Music Economy Development Initiative Launched at Global Citizen NOW Summit

Landmark Initiative’s Mission is Expanding Music’s Potential to Combat Extreme Poverty

Led by the Center for Music Ecosystems and Global Citizen, Backed by the International Finance Corporation and Universal Music Group

NEW YORK, 30 APRIL 2025: Today at the Global Citizen NOW summit in New York, the Center for Music Ecosystems and Global Citizen announced the launch of the Music Economy Development Initiative (MEDI), an initiative to use the power of music to fight extreme poverty and promote responsible and healthy economic development. It will do so by providing data and economic research on emerging economies.

CME Executive Director Shain Shapiro, PhD, said, “719 million people around the world live in extreme poverty, with deeply harmful consequences for their health and life expectancy, as well as their access to education and basic services, among other things. Every tool at our disposal must be deployed to address this dreadful reality. One such tool, which can literally be found everywhere and effectively combats the scourge of extreme poverty, is music. The power of music is manifold: it can inspire humanity and unite us. It can console us and heal us. And music can drive economic growth and create jobs. It can spur responsible economic development to help communities in crisis”.

“But this economic development doesn’t happen on its own,” Shapiro continued, “It requires the proper infrastructure and legal framework and investment of resources and work-hours to build it. MEDI aims to address this and amplify the power that music can have by providing data, evidence, and research, guiding the development of the systems and policies that can help spur successful and responsible economic development with the proper engagement of the music community and its partners.”

MEDI will conduct and make public research and data through the MEDI portal, outlining both the current state of the music ecosystem and its economic potential, initially in 22 countries. It will use the data to develop evidence and recommendations, enabling partnerships to expand music’s economic potential in Africa and around the world. These include Move Afrika, local collaboration, comprehensive market assessments, the development of multilateral and private-sector partnerships, and support for national copyright and infrastructure reform, among other initiatives.

The development of MEDI began at Global Citizen NOW 2024, where a vision was shared for how music can help end poverty and drive economic growth. The inaugural Music Policy Assembly followed on February 24 at the J. Randall Center for Yorùbá Culture in Lagos, which hosted the launch of MEDI’s first position paper, We Need Tracks Before We Have Trains, co-authored by CME’s Shain Shapiro and music economist Will Page.

Moving forward, MEDI will expand the portal to map more countries and quantify the economic potential of recorded music worldwide. It will also launch two pilot studies, one with the Ministry of Culture and Francophonie of Côte d’Ivoire and another with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy of Nigeria, co-financed by the IFC.

Alongside CME and Global Citizen, MEDI’s partners include Universal Music Group (or UMG, the world’s leading music-based entertainment company) and the International Finance Corporation (or IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets).

To view the MEDI portal, visit www.musiceconomy.org

Quotes:

Michele Anthony, Executive Vice President of Universal Music Group and Director of Global Citizen, said, “having spent my entire life and career in music, I have always recognized its power as a change agent. It brings us joy and salves our pain. Medical research shows that it can literally heal us. And, by creating jobs and driving economic growth, it can. That’s why, today, on behalf of Universal Music Group and as a founding member of Global Citizen, I am incredibly proud that together we are launching the Music Economy Development Initiative. This collaboration harnesses music’s power as a force for social and economic change, fighting poverty and building sustainable careers for artists, composers, and the creative community worldwide. This research shows that with proper public policies and infrastructure in place, creative communities don’t just survive, they can truly thrive.”

The Honorable Françoise Remarck, Minister of Culture and Francophonie in the Republic of Ivory Coast, said, “We are proud to be the pioneering partner of the MEDI initiative. The work we have undertaken to develop our music economy reveals its full potential, and this will only serve to accelerate its progress.”

Germán Cufré, IFC Global Manager for Telecom, Media and Technology Investments and Creative Industries, said, “By promoting research, partnerships, and investment in music through the MEDI platform, we aim to catalyze more private and public sector participation in the creative sectors, foster jobs, and shape a positive policy landscape for growth.

Raoul Rugamba, CEO of Africa in Colors in Kigali, Rwanda, said, “For years, we had the passion, but not the data. We needed the data to convince anyone that we had a job, that they could invest in us, for us, the community, the impact and the social and economic development a country needs. The MEDI tool will not only help us invest more and better, but also convince and mobilize more investments and investors.”

Liz Agbor-Tabi, Vice President of Global Policy, Global Citizen, said, “Ending extreme poverty requires bold ideas and innovative partnerships. With MEDI, we’re recognizing music not just as a cultural asset, but as a catalyst for economic development. Global Citizen’s Move Afrika initiative is pioneering a world-class touring circuit across the continent; but infrastructure alone isn’t enough. Policy change is essential to provide a reliable foundation for the next generation of artists and entrepreneurs. That’s why we’re proud to launch the Music Economy Development Initiative – a powerful coalition of local, regional, and global voices working together to drive the research, policy, and investment required to unleash Africa’s creative future on the world stage and make music a catalyst for sustainable economic development”.

About the Center for Music Ecosystems

The Center for Music Ecosystems is a global research and development organization whose objective is to understand, advance, and enrich music ecosystems and increase their role and impact on the economic and social development of communities. For additional information, please see: https://www.centerformusicecosystems.com/.

About Global Citizen

Global Citizen is the world’s leading international advocacy organisation on a mission to end extreme poverty NOW. Powered by a worldwide community of everyday activists raising their voices and taking action, the movement is amplified by campaigns and events that convene leaders in music, entertainment, public policy, media, philanthropy and the corporate sector. Since the movement began, $49 billion in commitments announced on Global Citizen platforms has been deployed, impacting 1.3 billion lives. Established in Australia in 2008, Global Citizen’s team operates from New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Geneva, Melbourne, Toronto, Johannesburg, Lagos and beyond. Join the movement at globalcitizen.org, download the Global Citizen app, and follow Global Citizen on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.

About International Finance Corporation

IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2024, IFC committed a record $56 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions and mobilizing private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

About Universal Music Group

At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation, and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms, and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. For more information, visit www.universalmusic.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

For Center for Music Ecosystems: Angharad Cooper – info@centerformusicecosystems.com

For Global Citizen: – media@globalcitizen.org

For IGC: Aliza Marcus – amarcus@ifc.org

For Universal Music Group: James Murtagh-Hopkins – james.murtagh-hopkins@umusic.com

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