This report provides an overview of activities in 2020 that demonstrate the impact of research supported by TDR to improve the health and well-being of people burdened by infectious diseases of poverty. This body of research is leading to new solutions for implementation and improved access to existing health solutions. This is the result of TDR’s strategic priorities of research for implementation, strengthening research capacity and global engagement acting in an integrated manner.

This book explores in detail how African countries dealt with the pandemic and how it affected different aspects of different economies and social structures. Observing how human beings change the environment and, specifically, how population growth and urbanization negatively impact nature, recently shocked economies and social upheaval in Africa indicate a crossroads moment for the continent. The book further adds to the knowledge base of how to build a more robust Africa with sustainable solutions working in tandem with vibrant and robust economies. Commonsense social strategies go hand in hand with trackable shocked economies via first- and second-moment reactions. Uncertainty shocks, in this case, interrelate via an umbrella effect. The authors evaluate theories of impact shocks using a sustainable growth and change model. Finally, key topics incorporate new urban thinking for economic recovery, developing sustainable economies post-COVID-19, understanding social practices during a crisis, and developing community robustness via shock events. The book integrates an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how to best mitigate the COVID-19 crisis as well as reduce future shocks to the African continent. It raises vital questions connecting the effects of lockdown measures, crisis causation, and shock impacts most countries faced over the last two-year period. The answers to these questions are not limited to economists and sociologists, instead, they magnify to include policymakers and everyday people. The nature of this book is to help piece together solutions for preparedness, a stronger understanding of sound development, and a united and resilient Pan-Africanism to best handle future shock events.

This book discusses fusion of technology and body of knowledge through elaboration of theoretical concepts and conceptual frameworks to ensure the economic growth of the Russian Federation by utilizing the huge potential for innovation and entrepreneurship in Russia. The book presents recent research to solve the most challenging problems facing digitalization in the field of entrepreneurship in the country. Some of them need specialized personnel training; the considerable financial resources needed for the maintenance of digital technologies; how to market enterprises and organizations; and financial instruments designed to support industrial development. The proposed results will create the conditions for a systemic approach to tilting towards supporting new ventures through an improved regulatory framework—currently virtually absent in the field of entrepreneurship at the national level. The book defines prospects for investment in renewable energy sources, circulation of energy resources, and energy efficiency improvements to gain positive economic effects from the introduction of new technologies.

This book delves into the critical issue of ensuring the long-term financial viability of local governments in the diverse region of Southern Africa. Across Southern Africa, cities and communities are facing a multitude of challenges, from rapid urbanization and infrastructure challenges to social inequality and environmental degradation. In this thought-provoking book, the authors explore the intricate relationship between financial sustainability and the pursuit of sustainable cities and communities through different lenses. Drawing on extensive research and case studies from various countries in the region, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the financial realities faced by local governments. It examines the factors influencing revenue generation, expenditure management, and fiscal governance, shedding light on the complexities of financial decision-making in the context of limited resources and pressing development needs. Furthermore, it offers practical insights and actionable recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and academics. It explores innovative approaches to revenue diversification, efficient expenditure allocation, and effective fiscal management, with the ultimate aim of fostering sustainable development, social services delivery, and environmentally sustainable infrastructure in Southern African cities and communities. This is an essential resource for anyone interested in understanding the challenges and opportunities associated with financial sustainability in the context of urbanisation and sustainable development in greater Africa. It serves as a guide and inspiration for building financially resilient local governments that can support the aspirations and well-being of their citizens while contributing to the broader vision of sustainable cities and communities.

The Europa Directory of International Organizations 2021 serves as an unequalled one-volume guide to the contemporary international system. Within a clear, unique framework the recent activities of all major international organizations are described in detail. Given alongside extensive background information the reader is able to assess the role and evolving functions of these organizations in today's world. The contact details, key personnel and activities of more than 2,000 international and regional entities have again been thoroughly researched and updated for this 23rd edition. Highlights in this edition include: - a fully revised Who's Who section with biographical details of the key players in the international system. - the response of the international community to crises and conflicts throughout the world. - specially-commissioned introductory essays cover topics including global environmental governance, transboundary water management, and multilateral governance and global action on health.

The Higgs boson discovery at the Large Hadron Collider in 2012 relied on boosted decision trees. Since then, high energy physics (HEP) has applied modern machine learning (ML) techniques to all stages of the data analysis pipeline, from raw data processing to statistical analysis. The unique requirements of HEP data analysis, the availability of high-quality simulators, the complexity of the data structures (which rarely are image-like), the control of uncertainties expected from scientific measurements, and the exabyte-scale datasets require the development of HEP-specific ML techniques. While these developments proceed at full speed along many paths, the nineteen reviews in this book offer a self-contained, pedagogical introduction to ML models' real-life applications in HEP, written by some of the foremost experts in their area.