals for the organization, how to help girls stay in school, and why even low price barriers can pose big problems for takeup of health interventions.
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Dec 14, 2017
Looking Forward: Development in 2018
What's going to happen in the world of development in 2018? Will we finally understand how to deal equitably with refugees and migrants? Or how technological progress can work for developing countries? Or what the impact of year two of the Trump Administration will be? Today’s podcast, our final episode of 2017, raises these questions and many more as a multitude of CGD scholars share their insights and hopes for the year ahead.
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Nov 21, 2017
What Now for Zimbabwe? – Todd Moss
History was made in Zimbabwe this week as Robert Mugabe finally agreed to resign the presidency after almost four decades in power. How the country will be governed by new leadership is still very much unknown—yet it is not too early for the international community to start considering how it can offer help to rebuild Zimbabwe’s economy for the benefit of its people. Todd Moss, CGD senior fellow and longtime Zimbabwe watcher, shares specific things that donor governments and international institutions can do.
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Nov 9, 2017
What Can India's Biometric ID System Do for Development? – Aadhaar Architect Nandan Nilekani
India's biometric ID system Aadhaar has provided over a billion people with digital IDs, and changed how the country's government provides services and subsidies. But opponents of the system say that Aadhaar erodes people’s privacy. Nandan Nilekani, the chief architect of the platform, joins the CGD podcast to address these concerns, discuss the platform's progress, and share his vision for future uses of "societal platforms."
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Oct 26, 2017
The Humanitarian System Needs Development Partners – the UN’s Mark Lowcock
More than 65 million people are forcibly displaced, for on average about ten years. That's the scale of the problem facing Mark Lowcock, the new UN Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs. This is not only a short-term humanitarian problem but a development issue as well. How should the system to respond? Mark Lowcock joins CGD's president Masood Ahmed to discuss.
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Oct 19, 2017
Can Manufacturing Kickstart Growth in Africa? – Vijaya Ramachandran
China has long been the factory of the world. But as wages there rise, manufacturers are looking to other countries and regions. Meanwhile, African countries have a huge and burgeoning population of young people looking for jobs. So now many wonder—could Africa be the next big destination for manufacturers? And if not, then what? CGD senior fellow Vijaya Ramachandran joins the podcast to discuss a new CGD paper on that very question.
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Oct 3, 2017
Sounding the Alarm on the Rohingya Crisis — Eric Schwartz and Jeremy Konyndyk
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh in a matter of weeks. The UN has called the situation “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” What can the international community, and especially the US, do about it? Refugees International's Eric Schwartz and CGD's Jeremy Konyndyk have some ideas.
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Sep 28, 2017
Stolen Futures – Save the Children’s Helle Thorning-Schmidt
3.5 million children around the world are refugees, many with little or no access to schooling. That means we won’t come anywhere near our targets for the fourth Sustainable Development Goal—quality education for all—unless we can address the refugee crisis. Save the Children International president Helle Thorning-Schmidt joins the CGD podcast to discuss how donor countries can help.
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Sep 21, 2017
How Businesses Could Help Solve the Refugee Crisis – Cindy Huang
Businesses have unique opportunities to help refugees and improve their bottom line at the same time, says CGD senior policy fellow Cindy Huang. All they need is the right policy framework. Get the highlights from Huang’s latest report, “Global Business and Refugee Crises,” a collaboration with the Tent Foundation.
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Sep 7, 2017
Where Does Your Country Rank on Development? – CDI podcast with Ian Mitchell and Anita Käppeli
How well do your country's policies make a positive difference for people in developing nations? That’s the question CGD seeks to answer each year in our Commitment to Development Index (CDI). The team behind the CDI, deputy director of CGD Europe Ian Mitchell and policy analyst Anita Käppeli, join me to discuss why these rankings matter, how countries stack up, and how their scores may be impacted by the shifting political environment.
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Aug 23, 2017
The Case for IFAD – New President Gilbert Houngbo
Recently the UN warned that 20 million people are facing famine in four countries. How can the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) help? Gilbert Houngbo, former Prime Minister of Togo and new IFAD president, joins the CGD podcast to discuss IFAD's impact and unique mandate.
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Aug 8, 2017
Mexicans, Cubans, Indians—and the Impacts of Immigrants on US Wages – Michael Clemens and Gaurav Khanna
CGD experts Michael Clemens and Gaurav Khanna look at high- and low-skilled workers from three countries across several decades. Different studies, different perspectives—but all pointing at the same thing: immigrants have an overwhelmingly net positive effect on the US economy.
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Jul 27, 2017
Addressing the World’s Most Pressing Economic Challenges – IMF's Christine Lagarde
What are the economic, political, and technological risks to future global growth and stability? This complex question was the topic of a recent conversation between IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde and CGD's president Masood Ahmed. This week's podcast is an edited version of their conversation.
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Jul 20, 2017
The Future of Family Planning – Rachel Silverman
At a recent conference, donors promised generous funding for family planning services in developing countries. At the same time, however, future support from the US is in doubt, and progress towards the FP2020 family planning goals has been extremely limited. Just how much progress have we made, and how far do we have to go? What difference will the new pledges make, and how should they be used? Rachel Silverman, CGD’s assistant director of global health policy, responds to these questions in this week’s podcast.
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Jun 29, 2017
Global Agriculture and the American Farmer – CGD Author Kim Elliott
The US agricultural sector is critical to global food security, but many of the policies that currently govern it negatively impact people around the world. In a new book, CGD visiting fellow Kim Elliott argues for practical policy reforms in three areas that are particularly damaging to developing countries: food aid, biofuel subsidies, and antibiotic resistance in livestock. As the US Congress works through a major new farm bill, Elliott joins the CGD Podcast to discuss how the US can reform agricultural policy to achieve better outcomes.
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Jun 22, 2017
Results, Not Receipts: Tackling Corruption in Development – Charles Kenny
What impact does corruption have on development, and what’s the best way to stamp it out? In a new book called "Results, Not Receipts," CGD senior fellow Charles Kenny offers a way to strengthen the case for aid and reduce corruption at the same time: focus on outcomes, rather than inputs.
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Jun 15, 2017
Jordan’s Compact Approach to the Syrian Refugee Influx: What the World Can Learn – Minister Imad Fakhoury and Cindy Huang
As we mark World Refugee Day, it is increasingly clear that there is a desperate need to fill the gap between short-term humanitarian response and long-term development need. Jordan's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury and CGD senior policy fellow Cindy Huang join the CGD podcast to discuss an innovative solution: refugee compacts.
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Jun 5, 2017
What Now for Paris, the Climate, and the Trump Administration? – Scott Morris and Jonah Busch
President Trump’s recent decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate agreement—what does it mean for the agreement? For the climate? And for the US? CGD senior fellows Scott Morris, director of CGD’s US Development Policy Initiative, and Jonah Busch, coauthor of the recent book on climate change “Why Forests? Why Now?”, join this week’s podcast to discuss.
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May 24, 2017
Three Lessons for G7 Leaders on Refugees – IRC's David Miliband
The location for this year's G7 Summit, in the Sicilian coastal city of Taormina, is a reminder that Italy's shores are a frontline for refugees making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean from North Africa and the Middle East. For the summit dignitaries who will attend, IRC's David Miliband has some advice on how to address the refugee crisis, which he shares in this edition of the CGD Podcast.
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May 17, 2017
Are We Ready for the Next Pandemic?
Consider this statement: Science knows how to deal with a pandemic outbreak, but policy gets in the way. That was how we framed a recent event at CGD with key people who led the US government’s response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Drawing from that event, this podcast brings you some ideas of how to improve the global system of response and increase our preparedness for the next inevitable outbreak. Speakers include Jeremy Konyndyk, Amy Pope, David Smith, Rebecca Martin, and Amanda Glassman.
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May 3, 2017
A Vision for Africa's Future – Podcast with African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina
The African Development Bank recently turned 50. In that time it's made more than 4,000 grants and loans, totaling more than $71 billion. So what might its next half-century look like? Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina joins me on this week's podcast to share his vision for Africa's future.
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Apr 26, 2017
How to Make Disasters Predictable
Last year more than 83 million people in low- and middle-income countries were affected by natural disasters. We may not know when or where the next disaster will strike, but we know it will. So why do we still treat disasters like surprises? A new CGD report urges a different approach: make disasters predictable, using the principles and practices of insurance. Hear from four members of the working group in this week's podcast.
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Apr 18, 2017
A Universal Basic Income for India? – Arvind Subramanian
The Indian Ministry of Finance’s 2017 Economic Survey considers—though does not commit to—the idea of a large-scale experiment in UBI, or universal basic income. How would it work? What effects would it have? Arvind Subramanian—lead author of the Survey, chief economic adviser to the government of India, and a CGD senior fellow on leave—joins me to discuss the big ideas currently shaping India’s economy.
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Apr 13, 2017
Why and How Change is Coming to the World Bank – New CEO Kristalina Georgieva
Just ahead of the annual World Bank/IMF spring meetings, the Bank’s new CEO, Kristalina Georgieva, spoke with me about a new way of thinking at the 72-year-old institution. The Bank has renewed ambition, she told me, to be a catalyst for massive transformative investment in development. She went on to lay out how the Bank plans to do that in this edition of the CGD Podcast.
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Mar 29, 2017
The Case for Foreign Assistance — Gates Foundation’s Mark Suzman and CGD Experts
How do you make the case for US foreign aid to an Administration that has proposed slashing it? In this week's CGD podcast, Mark Suzman, Chief Strategy Officer and president of Global Policy and Advocacy for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, gives us two very different versions of the fight against global poverty and disease—the perception and the reality. At an event called Financing the Future, he joined CGD experts Masood Ahmed, Amanda Glassman, and Antoinette Sayeh to discuss ways the development community can better convey their results.
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Mar 21, 2017
What Do the Trump Administration's Budget Cuts Mean—and What Do They Mask? – Scott Morris and Amanda Glassman
The headline figure revealed in the "skinny budget" was 28.4 percent cuts to the State Department, USAID, and international programs. When other areas of spending directly relevant to development are considered, the actual level of cuts is over 30 percent. What do these cuts mean for the people most affected and for America’s role as a global development leader? CGD’s Scott Morris and Amanda Glassman weigh in.
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Mar 15, 2017
Cutting Foreign Aid: What Will It Mean for the US?
Big cuts are likely coming to the State Department and USAID. So how can the US make the best use of fewer foreign assistance dollars in future? That was the subject of a heated debate at CGD earlier this week. CGD’s Scott Morris, the director of our US Development Policy Initiative, joined leading thinkers from across the political spectrum—Danielle Pletka from the American Enterprise Institute, Jim Roberts from the Heritage Foundation, and John Norris from the Center for American Progress—to discuss the best way to move forward with limited resources.
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Mar 2, 2017
“Poverty is a Form of Violence” – International Women’s Day Podcast with Reema Nanavaty
In India, 94% of women in the labor force are in the unorganized sector. Their work is generally unrecognized and they often receive no regular salary or workplace benefits. Reema Nanavaty, Secretary General of India’s largest women's trade union SEWA, discusses why officially recognizing these women as workers could benefit not only their families but India as a whole.
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Feb 15, 2017
The Tech Revolution: Can Development Policy Keep Up? – Raj Kumar of Devex
Viral videos, crowdsourced donations, digital cash transfers for refugees—what opportunities do digital technologies present for development, and how can those of us working on policy innovation make better use of them? Mobile phones were a good start, Devex's Raj Kumar says, but we could be doing a lot more.
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