By 2050, Europe and Central Asia will lose 17 million workers from its workforce — yet productivity growth has been stalled since 2008. This episode unpacks the demographic cliff threatening the region's prosperity and asks: how do you grow an economy when your labor force is shrinking? We explore why young SMEs generate nearly 40% of new jobs despite employing only 14% of workers, how an overqualification paradox leaves half the workforce underutilized, and why closing the AI gap is no longer optional. From reforming State-Owned Enterprises to mobilizing private capital, the roadmap for sustainable growth is clear — if policymakers act now. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts.

Read more at https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/eca/publication/europe-and-central-asia-economic-update

Over 90% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa live within reach of electricity infrastructure—yet many homes remain dark. Why? Because access depends on more than just building the grid. This episode, the first in the three-part series “Research Currents: Africa’s Energy,” explores new research on why investment does not always translate into real electricity use. Evidence from Togo, Rwanda, Kenya, and refugee settlements shows how affordability, pricing, and reliability shape whether households actually adopt and use electricity. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts. Read more at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004727272500074X https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030438782500046X

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421525002277

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629624001373