SEASON 2 | EP 1 | Development as an Investment Challenge: Jeffrey Sachs on Financing the Future

Development is often framed as aid, but for Jeffrey Sachs, one of the world’s leading development economists, it’s first and foremost an investment challenge. In this opening episode, Professor Sachs explores why capital isn’t flowing to the countries that need it most, how risk perceptions keep private money out of poor economies, and what a new investment-led development model could look like by 2030.

The episode is part of Season 2 of The Geneva Connection — “Bridging the Gap: Financing the Future of Sustainable Development.” This four-episode season takes listeners inside the world of development finance: why capital isn’t flowing where it’s needed most, and how blended finance, catalytic capital, and impact investing can help close the $4.2 trillion SDG funding gap. From big-picture insights to practical solutions, we explore what it will take to turn ambition into investible impact.

Season 2 is produced in collaboration with the SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI).

Hosted by Luka Biernacki.

Also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGenevaConnection

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