From Bamako: The capital city Mali is in the more populated southwestern part of the country.  The eastern Saharan part of the country is home to Timbuktu, known for musical culture and starry sky-gazing.  The opportunity for investment in transportation infrastructure remain central to development for this West African country.  Both capital investment and human investment education are factors in the country’s economic development.

Guest: Mr. Madani Tall, business executive and former presidential advisor, joins Global Bridges from Abidjan, Ivory Coast to share about economic development in his home country of Mali.

From Brno: As the Czech Republic enters a new lockdown in March 2021, higher education continues to adapt to the online teaching environment.  Commenting on the increasing global competition for online higher education, in particular for International Business programs, professor and vice-dean at Masaryk University gives her perspective from the Czech Republic.

Guest: Dr. Sylva Talpova, Professor and Vice-Dean for External Relations and Partnerships at Faculty of Economics and Administration at Masaryk University, Brno.

From Genova: The city rebuilt the Morandi bridge that collapsed in August 2018. Renamed the San Giorgio bridge, since the inauguration in August 2020, the city has come together for this new era of history as we emerge from the pandemic. The guests discuss cultural ties between Italy and the US, and they highlight the pioneering museums, Wolfsoniana (Genova) and Wolfsonian-FIU (Miami) together with the Amici di Palazzo Ducale, that advance cultural bridges.

Guests: The Honorable Marco Bucci, mayor of the city of Genova, joining from Italy and Mr. Micky Wolfson, founder of the Wolfsonian-FIU and Wolfsoniana Museums, joining from Miami, Florida.

From Mexico City: Though Mexico, the US and Canada are highly integrated in the economic activities of trade and production, the pace of vaccine distribution is differentiated across the countries in North America.

Guest: Agustín Barrios Gómez, former Mexican Congress representative in Chamber of Deputies, principal in international firm and media personality.

From Wellington: Residents and foreigners must observe a strict quarantine, since the pandemic was declared eradicated in June 2020.  Though foreign tourism has become limited, domestic tourism has increased and agricultural exports facilitation remains an important enterprise for the country.

Guest: Camilla Ojansivu, Coordinator for the International Growth Fund, agency for the New Zealand Trade & Enterprise international business development agency.

From Bruges: The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is in production in Puurs, Belgium, from where there are exports globally. The EU has global solidarity approach to contribute to vaccine distribution in the developing world. The traditional work of International Development has moved remotely to online virtual support when travel has been limited due to the pandemic.

Guest: Thomas Dedeuwaerdere, policy specialist with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

From Shanghai: There are new investment opportunities for foreigners with the government policy changes to allow increased capital investment in China. The strategy to attract foreign finance is presented in this inaugural episode. Good opportunities are on the horizon for the Lunar New Year, begun on February 12, with the Year of the Ox.

Guest: Cathy Sun, an attorney and business leader who formerly resided in Houston, Texas