Using a qualitative research methodology and explanatory approach to collect data, we assessed whether the Beijing Consensus diplomacy in Africa is a promoter or threat to Africa’s pathway to sustainable development. The collected data were analysed using document and content analysis techniques. Analysis of the data revealed that the Beijing Consensus diplomacy in Africa is a positive initiative that has created a win-win situation, promoting sustainable development. The Beijing Consensus is opposed to the Washington Consensus, which influenced a win-lose situation that has deepened poverty, making Africa unable to move towards achieving sustainable development. The study found that China’s resource-for-development approach has similarities with pre-colonial Africa’s barter trade approach, which Africans practised in the entire continent. The analysis showed that applying the Beijing Consensus diplomacy to Africa has led to economic growth and development. The results showed that China’s Belt Road Initiative has transformed Africa, changing the continent from poverty to economic productivity, as road infrastructure is associated with economic growth and development. Moreover, it was evident from the analysis that without an African continental foreign policy rooted in continental sovereignty with transparent terms and conditions, Africa’s current benefits from China’s investments would lead to poverty instead of sustainable development. A continental foreign policy would create an African Consensus, which would act on behalf of the entire continent. This African Consensus diplomacy would thus become a continental foreign policy defining Africa globally. However, as it stands, the Beijing Consensus diplomacy is a promoter of sustainable development, but this promotion would not last long without African Consensus diplomacy. The study recommends that Africa should establish a continental foreign policy with African Consensus diplomacy to enable the continent to have one standard foreign policy and goal when trading with China and any other external world.

The food insecurity and inadequate management of family farm production is a problem that per-sists today in all corners of the world. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the socioeconomic and agricultural production management factors associated with food insecurity in rural households in the Machángara river basin in the province Azuay, Ecuador. The information was collected through a survey applied to households that were part of a stratified random sample. Based on this information, the Latin American and Caribbean Household Food Security Measurement Scale (ELCSA) was constructed to estimate food insecurity as a function of socioeconomic factors and agricultural production management, through the application of a Binomial Logit model and an Ordinal Logit model, in the STATA^® 16 program. The results show that head house a married head of household, living in an informal house, having a latrine, producing medicinal or ornamental plants, and the relationship between expenses and income are significant variables that increase the probability of being food insecure. In this way, this research provides timely information to help public policy makers employ effective strategies to benefit rural household that are food vulnerable.

Rural tourism, which offers authentic cultural and nature-based experiences, is increasingly recognized as a vital tool for sustainable development. Ethiopia, with its rich rural landscapes and cultural heritage, holds immense potential for rural tourism, but the sector remains underdeveloped. This study assesses the facilitating conditions and challenges of rural tourism in Ethiopia using a mixed-methods approach. Results indicate that Ethiopia’s economic growth, improved rural infrastructure, large rural population, higher ethnic and religious diversity index, and 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites provide strong foundations for rural tourism. However, significant challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited marketing, restricted access to financing, ethnic conflicts, environmental degradation, and insufficient stakeholder cooperation hinder its growth. To address these barriers, the study proposes a model encompassing strategic investments in infrastructure, enhancing marketing and promotion, access to finance initiatives, conflict resolution strategies, sustainable tourism practices, enhancing stakeholder coordination, and supportive policy frameworks. By employing these strategies, Ethiopia can harness the full potential of its rural tourism sector, contributing to economic development and community well-being while promoting cultural preservation and environmental sustainability. Also, the proposed model is highly applicable to other developing economies that share similar contexts. Besides, given the importance of the seven fundamental pillars of the model, it remains relevant across tourism types like coastal destinations.

Several studies have explored green economy and the needs for improvement on the standard of living among low-income families or households in many developing countries including Bangladesh. Similarly, there is an emphasis on economic growth and vision 2030 is regarded stressed. Nonetheless, there is less attention in exploring green economy in propelling sustainable financial inclusion among low-income families and households in Bangladesh in order to attain vision 2030 and overall economic growth.  The primary objective is to explore green economy in fostering sustainable financial inclusion among low-income families and households in Bangladesh in enhancing economic growth and vision 2030 in Bangladesh. Content Analysis (CA) and systematic literature review (SLR) as an integral part of qualitative research. Secondary data were gathered through different sources such as: Web of Science (WOS), related journals, published references, research papers, library sources and reports. The results indicated that poverty is a prime challenge impeding sustainable financial inclusion among low-income families and households in Bangladesh. The study has further established the potential of green economy in improving well-beings and social fairness in fostering sustainable and inclusive finance among families or households with low-income in the country. The paper also highlighted the necessity of implementing policy relating to vision 2030 by enhancing sustainable and inclusive finance among low-income households in particular and overall economic growth in the country in general. In conclusion, it has been reiterated that green economy has been a mechanism for achieving sustainable development in general and poverty eradication among low-income households in Bangladesh. It is therefore suggested that the government and economic policymakers should provide enabling environment for improving green economy among low-income households in achieving Vision 2030 and overall economic growth in the country.

The objective of this paper is to analyze the impact of infrastructure financing on economic growth in emerging markets through the application of both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. In this study, the research will employ both primary and secondary data to investigate the impact of different structures of infrastructure financing on the performance of the economy through interviews with the stakeholders and policy documents alongside quantitative data from the World Bank and the IMF. The quantitative analysis employs the econometric models to establish the effect of infrastructure investment on the GDP growth of the selected countries, India, China, Brazil, and Nigeria. Additional secondary qualitative data obtained from interviews with policymakers and financial specialists from Brazil, India, and South Africa offer more practical information regarding the efficiency of the discussed financing approaches. This paper is therefore able to conclude that appropriate management of infrastructure investments, particularly those that involve the PPP, are central to the development of the economy. However, certain drawbacks such as the lack of regularity of data and the disparity in the effectiveness of financing instruments by the regions are pointed out. The research provides policy implications to policymakers and investors who wish to finance infrastructure in the emerging economy to enhance economic growth in the long run.

South Korea has experienced rapid economic development since the 1960s. However, pronounced regional disparities have concurrently emerged. Amid the escalating regional inequalities and persistent demographic challenges characterized by low fertility rates, regional decline has become a pressing issue. Therefore, the feasibility of expanding transportation networks as a countermeasure to regional decline has been proposed. This study utilizes the synthetic control method and spatial difference-in-differences methodologies to assess the impact of the 2017 opening of Seoul–Yangyang Expressway on economic development and population inflow within Hongcheon-gun, Inje-gun, and Yangyang-gun. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of highway development as a policy instrument to mitigate regional decline. Findings from the synthetic control method analysis suggest a positive impact of the opening of the expressway on Hongcheon-gun’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in 2018, as well as Yangyang-gun’s net migration rates from 2017 to 2019. Conversely, the spatial difference-in-differences analysis, designed to identify spillover effects, reveals negative impacts of the highway on the GRDP and net migration rates of adjacent regions. Consequently, although targeted transportation infrastructure development in key non Seoul Metropolitan cities may contribute to ameliorating regional imbalances, results indicate that such measures alone are unlikely to suffice in attracting population to small- and medium-sized cities outside the Seoul Metropolitan Area.