Bolivia Faces Good Economic and Social Prospects
On 31 March 2006, the current Stand-by Agreement of Bolivia with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will expire – another step in Latin America’s long-lasting struggle for emancipation from IMF conditionalities. The prospects for living without the IMF are not bad.
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Early Alerts Consistently Ignored by Donors
Despite warning systems to predict impending food shortages, donors, governments and even humanitarian agencies consistently ignore early alerts. Questions over corruption and good governance in many drought-affected countries have been blamed for donors’ delayed response.
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A Spectre is Haunting Latin America
A spectre is haunting Latin America – the spectre of “populism.” Hardly a week goes by without a warning from pundits that the region may return to its “populist” past. Non-native English speakers would be forgiven for thinking that populism was a dreaded disease, like botulism.
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EU Spring Summit: Which Development for Europe?
When the European Council will meet 23 to 24 March 2006 in Brussels for its Spring Summit the renewed Lisbon Strategy on competitiveness will be once again high on the agenda. Yet European NGOs and trade unions regard the strategy as unbalanced and heavily biased towards business interests.
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Global Water Policy: How to Reduce Poverty?
The high-tech approach to water supply has failed to reduce global poverty. Small-scale water projects can reduce poverty more effectively, and at a lower cost. All that is lacking for the much-needed change in global water policy is political will.
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Water Forum: Bolivia's Alternative Declaration
From 16 to 22 March the 4th World Water Forum will be held in Mexico City. The Forum is highly controversial. In the official draft declaration the right to water is not even mentioned. Therefore, an alternative draft has been presented by the Bolivia's new government.
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Brazil Joins Donors: US$ 20 million for IFFIm
Brazil joins six European nations – France, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK – in committing funds to IFFIm. Lula announced during his state visit to London on 9 March 2006 that Brazil will contribute US$ 20 million over 20 years.
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The First Step: Report from the Paris Conference
The Paris conference changed the dynamics of the process towards Innovative Instruments for Financing Development. Even though we can't call it a breakthrough yet - there is real progress
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Paris Conference on Airline Ticket Tax
Prior to the International Conference on Innovative Resources of Development Finance to be held in Paris on 28 February and 1 March 2006 international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are calling for a European taxation initiative as part of a new international financing mechanism.
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Tobin Tax: "Ready for Implementation"
A new study has been published on the feasibility of the Currency Transaction Tax (CTT). Its central message is: The CTT is ready for implementation. It is now only a question of political will. The authors hope for new momentum with Austria's EU presidency and the Paris conference next week.
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The World Bank and Pakistan's Water Sector
The World Bank largely refrained from financing mega infrastructure projects during the past decade, but recently returned to the bad old days. By promoting the Kalabagh and Bhasha dams, the Bank is destabilizing an already conflict-ridden country and further marginalizing Pakistan's poor.
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Goodbye UK, Hello Austria: EU Presidency Outlook
As the Austrians settle into the driving seat of the European Union for the coming six months, the time is ripe to take a look back at the achievements of the UK Presidency for development, and forward to the agenda of the Austrian Presidency in 2006.
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After Hong Kong: Battle Will Resume January 2006
The WTO obviously attracts lots of passion. But the big decisions were not taken at Hong Kong where the World Trade Organisation held its Ministerial conference, and the talks will resume in Geneva in January. By Martin Khor.
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South Forms Grand Coalition in Hong Kong
One of the most significant events at the 6th WTO Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong has been the appearance of a new and grand coalition of developing countries. The new group is called G110 and represents a force of 110 Southern countries out of a total of 150 WTO members.
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The Electronic Reader for Hong Kong
In the run-up to Hong Kong NGOs have multiplied the publication of research and education material. World Economy & Development in brief presents the direct links to the 12 most recent policy papers on trade, development, and environment.
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Alternative Economists Against European Minimalism
On the eve of the European Summit next week in Brussels more than 270 economists from 21 EU member countries have published proposals for an "Integrated Development Strategy in Europe". They call for a considerable rise of the European budget and a rebalancing of the economic, social, and ecological dimensions of the European integration.
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World Bank: Leap Backwards for Sustainable Energy
The World Bank is failing to live up to its clean energy mandate, agreed at the 2005 G8 Summit. This is shown by figures in a new report from the Bank. The revelation comes as the World Bank is taking an increasingly high profile role at the UN climate talks currently underway in Montreal.
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On the Road to Hong Kong: Gender-Fair Trade?
More and more facts, figures and empirical evidence prove the highly uneven, unequal and unstable effects of trade liberalisation. And a growing body of empirical data indicate the particularly harmful effect on poor women in the global South.
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