It is not even spring yet but 2009 is already being termed a recession year. The global financial crisis hit the real economy everywhere and stimulus packages are frantically being thrown together. The pressure for change is rising on the “construction sites” of globalisation. Thus 2009 is also representing a window of opportunity: the consequences drawn from the global financial crisis and the course set this year can decisively shape the face of global governance for the foreseeable future. An overview by Rainer Falk and Barbara Unmüßig
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The global economic development trend is clearly pointed downward, and there is almost no difference any more between the forecasts of the relevant institutions (see notes). Whereas the UN Global Outlook forecasts only 1% of global growth in 2009 (compared to 3.8% in 2007), the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects forecasts only 0.9% (compared to 3.7% in 2007). Growth in the developing countries ought to decline in 2009 to an average of 4.6% (2007: 7.1% according to the UN) resp. 4.5% (2007: 7.9% according to the World Bank), whereby these figures reflect the moderate scenario. The IMF is even more pessimistic ... ... this article comes up in WDEV 1/Jan-Feb 2009 and is for subscribers only. For direct log in >>> click here.If you have no subscription >>> pick your option or >>>
The Superiority of the Financial Transaction Tax + Global Unemployment on Record Levels + New Beginning in European Development Policy? + Clean Development for the South
Global Economic Prospects for 2010 + Does Copenhagen Really Matter? + Quo Vadis, German Development Cooperation? + Mapping Social Protection in South Asia
The ITUC's Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights has documented a dramatic increase in the number of trade unionists murdered in 2009, with 101 killings - an increase of 30% over the previous year. The new Survey also reveals growing pressure on fundamental workers' rights around the world as the impact of the global economic crisis on employment deepened.
Barely in office, German development minister Dirk Niebel unambiguously mapped out the road: he wants to ensure that development cooperation once again focuses on German interests. This position provoked-probably intentionally-protest from the greater part of the German development community.
Latvia and Estonia show us what Greece may look forward to if it follows the advice it gets from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union. As noted previously, Latvia has experienced the worst two-year economic downturn on record, losing more than 25% of GDP, a recent study shows.
A group of economists has written an open letter to European policymakers criticising their collective failure to address the Greek crisis as a European crisis. It sets out the various causes of the Greek crisis, of which poor fiscal management by that country is only one, and points out the European dimension of the problems. It calls for decisive and coordinated policies by European and national actors to stem the crisis.
The evaluation of the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) of the World Bank's support for gender issues between 2002 and 2008 is of significant relevance in the light of the Beijing+15 review and the launching of gender mainstreaming as crucial strategy for all institutions and organizations.