World
Olubiyi, Others to Join Private Sector Investment Lab
By Adedapo Adesanya
The World Bank has announced the selection of 15 Chief Executive Officers and Chairs who will make up the Private Sector Investment Lab.
The founding members comprise a core group charged with developing solutions to address the barriers to private sector investment in emerging markets.
In a statement seen by Business Post, the lender said, “The quality of their individual – and combined – expertise, leadership, and success in business and finance underscores the growing momentum, and level of commitment, for public and private collaboration to address global challenges and urgently scale development solutions.”
The World Bank said it will be drawing on the experience of the 15 CEOs and Chairs that comprise the Lab’s core membership – including leaders from AXA, BlackRock, HSBC, Macquarie, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Ninety One, Ping An Group, Royal Philips, Standard Bank, Standard Chartered, Sustainable Energy for All, Tata Sons, Temasek, and Three Cairns Group.
The Lab will build on the World Bank’s current work to address existing barriers and develop solutions which support private sector investment in emerging markets.
Announced in June, the Lab will identify and focus on specific approaches that can be implemented and scaled by the World Bank to mobilize capital more effectively, with the ultimate goal of crowding in greater levels of private finance.
This includes ideas for improved financing structures, ways to better align the World Bank with the needs and speed of private finance, approaches to balancing and allocating risks across investors and reimagining new partnerships.
The Lab will begin work in the coming weeks, initially focusing on scaling transition finance in renewable energy and energy infrastructure.
Co-Chaired by Mr Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance and Co-Chair of GFANZ, and Mr Shriti Vadera, Chair of Prudential plc, the Lab will meet regularly and report directly to the World Bank Group President, Mr Ajay Banga and World Bank Group leadership.
Speaking on this, Mr Ajay Banga, World Bank President: “The World Bank is on a mission to create a world free of poverty – but on a livable planet. Achieving this vision demands that we build a better bank but also reimagine partnerships and pull in the private sector to confront – and beat – intertwined development challenges like poverty, climate, and fragility.
“The business leaders who are lending their time, talents, and expertise to this work are a crucial piece of the puzzle, and I am beyond grateful to have them onboard.
“Results won’t come overnight, but if successful, this group has the potential to unlock significant investment that will deliver jobs and better quality of life for people living throughout the Global South – the surest way to drive a nail into the coffin of poverty.”
Mr Shriti Vadera, Chair of Prudential plc: “I look forward to working with Ajay Banga and his leadership team, and Mark Carney and our fellow Lab members on the critical priority of how the World Bank can leverage and crowd in greater levels of private finance that will not otherwise be available for global public goods like climate transition, growth and poverty reduction. Every action and every penny from every actor counts, and we should prioritise the solutions and actions that are scalable, speedy, and replicable. Our focus will be on delivery and implementation to try and have a real impact on the ground.”
On his part, Mr Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance and Co-Chair of GFANZ: “In order to address global challenges like climate change and poverty, we need new ways for the public and private sectors to work together to catalyze investment at speed and scale – particularly in developing countries.
“Through the Private Sector Investment Lab, the World Bank and private finance will partner closely to develop, test, implement and ultimately scale financing structures and approaches that can most effectively mobilize private capital. I look forward to working with Ajay, Shriti, and the Lab’s members to deliver on this critical mission with urgency.”
Founding Members
Thomas Buberl, CEO, AXA: “Enabling an effective and fair transition is one of our generation’s greatest challenges. AXA is already active in financing transition projects in emerging countries and we are delighted to join the Private sector Investment Lab to work with other players as well as the World Bank to better catalyze private capital for transition finance in these markets.”
Larry Fink, CEO, BlackRock: “I have spoken for some time now about how reimagining the role of the multilateral development institutions could support an acceleration of investment into emerging markets. I applaud Ajay and his team at the World Bank for their initiative and leadership on this front today, and I am honoured to be asked to lend my support to this work through my participation in the Private Sector Investment Lab.”
Noel Quinn, Group CEO, HSBC Holdings Plc: “A number of financial institutions like HSBC are already developing innovative financing models in the sectors and regions that are critical and challenging to transform in order to reach net zero in time. We need to both scale up these models and develop new ones to accelerate progress. The Private Sector Investment Lab provides an important focal point for collaboration and the sharing of knowledge between financial institutions on this important topic.”
Shemara Wikramanayake, CEO, Macquarie: “Harnessing the large global pools of private sector capital is key to driving better outcomes for emerging markets. The World Bank and other MDBs have a critical role to play in catalysing this capital, including through structures to allocate and manage early-stage risks. Macquarie is delighted to work with this group to support the Private Sector Investment Lab to implement and scale these solutions, starting with a focus on transition finance.”
Hironori Kamezawa, the CEO of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group: “As an Asia-headquartered financial institution with an extensive footprint in emerging economies, MUFG is excited to be part of the Private Sector Investment Lab. The collaboration between public and private finance is critical in mobilizing transition finance, especially in emerging markets. This initiative provides an excellent platform to work in collaboration to address the investment gap for the global common good.”
Hendrik du Toit, CEO, Ninety One: “We welcome this initiative and are grateful to be participating because it is vital for public and private finance jointly to address these challenges.”
Jessica Tan, Co-CEO, Ping An Group: “We are delighted and honoured to join the World Bank Private Sector Investment Lab. At Ping An, in our 35 years, we have a long history of direct investment and commitment to supporting rural revitalization and development as well as education welfare, our Community Support Program in China. We continue to support green finance, financial inclusion and help communities manage climate-related sustainability issues. We believe the private sector can make a tangible difference helping progress towards climate goals, manage the risks of climate change and tackle poverty.”
Feike Sijbesma, Chairman, Royal Philips and Co-Chair, Global Climate Adaptation Centers: “Business cannot be successful in a world that fails. We have a responsibility to contribute to the development work of the World Bank.”
Sim Tshabalala, the CEO of Standard Bank: “Attracting a lot more private investment to emerging markets would significantly accelerate inclusive human development and the just transition towards a low-carbon economy. The Private Sector Investment Lab is asking precisely the right questions about how the private sector and development finance institutions should work together. I am honoured to join this discussion on behalf of Standard Bank.”
Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered: “Standard Chartered has extensive experience in collaborating with the World Bank to finance sustainable projects in emerging markets across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. As the need to mobilise private capital to close the climate investment gap reaches a critical juncture, we’re committed to providing our longstanding market expertise to the Private Sector Investment Lab to encourage innovation and act as a catalyst for credible progress in private and blended finance.”
Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO, Sustainable Energy for All: “The multiple ongoing global crises affect developing countries around the world disproportionally. Despite already having the solutions to scale up renewable energy-based solutions to deliver development and climate progress, finance needs to be unlocked at scale in developing countries and underserved sectors. This Lab offers us the opportunity to work together to design the solutions that will speed up an inclusive global energy transition.”
N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons: “Needless to say, financing for climate change remains the most important challenge that needs to be addressed. Given the long-term nature of these investments and the risks involved, setting up of the Private Sector Investment Lab to find innovative ways to attract private capital to partner with public investment is an important global initiative. I am pleased to be included in the initiative and looking forward to contributing and developing solutions.”
Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, Executive Director and CEO, Temasek: “Many emerging economies, especially in Asia, find it challenging to adopt sustainable solutions because of fiscal constraints, limited access to private capital, and marginal bankability for many of their transition projects. Transition financing is key to bridging these gaps, and initiatives like the Private Sector Investment Lab are a crucial step in mobilising capital to accelerate the development and scaling of viable pathways towards net zero. I look forward to working closely with my fellow founding members of the Lab, bringing together public and private sector collaboration to ensure that our impact is amplified.”
Mark Gallogly, Co-Founder and Managing Principal, Three Cairns Group: “A dramatic increase in climate finance is needed, especially in emerging economies. Three Cairns has focused on this need through initiatives like Allied Climate Partners. We are honoured to join The Private Sector Investment Lab and work with the World Bank and leading institutions to help generate, test, and scale solutions that can become commensurate to this crisis.”
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
Despite geopolitical complexities, tensions and pressure, Russia’s military arms and weaponry sales earned approximately $15 billion at the closure of 2025, according to Kremlin report. At the regular session, chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Jan. 30, the Commission on Military and Technical Cooperation with Foreign Countries analyzed the results of its work for 2025, and defined plans for the future.
It was noted that the system of military-technical cooperation continued to operate in difficult conditions, and with increased pressure from the Western countries to block business relations with Russia. The meeting, however, admitted that export contracts have generally performed sustainably. Russian military products were exported to more than 30 countries last year, and the amount of foreign exchange exceeded $15 billion.
Such results provide an additional opportunity to direct funds to the modernization of OPC enterprises, to the expansion of their production capacities, and to advanced research. It is also important that at these enterprises a significant volume of products is civilian products.
The Russian system of military-technical cooperation has not only demonstrated effectiveness and high resilience, but has created fundamental structures, which allow to significantly expand the “geography” of supplies of products of military purpose and, thus strengthen the position of Russia’s leader and employer advanced weapons systems – proven, tested in real combat conditions.
Thanks to the employees of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation and Rosoboronexport, the staff of OPC enterprises for their good faith. Within the framework of the new federal project “Development of military-technical cooperation of Russia with foreign countries” for the period 2026-2028, additional measures of support are introduced. Further effective use of existing financial and other support mechanisms and instruments is extremely important because the volumes of military exports in accordance with the 2026 plan.
Special attention would be paid to the expansion of military-technological cooperation and partnerships, with 14 states already implementing or in development more than 340 such projects.
Future plans will allow to improve the characteristics of existing weapons and equipment and to develop new promising models, including those in demand on global markets, among other issues – the development of strategic areas of military-technical cooperation, and above all, with partners on the CIS and the CSTO. This is one of the priority tasks to strengthen both bilateral and multilateral relations, ensuring stability and security in Eurasia.
From January 2026, Russia chairs the CSTO, and this requires working systematically with partners, including comprehensive approaches to expanding military-technical relations. New prospects open up for deepening military-technical cooperation and with countries in other regions, including with states on the African continent. Russia has been historically strong and trusting relationships with African countries. In different years even the USSR, and then Russia supplied African countries with a significant amount of weapons and military equipment, trained specialists on their production, operation, repair, as well as military personnel.
Today, despite pressure from the West, African partners express readiness to expand relations with Russia in the military and military-technical fields. It is not only about increasing supplies of Russian military exports, but also about the purchase of other weapons, other materials and products. Russia has undertaken comprehensive maintenance of previously delivered equipment, organization of licensed production of Russian military products and some other important issues. In general, African countries are sufficient for consideration today.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Donald Trump has named Mr Kevin Warsh as the successor to Mr Jerome Powell as the Federal Reserve chair, ending a prolonged odyssey that has seen unprecedented turmoil around the central bank.
The decision culminates a process that officially began last summer but started much earlier than that, with President Trump launching a criticism against the Powell-led US central bank almost since he took the job in 2018.
“I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best,” Mr Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing the selection.
US analysts noted that the 55-year old appear not to ripple market because of his previous experience at the apex bank as Governor, with others saying he wouldn’t always do the bidding of the American president.
If approved by the US Senate, Mr Warsh will take over the position in May, when Mr Powell’s term expires.
Despite having argued for reductions recently, “Warsh has a long hawkish history that markets have not forgotten,” one analyst told Bloomberg.
President Trump has castigated Mr Powell for not lowering interest rates more quickly. His administration also launched a criminal investigation of Powell and the Federal Reserve earlier this month, which led Mr Powell to issue an extraordinary rebuke of President Trump’s efforts to politicize the independent central bank.
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
Donald Trump has been leading the United States as its president since January 2025. Washington’s priority is to Make America Great Again (MAGA). Trump’s tariffs have rippled many economies from Latin America through Asian region to the continent of Africa. Trump’s Davos speech has explicitly revealed building a ‘new world order’ based on dominance rather than trust. He has also initiated whirlwind steps to annex Greenland, while further created the Board of Peace, aimed at helping end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and to oversee reconstruction. Trump is handling the three-year old Russia-Ukraine crisis, and other deep-seated religious and ethnic conflicts in Africa.
These emerging trends, at least in a considerable short term, are influencing BRICS which has increased its geopolitical importance, and focusing on uniting the countries in the Global East and Global South. From historical records, BRICS, described as non-western organization, and is loosing its coherence primarily due to differences in geopolitical interests and multinational alignments, and of course, a number of members face threats from the United States while there are variations of approach to the emerging worldwide perceptions.
In this conversation, deputy director of the Center for African Studies at Moscow’s National Research University High School of Economics (HSE), Vsevolod Sviridov, expresses his opinions focusing on BRICS agenda under India’s presidency, South Africa’s G20 chairmanship in 2024, and genegrally putting Africa’s development priorities within the context of emerging trends. Here are the interview excerpts:
What is the likely impact of Washington’s geopolitics and its foreign policy on BRICS?
From my perspective, the current Venezuela-U.S. confrontation, especially Washington’s tightened leverage over Venezuelan oil revenue flows and the knock-on effects for Chinese interests, will be read inside BRICS as a reminder that sovereign resources can still be constrained by financial chokepoints and sanctions politics. This does not automatically translate into BRICS taking Venezuela’s side, but it does strengthen the bloc’s long-running argument for more resilient South-South trade settlement, diversified energy chains, and financing instruments that reduce exposure to coercive measures, because many African and other developing economies face similar vulnerabilities around commodities, shipping, insurance, and correspondent banking. At the same time, BRICS’ expansion makes consensus harder: several members maintain significant ties with the U.S., so the most likely impact is a technocratic push rather than a loud political campaign.
And highlighting, specifically, the position of BRICS members (South Africa, Ethiopia and Egypt, as well as its partnering African States (Nigeria and Uganda)?
Venezuela crisis urges African members to demand that BRICS deliver usable financial and trade tools. For South Africa, Ethiopia, and Egypt, the Venezuela case is more about the precedent: how quickly external pressure can reshape a country’s fiscal room, debt dynamics, and even investor perceptions when energy revenues and sanctions compliance collide. South Africa will likely argue that BRICS should prioritize investment, industrialization, and trade facilitation. Ethiopia and Egypt, both debt-sensitive and searching for FDI, will be especially attentive to anything that helps de-risk financing, while avoiding steps that could trigger secondary-sanctions anxieties or scare off diversified investors.
Would the latest geopolitical developments ultimately shape the agenda for BRICS 2026 under India’s presidency?
India’s 2026 chairmanship is already framed around “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” and Venezuela’s shock (paired with broader sanction/market-volatility lessons) will likely sharpen the resilience part. From an African perspective, that is an opportunity: South Africa, Ethiopia, and Egypt can press India to translate the theme into deliverables that matter on the ground: food and fertilizer stability, affordable energy access, infrastructure funding. India, in turn, has incentives to keep BRICS focused on economic problem-solving rather than becoming hostage to any single flashpoint. So the Venezuela episode may function as a cautionary case study that accelerates practical cooperation where African members have the most to gain. And I would add: the BRICS agenda will become increasingly Africa-centered simply because Africa’s weight globally is rising, and recent summit discussions have repeatedly highlighted African participation as a core Global South vector. South Africa’s G20 chairmanship last year explicitly framed around putting Africa’s development priorities high on the agenda, further proves this point.
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