Blog - Center for International Private Enterprise

Impact of COVID-19 on Associations and Chambers in Africa

Introduction In June, CIPE began surveying business associations and chambers of commerce throughout Africa. The survey was designed to measure the impact of COVID-19 on these organizations and their respective communities. In the words of CIPE’s Executive Director, Andrew Wilson, business associa...

Finding Resilience in the Sahel during the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 has captured the attention of the Sahel as a top priority for 2020. Across the region – made up of Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger – the pandemic dominates government agendas, while the security situation continues to deteriorate outside of the regional�...

Georgian Associations Take the Lead in COVID-19 Response

Georgia has received praise for its swift and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few months, and it is now preparing to reopen its borders on July 1. By adopting social distancing requirements early, giving a platform to public health experts to share updates to citizens, and ...

FWEAN District Chapters Greatly Impacted Amid COVID-19 Lockdown

Virtually all businesses in Nepal are at a standstill due to the lockdown in response to COVID-19, proving to have devastating impacts on women entrepreneurs. Mandated lockdowns have forced markets to close, creating damaging repercussions for women in business. The Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs...

Launch of the Sudan Anti-Corruption Resource Center

To support Sudan’s delicate transition, CIPE launched the Sudan Anti-Corruption Resource Center (SARC) on Friday, June 5th to support Sudanese civil society, business, and government efforts to mitigate corruption. The launch event was hosted on Facebook Live with 1,000 live attendees and ...

Steps To Help the Underground Economy Survive a Pandemic

Informal businesses, or businesses with limited access to mainstream economic opportunities and legal protections, are part of what is known as the “informal,” “hidden,” or “underground” sector of the economy. Despite the recurring problems that threaten its very existence, this secto...

SME Survival During & Post-Pandemic

On May 14th – 15th, CIPE collaborated with CIPE’s Business Integrity and Compliance Partner, Rainbow Consult based in Accra, Ghana to organize a 2-day SME Survival & Recovery bootcamp. The bootcamp provided practical advice on how businesses can adapt to the changes and uncertainties in the ...

Democracy That Delivers #203: An Analysis of COVID-19 and Bangladesh

Dr. Ali Riaz is a well-known author, a Senior Non-Resident Fellow with the Atlantic Council, and a Distinguished Professor at the Department of Politics and Government of Illinois State University. He joins Regional Director John Morrell, and host Ken Jaques to discuss the economic impact of ...

The Rise of Digital Economy: Silver Lining Amid COVID-19

Just as quickly as government-issued stay-at-home orders swept across the globe, citizens realized the vital role that internet access and the digital economy play in the time of crisis. The pandemic lends itself as a wake-up call on the importance of cultivating an inclusive digital space. E-c...

Six Essential Themes for an Economic Recovery Roadmap

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we live and do business for the foreseeable future. Amid a rapidly evolving medical crisis, many countries are grappling with record unemployment figures, broken supply chains, and worries about limitations on personal freedoms. Governments and communities are t...