Economic Development

The objective of this report is to analyse how investing in transboundary water infrastructure and governance contributes to sustainable and inclusive economic development, unpacking the assumptions being made into testable hypotheses and analysing the evidence for these pathways. Due to South Asia’s heavy economic activity around its shared rivers, there is significant economic and hydrological […]

This summary note explores the nature of employment in the construction sector in low-income countries. It is based on a report, commissioned through ICED, that seeks to explore opportunities for, and barriers to, the construction industry as a source of productive and decent job creation in LICs Informality and non-standard forms of employment The construction […]

This summary note provides data to understand what proportion of the national workforce is employed in the construction industry in DFID focus countries. It is based on a report, commissioned through ICED, that seeks to explore opportunities for, and barriers to, the construction industry as a source of productive and decent job creation in LICs. […]

This note summarises key findings on the value of investing in strengthening the construction industry and creating / improving the quality of jobs in the construction industry, and presents related programming considerations. It is based on a report, commissioned through ICED, that seeks to explore opportunities for, and barriers to, the construction industry as a […]

This summary paper identifies programming opportunities and barriers for scaling up quality construction employment for workers resident in DFID focus countries/regions that might have the greatest impact based on the current market and governance profile. These also reflect policy recommendations from a global construction policy dialogue, approved by the Governing Body of the International Labour […]

This executive summary is based on a report, commissioned through ICED, that seeks to explore opportunities for, and barriers to, the construction industry as a source of productive and decent job creation in LICs. The construction sector in DFID focus countries is important in both economic and employment terms, and continues to grow in size. […]

DFID’s Economic Development Strategy sets out a vision for lasting progress from ‘creating productive jobs for women and men that generate rising economic returns and improving working conditions’. The strategy highlights DFID’s ambition to promote inclusive growth through job creation, and to focus on creating jobs for those who are poor and marginalised and operating in […]

Do ‘smart cities’ bear relevance in the burgeoning cities of the global south? Basic infrastructure and service provision shortfalls faced by many southern cities present a challenging context for ‘smart’ solutions; and certainly contrasting to those of many existing ‘smart cities.’

DFID has placed trade firmly on the economic development agenda, with the objective of harnessing the potential of new trade relationships to boost job creation and investment to the world’s poorest countries.

For a long time, governments have seen street vendors, waste pickers and other informal activities as a headache and lost tax revenue opportunity. Efforts to formalise the informal economy and bring it under regulation have often failed, not just due to its sheer size, but also stemming from a lack of understanding of the political […]