After a sharp and synchronized global downturn, United Nations economists expect the world economy to bounce back with a mild 2.4 per cent growth in 2010. The rebound is due to the massive and to some extent concerted policy actions taken by the major economies, which effectively arrested a further erosion of confidence worldwide. But a double-dip recession cannot be excluded. A WDEV summary
The cutbacks in industrial production that characterized early stages of the recession have now been reversed. But the recovery is fragile. Firms have mainly begun to restock inventories, rather than respond to stronger consumer or investment demand. In a pre-release of its annual report, the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2010(WESP), the United Nations says an increasing number of economies showed positive growth in the second quarter of 2009 and the recovery momentum continued to build in the third quarter ... ... this article comes up in WDEV 6/Nov-Dec 2009 is for subscribers only. For direct log in >>> click here.If you have no subscription >>> pick your option or >>>
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.