Lithium for the global energy transition: how global forces and national legacies are driving resource-based development in South America

While the majority in the Global North have enjoyed modern drinking water systems for nearly a century, powerful actors including the World Bank and the OECD are pushing for innovations aimed at addressing access gaps in the world’s poorest communities. These efforts seek to revive private sector involvement in the water sector, which has declined significantly over the past two decades. This paper situates the drive for innovation within a broader restructuring of international development cooperation that positions private finance and technological innovation as central to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6). I conceptualize this restructuring as part of a climate-sustainable-development industrial complex (CSDIC): an assemblage of state institutions, multilateral agencies, and financial actors mobilizing sustainability discourses to open new frontiers for capital accumulation. Drawing on political ecology, water justice scholarship, and theories of racial capitalism, I examine how Africa has been constructed as both a site of humanitarian crisis and a frontier for investment, and how techno-financial reforms rescale water governance, discipline public provision, and convert racialized precarity into opportunities for private investment. The analysis combines a critical document review of global water policy interventions with solidarity-based research in Cape Town, South Africa. I show how innovations advanced under the banner of climate resilience and sustainable development contribute to ’water apartheid’, disproportionately burdening Black working-class communities while consolidating new financial claims over water infrastructure in the Global South. Drawing from a case study of grassroots resistance in Cape Town, the paper also highlights pathways for solidarity and underscores the need to reassert collective, public, and anti-colonial approaches to water governance.

Introducing "ELLAS Survey Dataset" an open resource about factors that influence career interest and leadership in STEM in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peruo.

In January 2025, the US government suspended and subsequently terminated the majority of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programs. This study estimates the impact of that decision on maternal mortality in six highly vulnerable countries in West and Central Africa: Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. Using a deterministic model grounded in regional health expenditure elasticities, the analysis projects how the sudden withdrawal of foreign aid affects health spending among populations in humanitarian need, under the assumption that no immediate domestic or external financing substitutes for the lost resources, and the resulting changes in maternal mortality ratios (deaths per 100 000 live births). The results indicate that the funding cuts could cause maternal deaths to increase by 45%, on average, among populations in need. This increase is estimated relative to a baseline of approximately 2900 maternal deaths predicted in 2025, yielding approximately 1000 additional deaths across the countries within a single year. The magnitude of impact varies, with Niger experiencing the largest proportional increase (over 90%) and Nigeria the largest absolute increase (more than 300 additional deaths). Sensitivity analyses confirm that the results are robust to alternative elasticity scenarios. The findings illustrate the degree to which maternal health outcomes in fragile settings are sensitive to financing discontinuities. The results are presented as conditional estimates and are intended to inform ongoing discussions on health financing sustainability, transition planning, and risk mitigation.

ABSTRACT Foreign aid is a vital tool for Chinese diplomacy. Since President Xi Jinping took office, the Chinese government has changed its diplomatic paradigm. Nevertheless, existing studies have not thoroughly explored how foreign aid’s role in Chinese diplomacy has evolved during Xi’s presidency. This paper uses neoclassical realism in international relations theory to analyse and clarify these shifts. It finds that since 2013, China has used foreign aid to bolster the Belt and Road Initiative, promote a transformation toward international development cooperation, and align with the Global Development Initiative, responding to systemic stimuli and perceived threats. These results highlight the interrelated and evolving relationship between foreign aid and Chinese diplomacy in the Xi era, with foreign aid adjusting to meet the changing needs and goals of Chinese diplomacy. These findings indicate that adopting a dynamic perspective—integrating systemic and state-level variables—is necessary for a comprehensive analysis of Chinese diplomacy and foreign aid. In brief, this paper deepens understanding of the evolving role of foreign aid in Chinese diplomacy during President Xi’s era, rather than treating it as a static diplomatic tool, and fills a gap in existing research on the Xi administration’s foreign aid in this regard.

IMPACT This article is essential reading for audit practitioners, policy advisors, and public financial management specialists working in Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), government ministries, and international development organizations. By comparing research-based audit (RBA) practices in China and Indonesia, it offers actionable insights into how evidence-driven methodologies can transform audit quality and governance outcomes. The authors present a practical framework to assess and strengthen institutional capacity in audit planning, data use, and policy integration. For practitioners, the findings demonstrate how context-specific adaptations can increase audit relevance, improve SDG monitoring, and support strategic reform. The article bridges theory and practice, offering a roadmap for SAIs to evolve from compliance checkers to strategic knowledge partners in public governance.

Less than a week after its inauguration, the second Trump administration issued a blanket stop-work order for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the largest national humanitarian donor. The social and political effects of abrupt aid withdrawal are poorly understood, especially in fragile states where relief is a key safety net. We provide quasi-experimental evidence on the shutdown's impact on subnational conflict across Africa. Leveraging historical exposure to USAID programs, we show that conflict increased sharply after the shutdown in areas that previously received the most support. The increase spanned incidence and severity, including armed clashes, protests, and riots. The effects appeared immediately and persisted for months. Inclusive local institutions substantially mitigated these harms, underscoring vulnerability under weak governance and the capacity of institutions to buffer humanitarian and economic shocks.

Multicountry assessment of tongue swabs for tuberculosis using a common protocol for Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra testing: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study.

Hypertension is the leading cause of death globally, yet little is known about how Armenian primary care providers (PCPs) manage the condition. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, practices, priorities, and confidence patterns of PCPs in Armenia towards hypertension management. A population-specific proportional sampling was conducted through a cross-sectional survey among PCPs in all provinces of Armenia. A World Hypertension League questionnaire was adapted to follow the Armenian hypertension guidelines. The survey included the following domains: knowledge of Armenian guidelines, attitudes towards management, management practices, priority towards management, and confidence in clinical duties. For each domain, composite scores were calculated as the percentage of items answered correctly or desirably, and regression analyses were performed to examine factors associated with domain-level composite scores and selected individual survey items. The composite knowledge score of 46.4% (95% CI 45.0%-47.7%%) was suboptimal, despite awareness of hypertension as a priority (97.6%). Composite scores indicated moderate confidence (59.2%, 95% CI 55.1%-63.4%), positive attitude (53.6%, 95% CI 51.4%-55.7%), strong practice (75.2%, 95% CI 74.6%-75.9%), and a high priority (93.1%, 95% CI 92.2%-94.0%). About 45% (n = 152) of PCPs adhered to the Armenian hypertension guidelines. Although 92% of PCPs indicated that their clinic has a registry of patients with hypertension, only 30% had confidence in using one. PCPs who participated in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) training program had 1.89 times higher cumulative odds of spending more time with each patient (95% CI: 1.22-2.93, p = 0.004). Those who completed an internal medicine (IM) residency had 2.04 times higher cumulative odds of spending more time with each patient compared to those trained in family medicine (FM) (95% CI: 1.26-3.32, p = 0.004). PCPs who completed IM residencies had lower practice and priority scores than those in FM. PCPs near the capital had 88% lower odds of referring patients early to specialists compared to those in non-contiguous provinces (OR = 0.12, 95% CI: [0.07, 0.21], p < 0.001). PCPs in Armenia prioritize hypertension and report desirable practices, but gaps in their knowledge, lifestyle counseling, and confidence in registry use remain. These findings underscore the need for additional training, policies to reduce barriers, and further studies to elucidate the reasons behind the "know-do" gap.

Africa needs to increase electricity production to improve electricity access. For informed decision making, there is a need for reliable, findable, high-quality, open access and spatially distributed power plant data with associated water use and CO2 emissions amounts. Here we present a detailed spatial inventory of operational, under construction and planned African power plants from 2020 until 2030, covering 3,139 individual plants, the result of an intensive data mining effort. This inventory forecasts a 57% increase to 1,787,858 Gigawatthours in electricity production from 2023 to 2030. Related water use and CO2 emissions increase substantially, showing trade-offs in water and carbon intensity of different fuel types. Africa is stepping up in planning and constructing additional power plants, with renewables' share growing from 19% to 34%. However, the increase in hydropower puts additional pressure on available water resources. Current power plant construction falls slightly short on commitments in the nationally determined contributions.

Evidence-based parenting programmes are widely used to prevent violence against children and improve parenting and mental health. Despite hundreds of randomised trials, little is known about their outcomes when delivered at scale within routine delivery. This study assesses the WHO-endorsed and UNICEF-endorsed Parenting for Lifelong Health programme for caregivers and adolescents, delivered through non-governmental organisation and government in Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with support from the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union. Pre-post surveys for caregivers and adolescents were integrated into service data collection between 2016 and 2022. Abbreviated standardised measures of physical abuse, emotional abuse, approval of corporal punishment, positive involved parenting, monitoring/supervision, caregiver depressive symptoms, parenting stress and adolescent depressive symptoms and externalising behaviour were used. Individual country scores were analysed separately for caregivers and adolescents using generalised linear mixed-effects models, and cross-country data were combined using a random-effects meta-analytic model. 123 050 participants were included (93% retention, 57 908 adolescents (96% female), 56 423 caregivers at follow-up). In all-country meta-analyses, estimates showed reduced physical abuse (-65%; 95% CI 51% to 74%), emotional abuse (-59%; 95% CI 48% to 68%) and approval of corporal punishment (-55%; 95% CI 48% to 60%). Positive involved parenting increased (+52%; 95% CI 24% to 87%) and poor supervision/monitoring decreased (-48%; 95% CI 34% to 58%). Caregiver depressive symptoms (-25%; 95% CI 8% to 48%), parenting stress (-46%; 95% CI 41% to 52%), adolescent depressive symptoms (-22%; 95% CI 1% to 38%) and adolescent externalising behaviour problems (-43%; 95% CI 29% to 54%) all declined. There was heterogeneity in pre-intervention scores and extent of change between humanitarian and development settings, and between different target groups, but strong consistency across caregiver and adolescent reports. In eight African countries, including humanitarian and pandemic-affected contexts, an evidence-based parenting programme showed consistent associations with reduced violence against adolescent girls and improved parenting and mental health.

Publicly funded capital projects financed through bilateral and multilateral donor arrangements operate under compound accountability requirements that differ from those of either wholly domestic public projects or private commercial projects. Donors attach evidence standards to disbursement, require structured corrective action on non-compliance, and retain review rights over project governance throughout implementation. Recipient governments, simultaneously, operate within their own public financial management, procurement, and audit frameworks. The interaction between donor evidence standards and recipient accountability mechanisms is, in practice, frequently under-coordinated, producing both duplicated evidence demands on project implementers and gaps in the evidentiary record that emerge only at audit or independent evaluation. This paper develops a public sector accountability framework for donor evidence standards and corrective action plan (CAP) governance in publicly funded capital projects. The framework synthesises the public financial management, international development cooperation, capital project governance, and audit-remediation literatures. It identifies four dimensions along which evidence standards and CAP governance interact: evidence specification, which defines what must be documented; evidence production, which defines the operational routines that generate documentation; evidence assurance, which defines the review and attestation pathways that validate the evidentiary record; and CAP governance, which defines the handling of identified compliance gaps. The framework proposes that durable project accountability requires explicit alignment across all four dimensions, that misalignment at any dimension propagates through the others, and that donor and recipient accountability mechanisms should be designed jointly rather than sequentially. Three propositions are advanced for empirical testing, and a research agenda for public sector accountability in donor-funded capital projects is proposed. Keywords: Donor Evidence Standards, Corrective Action Plan, Capital Projects, Public Sector Accountability, Development Cooperation, Public Financial Management, Project Governance.

This article critically examines how to understand the backlash against gender in Iraq. The international policy and development world adopts a predominantly essentialist approach to gender in Iraq, and in most of the Middle East, viewing any gender clamp-down as a manifestation of age-old patriarchy. The postcolonial feminist perspective, on the other hand, rightly questions the applicability of Western explanatory frameworks to non-Western contexts, refusing the Western hegemonic conception of progress and inviting a complex analysis of power. While acknowledging the validity of postcolonial feminist critiques, this article argues that what is considered ‘Western’ may not be that different from the ‘non-Western’. It suggests that there are shared dynamics even across seemingly disparate contexts. Drawing on extensive empirical data, it demonstrates that the backlash in Iraq simultaneously shares characteristics with, and exhibits unique features from, the backlash elsewhere, shaped by specific long-term contextual factors. This nuanced perspective is crucial: oversimplified ‘difference’ arguments inadvertently bolster claims by backlash proponents who frame feminism and gender equality as alien, Western impositions, thereby hindering effective advocacy for gender rights.

International guidelines for treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition advise against giving standard oral rehydration solutions (ORS) for dehydration secondary to diarrhoea. Instead, they recommend exclusive use of low-sodium rehydration solution for malnutrition (ReSoMal), due to concerns about both sodium and fluid overload. Supportive evidence is lacking, warranting reappraisal of this guidance. We aimed to assess the safety and superiority of standard WHO-ORS versus ReSoMal. GASTROSAM was a phase 2, factorial, open-label, superiority randomised controlled trial conducted at six hospitals in four African countries (Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, and Uganda). Children aged 6 months to 12 years with severe acute malnutrition who were admitted to hospital with severe (stratum A) or moderate (stratum B) dehydration and diarrhoea were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive ReSoMal or low-osmolarity WHO-ORS. A simultaneous randomisation in stratum A compared two intravenous strategies versus an oral control rehydration strategy (results reported elsewhere). Children with severe dehydration (stratum A) received their allocated ORS as soon as possible. The primary endpoint was change in sodium concentration at 24 h from baseline in all randomised participants and analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. Children with lived experience were not involved in the study design. The trial is registered on the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN76149273) and the Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR202103852542919). Between Sept 2, 2019, and Oct 27, 2024, 415 eligible children were enrolled (218 [53%] male; 197 [47%] female); 272 were enrolled into stratum A (137 to ReSoMal and 135 to WHO-ORS) and 143 were enrolled into stratum B (69 to ReSoMal and 74 to WHO-ORS). Children were followed up for 28 days; 11 (3%) were lost to follow-up or withdrew. The primary endpoint was assessed in 387 (93%) of 415 participants. The increase in sodium concentration was similar in both groups (5·3 mmol/L [SD 8·1] with ReSoMal vs 5·0 mmol/L [7·6] with WHO-ORS; mean difference for WHO-ORS vs ReSoMal -0·6 [95% CI -1·9 to 0·7], p=0·37). There was no difference in day 28 mortality between the WHO-ORS and ReSoMal groups (19 [9%] vs 24 [12%]; adjusted hazard ratio 0·76 [95% CI 0·41 to 1·41], p=0·39). Fluid overload events (pulmonary oedema and cardiac overload) were actively monitored: none was observed. WHO-ORS resulted in similar outcomes to ReSoMal, and neither strategy led to fluid overload. This finding informs the simplification of guidelines supporting the use of WHO-ORS for the management of dehydration in children regardless of nutritional status. Joint Global Health Trials Scheme of the UK Medical Research Council, UK Department for International Development, Wellcome, and Médecins Sans Frontières.

This study focused on the fatigue performance of a Q690D high-strength steel T-joint with circular hollow section (CHS) brace and chord, under the loading condition of axial tensile cyclic loads at the brace. A total of eight CHS-CHS T-joint fatigue tests were conducted. The fatigue crack initiation and propagation of the CHS T-joint were analyzed, and the fatigue failure modes were clarified. The strain and stiffness development curves were obtained, based on which of the failure warning criteria were determined. The stress concentration factor (SCF) was determined according to the strain measurement results and finite element analysis. The hot-spot stress fatigue design curve of the Q690D CHS-CHS T-joint was fitted and compared with the existing design curves provided in the standard of Committee for International Development and Education on Construction of Tubular structures (CIDECT), Norway’s Det Norske Veritas (DNV), American Petroleum Institute (API), and American Welding Society (AWS). Finally, a fatigue damage evolution model was established, which enables the quick evaluation of T-joints in tubular structures. The results show that the maximum SCF occurred at the saddle point of the T-joint under axial loads. Fatigue cracks were first initiated at the weld toe of the saddle point on chords, then propagated along the weld to the crown point, and finally, fatigue failure occurred. The fatigue crack initiation life accounts for about 65%–90% of the total fatigue life. Compared with normal-strength steel T-joints, the tested high-strength steel T-joints exhibit lower fatigue resistance, as the advantages of higher strength are not reflected in the aspect of fatigue performance. The fatigue tests conducted in this study can enrich the fatigue data pool of CHS-CHS T-joints and further extend the existing database to the range of high-strength steels.

Feasibility, accuracy, and effect of a rapid point-of-care serological test (SeroSelectTB) to identify presumptive pulmonary TB patients for confirmatory testing in Ethiopia, South Africa, and Tanzania: a multicenter, open-label, parallel-group, randomized, controlled trial.

The rapid expansion of digital technologies in higher education has opened new possibilities for institutions in conflict-affected and lower-income countries to leapfrog traditional infrastructure constraints. This study investigates the role of big data analytics in optimizing e-learning platforms and enhancing student engagement at Kabul University, Kabul, Afghanistan. Adopting a mixed-methods design, the research combines survey data collected from 412 students and 48 faculty members with institutional log data drawn from the university's learning management system (LMS) spanning the academic years 2019 to 2026. The findings demonstrate that the integration of big data tools—including Apache Hadoop, Apache Spark, predictive machine learning models, and personalized recommender systems—significantly improved student engagement scores by an average of 28.4 percentage points and raised course completion rates from 71% to 91% over the study period. Regression analysis reveals that big data adoption index, learning analytics usage, and personalized content delivery are the strongest predictors of student outcomes (adjusted R² = 0.831, F = 57.4, p &lt; .001). The study introduces a conceptual framework linking big data infrastructure to educational outcomes and identifies critical barriers—including intermittent connectivity, digital literacy gaps, and absence of data governance policy—that constrain full adoption. Policy recommendations are offered for university administrators, the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), and international development partners.

Sustainability has become a central priority in contemporary governance as nations seek to balance economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection. Strategic leadership plays a crucial role in shaping policies that guide sustainable development and improve long-term development outcomes. This study examines the relationship between strategic leadership and sustainability performance in India by analyzing national development indicators derived from official policy reports and international development assessments. Using secondary data from the Human Development Report, the SDG India Index, the Economic Survey of India, and environmental policy documents, the study evaluates progress in key areas such as renewable energy expansion, sanitation coverage, water access, forest conservation, and human development indicators. The findings indicate that leadership-driven policy initiatives have significantly contributed to improvements in sanitation, renewable energy capacity, and access to basic services. India’s overall SDG score increased from 57 in 2018 to 66 in 2023, while renewable energy capacity has expanded substantially over the past decade. Despite these achievements, regional disparities, environmental pressures, and institutional coordination challenges continue to influence sustainability outcomes. The study concludes that strengthening strategic leadership, improving policy integration, and expanding data-driven governance frameworks are essential for sustaining progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

This study critically examines the strategic role of marine capture fisheries in advancing Bangladesh’s Blue Economy and evaluates their contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a primary focus on SDG 14 (Life Below Water). Utilizing a qualitative synthesis of secondary data—including government reports, national policy frameworks, and international development benchmarks—the research analyzes the economic, socioeconomic, and environmental dimensions of the sector. The findings reveal that marine fisheries are a cornerstone of the national economy, significantly bolstering GDP, export earnings, and food security. Despite the opportunities presented by expanded maritime jurisdictions and recent policy reforms, the sector faces systemic structural constraints, including the overexploitation of near-shore artisanal zones, technological deficiencies in deep-sea harvesting, and the persistent threat of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. A central contribution of this paper is the evaluation of how modern financial architectures can bridge the gap between policy intent and sustainable practice. It argues that the integration of Green Banking initiatives and strategic Debt Finance is essential for transitioning from traditional extractive methods to climate-resilient, science-based management. Furthermore, the study explores how optimizing Financial Leverage and expanding Financial Inclusion for small-scale fishing communities can mitigate socio-economic vulnerability and enhance compliance with conservation mandates. The analysis concludes that although existing frameworks show increasing commitment to ecosystem-based management and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), achieving SDG 14 targets requires a synergistic approach integrating ecological conservation, innovative financing, and inclusive governance to ensure Bangladesh’s marine resources support sustainable prosperity and long-term environmental resilience.

Abstract Motivation The rise of gender equality as a priority in international development, despite concerning signs such as backlash and waning commitment, has shaped Korean aid's adoption of gender‐equality policies and guidelines under the banner of gender mainstreaming. Despite its increased commitment to gender mainstreaming, Korea's gender‐related funding remains low, and its recent emphasis on women's economic empowerment raises questions about how this concept is understood and implemented, particularly given Korea's persistent economic gender gap. Purpose This study examines how women's economic empowerment is conceptualized and implemented within Korean aid projects, paying particular attention to the underlying assumptions that inform these approaches. Approach and Methods I searched the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) website for publicly available evaluation reports and identified 12 aid projects related to women's economic empowerment. Findings The analysis reveals four assumptions: gendered skills and roles, the link between nominal participation and gender equality, the instrumentality of women's economic empowerment, and the notion of market‐led growth. These assumptions reflect broader Korean discourses on gender and development and present barriers to a transformative approach to gender equality. Policy Implications This study demonstrates how domestic norms and sociopolitical dynamics shape aid policies and practices. It also highlights the need to interrogate embedded assumptions, rather than simply adopting and institutionalizing gender‐mainstreaming measures, and to engage with divergent understandings and practices of gender equality across international, national, or local contexts.