Private Sector Engagement Research Articles

Assessment of Compliance with National Guidelines on Diagnosis and Treatment of Malaria among Health Workers in Anambra State, Nigeria

Background: Malaria case management remains a crucial component of malaria control strategies. Despite the introduction of national malaria treatment guidelines and scale-up of malaria control interventions in Nigeria, shreds of evidence have shown some deviations from the guidelines in malaria case management. This study assessed compliance with national guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of malaria among health workers in Anambra State.
 Materials and Methods: This comparative, cross-sectional hospital-based study was carried out among 360 healthcare workers selected from six Local Government Areas using a multistage sampling technique. A pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on their socio-demographics and other vital information.
 Results: The findings of this study revealed that Ninety-eight respondents (54.4%) from public health facilities had adequate knowledge of malaria case management compared to 67 respondents (37.2%) from private health facilities (p=0.001). The overall level of compliance with the national guidelines shows that only 22.2% of the health workers interviewed strictly complied with the national guidelines. It was significantly higher among public healthcare workers (31.7%) compared to 12.8% of private health workers (p<0.001). Training on malaria case management, access to national guidelines, availability of malaria diagnostic tools, and sex of the health workers were associated with compliance with national guidelines in both public and private health facilities (p<0.001).
 Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed a close similarity between the two health facilities in the level of awareness of the national malaria treatment guidelines, but a remarkable difference in compliance to appropriate case management of malaria between public and private health facilities. Interventions to improve private sector engagement in the implementation of the guidelines, training, and supply of recommended anti-malarial medicines should be intensified.

The enablers, opportunities and challenges of electric vehicle adoption in Qatar: A systematic review of the literature and assessment of progress toward transportation transformation targets

Governments around the world are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the transportation system is focal to the transition toward more renewable energy sources. The State of Qatar has transitioned buses in its public transportation system to be fully electric and has set a 2030 target for 10% of all new sales of vehicles to be electric vehicles (EVs). Although constrained by data limitations, this paper synthesizes and assesses the evidence and makes recommendations to support the transportation transition. OBJECTIVE: This paper assesses the available evidence on EV transitions in Qatar, identifying enablers and barriers through the use of a systematic literature review and data obtained from government sources within Qatar. METHODS: The systematic literature review was conducted in March of 2023 using two academic databases (Scopus and Web of Science). Only English language peer-reviewed articles, books, and conference proceedings pertaining to Qatar and EVs or EV charging stations were included. No resources were identified on an Arabic language database. RESULTS: The systematic review process identified 26 relevant publications, which is synthesized and critically assessed into the following thematic clusters: (a) assessments related to the electrical grid and diversifying the energy mix, (b) the planning and distribution of charging stations, and (c) knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors as it relates to the socio-cultural dimensions of EV adoption. DISCUSSION: The authors conclude that to meet the 2030 target, the State of Qatar must improve data collection for monitoring, rapidly expand charging station infrastructure, enable private sector engagement, and raise awareness regarding EVs to change consumer perception and choices. They explore the specific policy interventions that these domains require for the country to meet its transportation transition objectives. OTHER: This review received no funding, and the authors have no registration name or number to declare.

Managing health supply chain risk through strategic outsourcing in low- and middle-income countries

This paper explores how strategic outsourcing of public health supply chain functions to private sector companies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is a catalyst to reduce operational risks and achieve agility and efficiency. Private sector engagement in public health supply chains increases market competitivity, improves efficiency and allows for cost reduction, while enabling ministries of health to focus on their core competencies and become stewards of their supply chain operations. The paper highlights best practices on strategic outsourcing for contracting entities and third-party logistics (3PL) to minimise risk. Strategic outsourcing has become increasingly common across LMIC contexts as emerging economies take advantage of private sector growth; however, outsourcing does not automatically mean increased efficiency or transparency, unless it is done properly. Recommended best practices include ensuring transparent and fair competition; understanding market capabilities and geographical constraints, as well as available infrastructure; setting up key performance indicators; improving service agility; and creating the best distribution network for higher efficiency. The paper also presents three case studies, including lessons learned and results from strategic outsourcing in Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Impact of patient provider support agency on private sector engagement in Tuberculosis care in Eastern India

Background: India is the country with the world’s largest burden of tuberculosis, with a large proportion of patients seeking care from the private healthcare sector, which is fragmented and unregulated. There are significant gaps across the patient care cascade in the private sector on account of underreporting, diagnostic delays, irrational and non-standardized regimens, and catastrophic health expenditures to patients. Considering the gaps, Jharkhand state of India had implemented patient provider support agency scheme under National TB elimination programme to improve private sector engagement, operational since 27 September 2019. PPSA is giving end-to-end NTEP TB service packages to patients seeking care in the private sector. Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study using secondary data attained from the Nikshay web portal for Jharkhand and analyzed using Excel. Results: After the introduction of PPSA, the proportion of private sector notifications in Jharkhand increased from 22.9 percent in 2019 to 33.5 percent in 2020. The Private sector notification rate in the state showed an increase from 34 per lakh population to 39 per lakh population. Conclusions: Private sector engagement through PPSA has improved TB notification in Jharkhand. PPSA could sustain the provision of TB care in the private sector even during the COVID-19 pandemic. The access to quality data on patients seeking TB care in the private sector in the Nikshay web portal has improved since the implementation of the scheme resulting in better patient support and program monitoring.

Digitalization in School Management: Efficacy and Attitude in Public Secondary Schools in Rungwe District, Mbeya-Tanzania

School management is a sunshade for accomplishing school achievement, improving output and refining the enlightening system at the school level. The adoption of digital technologies in Tanzania is perceived as vital for enhancing efficient managerial function in public secondary schools. However, the implementation of digital technologies in school management appears to be turbulent. This study attempted to explore digitalization in school management: efficacy and attitude in public secondary schools in Rungwe district Mbeya, Tanzania. The study was underpinned by two objectives: to determine the extent to which digital technology is effective in school management in public secondary schools and to examine the attitude of public secondary schools towards the use of digital technology in school management. This study adopted concurrent mixed research methods. Systematic and purposive sampling techniques were adopted to select 180 participants, consisting of 160 teachers and 20 heads of schools. Questionnaires, interview guides and observation methods were employed to gather information from the participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21 and qualitative data were systematized into themes and evaluated thematically. The findings indicated that to a large extent, digital technology has been efficacious in communication, finance, updating school information, student registration, transfer of information, and record-keeping. It was also revealed that public secondary schools perceive digitalization in school management as a complicated issue due to low networking, inadequate technical know-how, and inadequate technical support and complicated digital systems. The study recommended that the government should commit to up-to-date ICT policy, effectively building digital skills for the school leaders, integrating digital learning into secondary education programs, private sector engagement in digital technologies ventures in schools, and enhancing school networking infrastructures.

Health workers vaccination: Experience and lessons learned from Costa Rica

ObjectiveTo describe the decision-making processes, enablers, challenges and lessons learned in Costa Rica for implementing a sustained and multi-pronged approach in health workers vaccination (HW). MethodsA retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted by searching published and grey literature, including scientific publications, legislation, decrees, policies, manuals, technical reports, and platforms used for data register and coverage monitoring. Key informants from the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) were interviewed representing national, subnational and local levels; as well as members of the National Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) and the private sector. Collected data were transcribed and categorized by the following specific topics using a thematic content analysis approach: decision making process, pre-service screening, vaccination for current HWs and engagement with the private sector. Major findings were discussed and organized into enablers, challenges and lessons learned. ResultsDecision making processes to establish the vaccination strategies and schedules in Costa Rica were based on the epidemiological trends of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and cost analysis. Risk assessment and feasibility considerations determined that some vaccines such as hepatitis B, varicella and influenza, were first introduced in HWs and then were expanded to other target populations. These decisions were approved by the NITAG as the advisory technical advisory group of the MoH. Main enablers identified were: high level and sustained political will, decisions based on data analysis and feasibility considerations, HWs knowledge and high vaccine acceptance and demand. Challenges were related to effective coverage monitoring, and private sector engagement. ConclusionsThe Costa Rican experience provides lessons learned that can be leveraged by other countries to strengthen HWs vaccination strategies at regional and global levels.

Incentives and disincentives to private sector reporting on family planning in Kenya: why these matter, and how they may change over time.

Background: This study sought to understand private sector reporting on family planning in Kenya's health information system (KHIS). We approached this through three lenses: governance, procedural and technical. Our study looked at these areas of interest in Kenya, complemented by deeper exploration in Nairobi County. Methods: The study used mixed methods drawing on analysis from the KHIS and surveys, complemented by desk review. The qualitative research entailed group discussions with public sector personnel while more in-depth qualitative interviews were done with public and private sector respondents. A framework matrix was developed for the qualitative analysis. The study was approved by the Ministry of Health in March 2022 and conducted over the period March - May 2022. Results: From a governance lens, private sector respondents recognised the importance of registry and reporting as a government policy requirement. From a procedural lens, private sector respondents saw reporting procedures as duplicative and parallel processes as reports are not generated through digitised information systems. From a technical lens, private sector reporting rates have improved over time however other data quality issues remain, which include over- and under-reporting of family planning services into KHIS. Secondary analysis for Nairobi County shows that the private facility contribution to family planning has declined over time while family planning access through pharmacies have grown over the same period; there is no visibility on this shift within the KHIS. Changes in private sector family service provision have implications for assumptions underpinning modern contraceptive modelled estimates and programmatic decision-making. Conclusions: There is limited monitoring of the incentives and disincentives for reporting by private health facilities into the KHIS. These have changed over time and place. Sustained private sector engagement is important to align incentives for reporting as is greater visibility on the role of pharmacies in family planning.

From concessions to competition: A journey through the evolution of the Philippine electric grid system, 1892–2021

This article traces the development of energy generation in the Philippines, tracing its origins back to 1892 and spanning through the significant reforms ushered in by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) in 2001, and the subsequent two decades. The early chapters of this history witnessed the establishment of pivotal companies like Compania La Electricista and Manila Railway & Light Company (Meralco), which hinged on foreign investment and expertise. Meralco’s expansion encompassed the establishment of diverse power plants, including hydroelectric facilities, to cater to the escalating electricity demand. However, concerns surrounding foreign dominance and reliance on imported resources led to the creation of the National Power Corporation (NPC) in 1936 tasked with harnessing hydraulic power and increasing state participation in the energy sector. The post-war era witnessed the NPC’s significant role in bolstering the nation’s growing economy, especially through its expansive power development program and the nationalization of the electric power landscape. Despite progress in rural electrification, the NPC encountered challenges like financial constraints, political complexities, and the contentious Bataan Nuclear Power Plant project, which impeded its operational efficiency. The 1990 s unveiled a severe power crisis due to financial constraints and inadequate infrastructure. In response, the government sought to invigorate the sector by incorporating private sector engagement through independent power producers. To rectify inefficiencies and stimulate competition, the EPIRA was enacted in 2001 to steer the energy sector toward a comprehensive overhaul by restructuring the power industry and divesting NPC’s generation and transmission assets. This article provides insights into the historical trajectory of the Philippine energy sector, culminating in a series of reforms aimed at cultivating a more streamlined and competitive power sector, positioned to meet the nation’s ever-evolving energy needs.

An assessment of 'Inclusive' Business Models: Vehicles for Development, or Neo-Colonial Practices?

In a period of decreasing aid budgets and increasing private sector engagement in the Global South, Inclusive Business-referring to a business model that integrates marginalized people in the company’s value chain as suppliers, distributors, retailers, or customers to the mutual benefit of both the company and the community has become a preferred development strategy. However so far the impacts of inclusive business models on the livelihoods of these ‘marginalized people’ have remained elusive. With this paper I aim to contribute to a better understanding of the impacts perceived by the communities. Starting from the idea that the rural landscape is socially differentiated, I scrutinize the impact of inclusive business models on the ground at the level of the farmer communities in two very different settings: the savannah of North-Ghana and the green valleys on the slope of Mount Kenya in East Kenya. The findings indicate that diverse groups in the communities are impacted differently by inclusive business models. Both companies catalyse trajectories that in the long term might have negative repercussions on the livelihoods of smallholders. These long-term, or unintended, impacts are obfuscated in frameworks used to assess inclusive business models. Inclusive business models can only be a partial answer in overcoming poverty and food insecurity.

국제개발협력에서 민간부문참여(PSE)에 대한 신제도주의적 접근

Purpose: Using the new institutionalist approach (incentive analysis), this study examines the factors that encourage or impede private sector engagement (PSE) in development cooperation projects from the business perspective. Originality: Despite the quantitative and qualitative growth in official development assistance (ODA) in Korea over the past decade, PSE in development cooperation projects remains low compared to other advanced donor countries, and PSE are relatively small in scale. Therefore, a comprehensive and analytical understanding of the specific factors that either promote or hinder such participation is necessary to enhance PSE in Korea's development cooperation ecosystem. Methodology: This study surveys a sample of 42 employees at domestic companies, who either intend to participate in or have previously participated in international development cooperation projects, with the aim of examining their ‘motivations’, ‘demand’, and ‘evaluation’. The responses of these companies were collected and analyzed to provide insights into the factors that influence PSE in development cooperation. Result: Discrepancies were identified between the commonly held perceptions and the actual responses of companies towards the underlying reasons for the low PPP levels, in the areas of motivation, demand, and evaluation. Although Korean firms have shown increased awareness of ODA and corporate social responsibility, the gap between the awareness and actual participation was found. Among others, the lack of relevant information and institutional accessibility are considered negative factors for PSE. Conclusion and Implication: Based on the findings of this study, it is highlighted that mechanisms for matching and coordinating projects and companies are crucial to promote extensive and meaningful private sector participation in development cooperation

Strengthening Food Safety Governance in Nepal through Collaborative Capacity Development and Private Sector Engagement

This article discusses the policy and regulatory challenges faced by Nepal in strengthening food safety governance and the potential solutions to address them. Capacity building through training programs and technical assistance, regional collaboration, and private sector engagement are the key strategies identified for improving food safety standards in the country. The article highlights the need for a comprehensive legal framework and the establishment of a centralized food safety authority in Nepal. The challenges faced by the private sector in complying with food safety standards are also discussed, particularly the difficulties faced by small and medium-sized enterprises. The potential benefits of regional collaboration in the food sector, including the harmonization of food standards, the development of regional frameworks for food safety based on the Codex, and the creation of a regional food safety rapid alert system, are also examined. The article concludes that addressing policy and regulatory challenges through capacity building, regional collaboration, and private sector engagement can lead to improved food safety governance in Nepal and help the country to overcome its food safety challenges.

Commodity Future Trading and Cointegration of Turmeric Markets in India

The government has reduced its direct market intervention in order to promote private sector engagement based on market forces, Farmers in an agriculture-dominated economy like India suffer not only yield risk but also pricing risk. As a result, agricultural products are now more vulnerable to market risks related to pricing and other factors. The futures market has to decide the prices of a commodity on the basis of demand and supply. It is important to know about the bi-directional and unidirectional relationship between different market’s the prices and future and Spot markets in India, price discovery process and price forecasting in Indian agricultural commodities. Knowing about different market’s price Integration will help us to know the prevailing prices in various markets and also the impact of one market’s price on another. It will help the farmers to know the different pricing statuses in different markets. The study analyses the efficiency of commodity futures of turmeric traded in NCDEX for 2016-2022 and the cointegration of theNizamabad, Erode, Sangli and Cuddapah Markets of India. In agriculture, commodity futures and derivatives are essential to the process of managing price risk.

Fostering an Enabling Environment for Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems in Nigeria.

Although recommendations exist for making agriculture and food systems nutrition sensitive, guidance about how to successfully operationalize these recommendations within national institutions is limited. Over the 13 years from 2010 to 2023, there were several undertakings to strengthen the enabling environment for sustainable nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) and food systems in Nigeria. Some studies were also conducted over the period to foster better understanding of the national enabling environment and facilitate effective actions. This article documents successes and failures from Nigeria's experiences by reflecting on critical developments, events, policies, and programmes on Nigeria's journey toward advancing nutrition through agriculture and food systems; as well as findings from conducted studies. Successes include the existence of a Nutrition and Food Safety Division in the Ministry of Agriculture and an approval for a Nutrition Department, existence of an agriculture sector nutrition strategy, increased private sector engagement and commitment to nutrition-sensitive food systems, and increased funding for nutrition in the agriculture sector. Challenges especially remain for scaling up strategic, operational, and delivery capacity of both organizations and individuals involved in advancing NSA and food systems. Lessons learned include-institutionalizing NSA and food systems takes time; knowledge brokering is indispensable and requires several collaborating entities and stakeholders; and approaches used should be suited to available government capacity. More than a decade of efforts targeting different enabling environment factors has resulted in greater political commitment for nutrition within the agriculture sector and an improved enabling environment for NSA and food systems.

Agricultural lime value chain efficiency for reducing soil acidity in Ethiopia

Soil acidity is challenging agricultural production in Ethiopia. Above 43% of the farmland is under soil acidity problem and it leads to low crop yields and production losses. Ag-lime is widely considered as an effective remedy for amending soil acidity. This study assesses the current structure of ag-lime value chain and its functionality focusing on central parts of Ethiopia where lime is produced and channeled to acidity affected areas. The study uses Ethiopia as a case study and applies qualitative methods such as key informant interviews and focus group discussions to collect data from different actors in the ag-lime value chain. Key findings indicate that both public and private ag-lime producing factories are operating below their capacity. Due to limited enabling environments, the engagement of private sector in ag-lime value chain is minimal. In addition, farmers have a good awareness of soil acidity problem on their farms, and its causes and mitigation strategies in all regions. However, the adoption of ag-lime by smallholders was minimal. Overall, the current structure of the ag-lime value chain appears fragmented and needs improvement. Addressing soil acidity challenge through efficient ag-lime value chain could narrow lime supply-demand mismatches and increase widespread adoption by farmers to enhance crop productivity and food security in acidity-prone areas of the country.

Agribusiness and Supply Chain Development Policies in Nepal: A Review from Temporal Dynamics

A critical review of agriculture policies during different plan periods, aligned with political changes, has been conducted out to understand the shift in priorities, technology transfer ,support products, and private sector engagement. Firstly, in the 1950s, the policies were influenced by the first five-year plan and focused on the import and dissemination of technology. During the three decades of the Panchayat era, there was an emphasis on state mechanisms for technology transfer, agribusiness, and research, with limited incentives for the private sector. After 1990, agricultural policy products followed a path of liberalization and focused on defining the state’s role and promoting pluralism. This period witnessed the establishment of a wide range of private and cooperative-led agribusinesses, although their growth was hindered by political conflict. Subsequently, policies began to incorporate priorities such as nutrition security, comparative advantage, competitiveness, climate change adaptation, agrobiodiversity conservation, and sustainability. However, with the federalization of the state and establishment of a three-tier governance system in 2015, agriculture policies, priorities and strategies a became fragmented, diversified, and localized, and lack harmonization. This review demonstrates that agriculture policies were largely influenced by domestic political developments and structural changes at the international level. Nonetheless, a consistent focus on increasing production and productivity, as well as achieving food security and self-sufficiency, can be observed.. Throughout all policy periods, supply chain development, a crucial component of agribusiness, received limited prioritization, which remains a major impediment to agricultural transformation. Despite seven decades of policy evolution, Nepal has been unable to create an enabling policy environment to attract significant private and cooperative sector investments that could drive substantial growth in agribusiness. This situation calls for further research in the field of policy formulation capacity among the three tiers of government to foster agribusiness and promote supply chain development for agricultural transformation.

Engaging the Private Health Service Delivery Sector for TB Care in India-Miles to Go!

More than half of the people with TB in India seek care from the private sector, where suboptimal quality of care is a concern. Significant progress has been made over the last five years to expand the coverage and to involve more private sector providers in TB care under the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP) in India. The objective of this review is to describe the major efforts and the progress made with regard to the engagement of the 'for-profit' private health service delivery sector for TB care in India, to critically discuss this, and to suggest the way forward. We described the recent efforts by the NTEP for private sector engagement based on the literature, including strategy documents, guidelines, annual reports, evaluation studies, and critically looked at the strategies against the vision of partnership. The NTEP has taken a variety of approaches, including education, regulation, provision of cost-free TB services, incentives, and partnership schemes to engage the private sector. As a result of all these interventions, private sector contribution has increased substantially, including TB notification, follow-up, and treatment success. However, these still fall short of achieving the set targets. Strategies were focused more towards the purchase of services rather than creating sustainable partnerships. There are no major strategies to engage the diverse set of providers, including informal health care providers and chemists, who are the first point of contact for a significant number of people with TB. India needs an integrated private sector engagement policy focusing on ensuring standards of TB care for every citizen. The NTEP should adopt an approach specifically tailored to the various categories of providers. For meaningful inclusion of the private sector, it is also essential to build understanding and generate data intelligence for better decision making, strengthen the platforms for engagement, and expand the social insurance coverage.

Trends in private sector engagement with biodiversity: EU listed companies' disclosure and indicators

The EU biodiversity strategy highlights the relevance of the private sector and its prominent role as potential degrader and as protector of biodiversity. However, the topic of biodiversity seems to be downplayed and disregarded by most companies, and the potential proxies leading them to report on the matter are not yet clear.This exploratory paper aims at assessing the companies' actual engagement with the EU biodiversity strategy, and the factors influencing the relevance and quality of their disclosure indicators. To that purpose, 170 listed companies from the 5 biggest economies in the EU have been studied after their reporting indicators on biodiversity in 2018 and 2021, focusing on country, sector and impact intensity as potential drivers, as well as on the changes in reporting and indicators between those years.Our findings highlight an increased but heterogeneous engagement with biodiversity among EU listed companies, with limited relevance given by the companies to standard and quantitative performance indicators, and a strong influence on reporting of factors such as the companies' country of origin, and the companies' sector/activity. All of which suggests different approaches to biodiversity within the private sector and insufficient corporate action to meet the EU biodiversity strategy goals.

Industry groups in international governance: a framework for reform

The Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights encourage engaging with businesses as partners in important global governance agendas. Indeed, many international organizations are now partnering with business groups to secure funding and private sector engagement. At the same time, reforms at the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization and others seek to restrain the dangers of mission distortion and capture by business groups. Shareholders at major multinational oil and gas companies also recognize these dangers and seek to rein in lobbying that is at odds with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Despite these tensions, little scholarly attention has been paid to the regulations that govern how industry and trade groups may participate in the work of international organizations. Specifically, little attention has been devoted to how those regulations could best capture the potential benefits of business engagement while restraining the potential harms. This article offers a history of engagement between international organizations and industry and trade associations, reviews arguments for embracing or restraining their participation, and develops a framework for regulations to govern their access.

Private sector engagement in humanitarian financing, logistics and technology and implementation of humanitarian aid projects in Kenya

Humanitarian crisis across the globe continue to increase in size, frequency, and complexity in the 21 Century challenging the ability of Organizations in disaster relief to save lives of persons in distress. This has been a challenge in Countries prone to natural disaster as well as those prone to human conflict such as Syria, Southern Sudan, Central Africa Republic, Yemen, Somalia and Democratic Republic of Congo. In Kenya, humanitarian crises have occurred in the form of recurrent drought, floods, malnutrition and food security, disease outbreak, post election violence; resource based intercommunal conflicts as well as terror attacks. These crises often require immediate response in order to save lives, as a result there is increasing need to engage private sector in humanitarian logistics, financing and technology when implementing humanitarian aid projects. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of combined private sector engagement and the implementation of humanitarian aid projects. The paradigm guiding the study is pragmatism and the study employed a cross sectional-survey design. The sample was drawn from Organizations in disaster relief programmes using both probability and non-probability sampling technique. Both primary and secondary data was utilized in data collection. Primary data was collected using self administered questionnaires, Key Informant Interview, and Focus Group Discussions Guides. Questionnaires issued were 117 out of these, 85 which is 72.6% were returned for analysis. The data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. For descriptive analysis, mean, percentages and frequencies were used. For inferential analysis, correlations and regressions were used. For p<0.05, H 0 was rejected and H1 accepted. For the strength of the relationships, r values were considered where: +0.10< r <+0.29; weak correlation +0.30< r <+0.49; moderate correlation +0.5 < r <+1.0; Strong correlation. The qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. The study findings indicate that combined private sector engagement influence on implementation of humanitarian aid projects in Kenya. The study concludes that combined private sector engagement is critical in implementation of humanitarian aid projects and there is need to put more emphasis on collaboration. The study recommended that there is need for more academic research on humanitarian aid.

Challenges and Opportunities for Niger's Economic Development: A Focus on Agriculture and Mining

This paper examines the challenges and opportunities for sustainable economic development in Niger, focusing on the agriculture and mining sectors. While agriculture is the mainstay of Niger's economy, it faces challenges such as climate change, low productivity, and lack of infrastructure. The mining sector has great potential, but also faces challenges related to regulation, environmental protection, and social impacts. The government has implemented policies and initiatives to support these sectors and promote sustainable development. The paper identifies key policy options, including revising regulations, improving infrastructure, promoting local content, and implementing social and environmental safeguards. To achieve sustainable and inclusive development, Niger needs to prioritize investments in human capital, social protection, and environmental sustainability, while also promoting private sector engagement and regional integration.