The world economic situation is more favourable for developing countries than at any time since the early 1970s (see box in article). But a safe correction to the increasing imbalances would be much easier with more appropriate global exchange-rate arrangements, the just published Trade & Development Report (TDR; see reference) of the UN Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD) argues. WDEV summarises the report.
Arbitrary exchange-rate shifts should be managed just as tariffs and export subsidies are, and in the absence of such controls regional cooperation may provide developing countries with some security against abrupt corrections. The authors of the TDR say that in recent years there have been several cases – for example in Germany, Japan and Switzerland – where current-account surpluses have been accompanied by a real depreciation of the exchange rate, rather than an appreciation, as conventional theory would predict. Such movements in the "wrong" direction tend to increase rather than reduce the underlying imbalances ...
After decades of isolation - imposed by major OECD countries out of concern for the country's human rights violations - Myanmar is emerging as a new darling of the "West" - judging by the accelerating succession of visits by senior officials and gurus. New groups of investors are waiting to enter the country as soon as possible.
Persistent high unemployment, the euro area debt crisis and premature fiscal austerity have already slowed global growth and factor into the possibility of a new recession. Now the United Nations have downgraded significantly its forecasts for the world economy in the next year.
Eastern European states are in for a new round of the crisis. The external control of the banking sector and high reliance on external credit has landed the countries of Eastern Europe in a vulnerable position. Now, credit flows from Western banks are drying up again. Hungary has been the first country in the region to ask for IMF support again.
While the G20 efforts to manage global aggregate demand, exchange rate management and stronger regulation of the international financial sector have not worked out quite as planned, in Cannes the Group was further solidifying its role in directing the system of multilateral institutions.
In November 2011, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is celebrating its 50th anniversary.The new Minister, Dirk Niebel of the (neo)-liberal FDP has launched a 'radical change of course'. In the recent edition of the Reality of Aid shadow report the change is analyzed.