Adam Smith International

08/10/2026

Some recipes travel with us wherever we go.

For Maria Tomàs-Rodó, that recipe is panellets, a traditional Catalonian sweet enjoyed throughout autumn.

What began as a family tradition with cousins gathered around their grandmother's kitchen has become a way of carrying home across countries, continents and different stages of life.

This is one of the stories featured in the upcoming ASI Cookbook, a collection of recipes from colleagues across our global team and the memories, traditions and connections that come with them.

In the run-up to World Mental Health Day, we're sharing some of these recipes and the stories behind them. Maria's panellets are a reminder of how food can help us stay connected to our roots, our communities and the moments that matter most.

23/09/2026

Last week, ASI joined partners, donors, researchers and members of the Mogadishu Youth Peace Club (MYPC) for a Somalia Stability Fund (SSF III) event exploring how youth participation in local governance can contribute to peacebuilding, resilience and stability in Somalia.

The event was attended by His Majesty's Ambassador to Somalia, Charles King, and Germany's Deputy Ambassador to Somalia, Katrin Josten, alongside donor representatives and programme partners, providing an opportunity for direct engagement with young people and discussion of new research on youth inclusion in governance. ASI was represented by CEO Jalpa Patel, who attended in person and engaged with partners and young people participating in the programme.

The event brought together evidence from research conducted across Puntland, Jubaland and Southwest States, alongside the lived experiences of Somali youth.

A particular highlight was a youth-led photo exhibition, where MYPC members shared their stories, challenges and aspirations for Somalia's future. These conversations reinforced a clear message: meaningful youth inclusion goes beyond participation, creating opportunities for young people to actively shape the decisions that affect their communities.

At ASI, we are proud to support initiatives that amplify youth voices, strengthen local ownership and help build more inclusive and responsive governance systems.

22/09/2026

On 10 September, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), together with SALGA and COGTA, brought municipalities participating in the South African Urban Resilience Programme (URP) together for a practical learning event on project preparation. URP is delivered by a consortium led by ASI, comprising Deloitte, PDG, Pegasys, Turner & Townsend and Zutari. This specific event was designed and delivered by ASI, Pegasys and Zutari.

URP provides targeted project preparation support to participating municipalities. One of the key learnings from URP to date has been that South Africa’s infrastructure challenge is not only about accessing finance: it is also about building a pipeline of credible projects and strengthening the capacity to take those projects progressively from early concepts through preparation, approval, financing and implementation. The event created an opportunity to share some of these learnings and strengthen a common approach to project preparation across participating municipalities.

One key theme of the event was the Five Case Model, and the requisite fundamentals that need to come first. Strong projects start with a clearly defined need and a credible concept, backed by clarity on issues such as land availability, municipal mandates, institutional responsibilities and the practical conditions required for implementation.

Another key them of the event was South Africa’s infrastructure funding landscape and the important relationship between project finance and municipal finance. National Treasury and the World Bank joined the discussion, sharing perspectives on municipal creditworthiness and the conditions needed to support sustainable infrastructure investment.

It was encouraging to see such strong participation from municipalities and partners, and particularly valuable to create a space for practical discussion and shared learning. Participants highlighted the need to (i) localise international project preparation tools, (ii) apply proportional effort to project preparation based on their size and municipality capacity, and (iii) strengthen agreement between political and other stakeholders about necessary and viable projects.

We look forward to continuing these conversations with our programme partners as municipalities move projects from concept towards implementation.

10/09/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐒𝐈 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚!

Meet Mthobisi Nkabinde, Analyst on the Urban Resilience Programme, based in Pretoria. From his experience in government to his work advancing urban resilience and the just energy transition, Mthobisi is focused on turning evidence, ideas and policy into practical action that can improve people’s lives.

We’re proud to work alongside people like Mthobisi, who are helping turn complex development challenges into lasting, meaningful change.

🔗 Read Mthobisi’s full ASI Game Changers interview: https://adamsmithinternational.com/articles/asi-gamechangers-meet-mthobisi-in-south-africa/

25/08/2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐

We’re delighted to share that ASI has been named one of Forbes’ World’s Best Management Consulting Firms 2026, receiving a four-star rating.

Four stars means ASI was “frequently recommended”, placing us among the top 10–40% of firms recognised in the ranking.

The ranking is based on recommendations from around 9,000 clients and senior consultants across 31 countries.

This recognition reflects the expertise, judgement and commitment of our colleagues and associates around the world, who deliver impact every day, often in some of the most challenging contexts.

We’re proud of this recognition and grateful to everyone who has contributed to it.

See the full list: https://www.forbes.com/lists/worlds-best-management-consulting-firms/

20/08/2026

In the markets of Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, traders are renewing business licences on their phones. Sales tax can be deducted automatically when customers pay by mobile money. Very little cash changes hands.

This is everyday economic life in Somalia's urban areas, and it points to something bigger: mobile money providers here process more than 155 million transactions a month, worth around US$2.7 billion. No part of the state reaches people this often.

So how does Somalia turn that everyday activity into a revenue system that citizens, businesses, federal states and the federal government can all trust?

Our Head of Africa, Suvojit Chattopadhyay, tackles exactly this in his latest article, i.e. on what mobile money and federalism could mean for Somalia's fiscal future, and why getting the politics of revenue-sharing right may matter just as much as the technology itself.

🔗 Read the full article here:

Somalia’s rapidly expanding mobile money ecosystem offers a unique opportunity to strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation. But unlocking that potential will require more than digital tax collection: it will depend on building trust, clarifying revenue-sharing arrangements between federal and stat...

22/07/2026

Rebuilding after a conflict or a war is about far more than repairing roads, schools and hospitals. It also means putting the right systems in place so governments can prioritise, fund and deliver the investments that matter most.

Strong public investment management helps ensure limited resources are spent where they will have the greatest impact, supporting a more effective and accountable recovery.

In Ukraine and Iraq, ASI is working alongside governments to strengthen these systems and lay the foundations for long-term stability and sustainable development.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://adamsmithinternational.com/articles/9335/

Public investment management is critical to rebuilding countries affected by conflict. Drawing on ASI's work in Ukraine and Iraq, this article explores how stronger planning, transparency and governance systems help governments prioritise infrastructure, attract investment, and deliver long-term rec...

17/07/2026

67 minutes can make a difference.

Every year on 18 July, people around the world mark Mandela Day by giving 67 minutes of their time in honour of Nelson Mandela's 67 years of service to justice, equality and human dignity.

Real change often starts with small acts of kindness, service and showing up for our communities.

This Mandela Day, we're sharing reflections from a couple of South African colleagues on what the day means to them, and celebrating colleagues whose volunteer work reflects the spirit of Mandela Day in action.

29/06/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐒𝐈 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞, 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞

Power losses don’t just affect utilities - they affect businesses, public services, and everyday life.

Through UK FCDO-funded support, ASI and Deloitte Ghana worked with Sierra Leone’s Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) to strengthen revenue protection, improve billing accuracy, and identify where electricity and revenue was being lost across parts of Freetown’s network.

The pilot uncovered practical interventions capable of unlocking more than USD 3 million in annual savings, while helping EDSA build stronger systems, better data, and greater operational oversight.

Stronger utilities mean more reliable electricity, greater investor confidence, and better foundations for long-term growth.

🔗 Read the full piece here: https://adamsmithinternational.com/articles/protecting-revenue-powering-progress-in-sierra-leone/ :all

24/06/2026

Not every climate story starts with a solar panel or a headline pledge.

Some start with zoning rules, procurement systems, bus corridors, station planning and the quiet institutional work that determines whether a city becomes more connected — or more congested.

For London Climate Action Week, we are sharing the latest article in our Green Cities, Infrastructure and Energy Programme (GCIEP) series, looking at what it takes to build future-ready urban transport systems.

Drawing on work in Vietnam, Laos, Sri Lanka and beyond, the article explores how cities can move away from reactive sprawl and towards transport systems that are planned, financed and governed for the long term.

These choices matter for the climate because they shape how people move, how cities grow, and whether countries lock in high-emission infrastructure for decades to come.

That is why the work behind the infrastructure matters too: the planning, financing and operating models that determine whether sustainable transport becomes part of daily life.

👉 Read the full article by Shubhankar (Shub) Agarwal, with contributions from Astrid Van de Voorde and Suvendu Samal, to see how future-ready cities are taking shape.

https://adamsmithinternational.com/articles/the-architecture-of-connection-how-future-ready-cities-take-shape/ :all