UK PUBLIC CAPITAL MONITOR
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UK institutions and system

Investment targets can push development finance institutions towards easier deals

Policy analysis
Authors
Nicholas O’Donohoe and Wasim Tahir
Publisher
Africa at LSE, London School of Economics and Political Science
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What it examines

O’Donohoe and Tahir argue that volume targets can favour easier deals. Their commentary asks government shareholders to examine borrowers’ financing constraints, the case for public support and promising investments institutions could not finance.

Why it matters

Comparative lessons for the UK’s oversight of BII, rather than findings about BII itself. This UK application is the Monitor’s interpretation. Wasim Tahir, the Monitor’s creator and editor, is a co-author.

Commentary published 7 October 2026. The linked underlying Harvard working paper is a separate publication.

Institutions and themes

British International InvestmentImpact and value for moneyGovernance and accountabilityPrivate investment and mobilisation

Catalogue entry reviewed 9 Oct 2026. The summary describes the publication’s analysis; it does not establish that historical findings remain current.