DEVELOPMENTS BLOG

Developments is DAI’s newsletter. News and feature articles, opinion pieces, and interviews highlight DAI projects and offer insight into global development issues of the day.

Adapting the Agent Model for Clean Energy Access in Uganda’s Refugee Settlements

Experience from the SMILES project shows that energy solutions in fragile settings don’t fail for lack of demand; they fail when business models don’t adapt. One promising pathway is the agent model, but only when it is carefully adapted to context.

Developments

communications team

14 days ago | 7 min read

Translating Practice into Learning: Patrick Henry on Leading DAI Local Content Masterclasses

When Patrick Henry leads a DAI Local Content Masterclass, he doesn’t just explain what works, but why it works. With decades of experience in project implementation and supply chain development, Henry ensures each course is grounded in what’s workable rather than theoretical.

Developments

communications team

1 month ago | 4 min read

Critical Minerals Strategy and Supply Chain Resilience

On July 10, DAI and MSA Mining co-hosted a high-level discussion on the global critical minerals landscape.

Recent Articles

Systems First: Why Nigeria’s Learning Challenge Demands Stronger Foundations

Nigeria has made steady progress in expanding access to education. Yet many pupils still finish primary school without the literacy and numeracy they need to thrive. The task ahead is no longer simply getting children into classrooms, but ensuring the system turns access into achievement.

zehra zaidi

2 months ago 7 min read

Building Tomorrow’s Economies: Dr. Syham Bentouati and the Strategic Evolution of In-Country Value

Dr. Syham Bentouati, a leading voice in the Middle East’s In-Country Value (ICV) evolution and expert trainer at DAI’s next Local Content Masterclass, explains how practitioners can deepen their engagement with the complexities of economic diversification and industrial strategy.

communications team

2 months ago 7 min read

Building Win-Win Data Center Projects: How Strategic Planning Aligns Profitability and Local Economic Development

Data centers are essential to the future of AI, cloud computing, and digital commerce. But building them requires more than engineering expertise. It demands a multi-stakeholder strategy grounded in real-world analysis.

patrick henry

2 months ago 7 min read

Bridging the Gap

Governments and employers worldwide are grappling with how to connect people—particularly young people, women, and marginalised groups—to meaningful employment.

ben le roith

2 months ago 6 min read

From Growth to Momentum: Mastercard Strive USA’s Year 2 Highlights and What’s Next

Now in its third year, Mastercard Strive USA is building on two years of strong results and charting an ambitious course toward a more inclusive, connected, and digitally enabled U.S. small business landscape.

communications team

4 months ago 6 min read

Six Ways to Reduce Environmental Destruction Caused by Illicit Financial Flows

Part I of this blog looked at the role of organised crime in the destruction of the Amazon through clearing land for illicit activities. Part II highlights why this happens and what can be done about it.