ACBF Virtual Library

original document [ View original document ]

TitleThe Simple Math of Development Finance
AuthorCharles Kenny
SubjectGovernments and Development, Sustainable Development Finance
Date of Publication2022
PublisherCenter for Global Development
Number of Pages6
AbstractGlobal gatherings from Addis Ababa to Glasgow are setting targets from climate through health and education to energy and transport that call for a lot of investment for sustainable development. But how much you can afford to invest depends on how much you’re paying for it. And that’s where the simple math of development finance comes in. The short answer: if poorer developing countries face a cost of capital that requires a 20 percent annual return or more, about the rate being demanded by international private investors at the project level, there isn’t going to be much investment in clean energy, green transport, better healthcare, or more education. The situation is dramatically improved if projects only need to generate financial returns of 1 or 2 percent, closer to the interest rates currently demanded by multilateral development banks. In turn, that suggests any investment gap will only be substantially reduced with massive subsidies for private companies or considerably smaller financial infusions to bankroll international public investment.
Filesize333392 MB
File FormatPDF
[ View / download original document ]

Ask the Librarian 940 documents, last updated Tue Apr 16, 2024
© 2015 African Capacity Building Foundation | All Rights Reserved. ISSN: 2310-7960