Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
Mahatma Gandhi
1. EU-ACP: 10th EDF country strategy papers adopted:
Priority on infrastructure, governance and regional integration
A good number of country strategy papers for the implementation of the 10th European Development Fund in the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries have now been adopted and signed. They are available on EC website at: http://ec.europa.eu/development/how/iqsg/documents_library_en.cfm For 31 countries, however, the CSP is not yet posted on the website and many signatures are still pending.
A rapid overview of the 31 CSPs that were signed on 9 December 2007 at the occasion of the EU-Africa Lisbon Summit shows that:
- in general, the strategies seem to be more focused on a limited number of priorities (not more than 2 in most cases) than in the case of the 9th EDF.
- Non-state actors are often mentioned but no full and detailed inventory of envisaged support to civil society has been made yet.
- Governance is a focal sector in 12 countries which represent more 39% of the countries.
- Infrastructure (including mainly transport but also the rehabilitation of basic infrastructures in post conflict situations like Liberia and Sierra Leone as well as energy and water infrastructures) is a focal sector in 22 countries (70%). Transport has always been a key sector of the EDF. For the coming 6 years, the focus will be on regional connections with the building of main regional road axes in view of promoting regional integration and trade relations.
- Regional integration and trade is effectively mentioned as a focal sector in 11 cases and most generally combined with transport except in the case of Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville.
- Another important focal sector mentioned in 9 CSPs is rural development, in certain cases combined with agriculture and in others with food security.
- Water and sanitation is also mentioned in 5 CSPs and energy in 3.
- Social sectors are to be supported mainly through general budget support but are however specifically mentioned as a focal sector in 6 cases for education and only 3 cases for health (Burundi, Swaziland, and Zambia).
Not all countries are eligible to general budget support, in several cases, sectoral budget support is envisaged for supporting the focal sectors while no general budget support is provided. Source: EU News
2. Google.org names TechnoServe a Strategic Partner in International Development
Google.org has named TechnoServe a key partner in a new strategic plan it unveiled last week. Google.org has also awarded TechnoServe a new multi-year grant of $3 million to expand the organization's private-sector development efforts. The focus of the strategic partnership is to spur the growth of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are vital to ending the cycle of poverty in developing countries. SMEs create the bulk of new ideas and jobs in most developed economies, but they are scarce in other parts of the world, mainly due to a lack of access to business training and capital. ''Small and medium enterprises are a powerful engine of growth, jobs and opportunities,'' says Google.org manager Rachel Payne. ''We have chosen TechnoServe as a strategic partner because of the organization's long track record of working with entrepreneurial people to give them the tools, training and access to capital that they need to create viable businesses.'' http://www.technoserve.org/press_room/googlegrant.aspx
TechnoServe has launched a nonprofit channel on YouTube that will feature some of the entrepreneurs participating in our business plan competitions, as well as other videos highlighting TechnoServe's impact in various sectors and countries around the world. The channel launches with seven entrepreneur profiles from TechnoServe's Believe Begin Become national business plan competition in Tanzania. http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=BelieveBeginBecome
3. UNCTAD's Information Economy Report 2007-2008
Science and Technology for development: the New Paradigm of ICT
The Information Economy Report 2008 reveals that although most developing countries remain far behind industrialized nations in availability and use of information and communication technology (ICT), some are emerging as major global suppliers of ICT products and services. The report analyses the current - and potential - contribution of ICT to knowledge creation and diffusion. It provides latest figures on the global digital divide and looks at how developing countries use ICT to improve the livelihoods of the poor and support enterprise competitiveness. The Report also explores the links between ICT use by enterprises, innovation and development, the role of mobile telephony, e-banking, and e-commerce legislation in developing countries. The Report will contribute to a roundtable debate planned for UNCTAD XII (20-25 April in Accra, Ghana) with the theme ''Harnessing knowledge and technology for development''. http://www.unctad.org/press
4. ILO Global Employment Trends 2008
Economic turbulence largely due to credit market turmoil and rising oil prices could spur an increase in global unemployment by an estimated 5 million persons in 2008. This is one of the main findings in the GET report 2008. This new projection for 2008 is in contrast to 2007, a watershed year in which sound global GDP growth, led to a ''stabilization'' of global labour markets with more people in work. http://www.ilo.org/.../get08.pdf
5. OECD publishes Principles and guidelines to promote sustainable lending practices in the provision of Official Export Credits to Low Income Countries
The provision of official export credits to public and publicly guaranteed buyers in low income countries should reflect Sustainable Lending practices (lending that supports a borrowing country’s economic and social progress without endangering its financial future and long-term development prospects). Export Credits Guarantees (ECG) Members agree to apply principles to obtain reasonable assurances that their commercial lending decisions are not likely to contribute to debt distress in the future in relation to any official export credit with a repayment term of one year or more. http://www.oecd.org/...
6. European Commission prepares Small Business Act
The European Commission launched a public consultation on the content of a European ''Small Business Act''. Its objective is to put small and medium sized enterprises at the forefront of decision-making in the EU and to introduce concrete measures to unlock the SMEs' growth potential. It will include new initiatives to reduce regulatory burden on SMEs, facilitate access to Single Market/public procurement, help provide necessary financial/human resources for SME development and help SMEs face the challenge of globalization and climate change. The preparation of a ''Small Business Act'' for Europe is one of the key measures announced in the Commission's package for the next cycle of the Growth and Jobs Strategy adopted last December. http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/...
7. Vice President Verheugen launches Enterprise Europe Network
European Commission Vice President Gunter Verheugen launched Enterprise Europe Network, a new and powerful European support network for enterprises. All major players of the business support community in Europe have united to offer a one-stop service to assist especially small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop their full potential and innovative capacity. With more than 500 contact points and almost 4,000 experienced staff, Enterprise Europe Network is the largest network in Europe providing expertise and services for business. These are available to companies of all sizes irrespective of whether they are in manufacturing or services, although they are primarily directed at small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise-europe-network
8. Training and Events
Slovenian EU Presidency Seminar on Africa
The Role of New EU Member States in EU-Africa Development Policy http://www.awepa.org/...
Belgium, 27-28 February 2008
AWEPA in partnership with the European Parliament, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and the Society for International Development (SID) will be organising an EU Presidency Seminar on Africa in connection with the EU Presidency of Slovenia. In the context of efficiency and coherence at the EU level, the overall objective of the seminar will be to identify the role and responsibilities of the new EU Member States in EU-Africa development policy.
Media Registration Now Open for ADB’s 41st Annual Meeting in Madrid http://www.adb.org/...
The Asian Development Bank has opened media registration for its 41st Annual Meeting to be held 3-6 May 2008 at the Institución Ferial de Madrid in Madrid, Spain.
Adding value to the future - Applying sustainable economic principles http://www.gtz.de/en/top-themen/21795.htm
Eschborn, Germany, 10-11 June 2008, GTZ HQ, Eschborn Dialouge
More than 400 representatives from politics, business, science and civil society will come together with development experts to discuss the different dimensions of socially and environmentally sound economic activity in a globalised world. Details of the event will be published in March together with the registration documents.
2008 International Conference for Small Business and Entrepreneurship http://www.icsb2008.org
Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 22-25, 2008
The Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (CCSBE) in partnership with ACSBE at Acadia University, The Norman Newman Centre for Entrepreneurship at Dalhousie University and the Saint Mary’s University Business Development Centre (SMUBDC) were chosen to host the 2008 World Conference of the International Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The theme of the 2008 conference, ''From Research to Results”, will help to promote the interaction of the four pillars of the International Council for Small Business -Educators, Researchers, Policy Makers and Consultants (i.e. practitioners).
WIDER Project Workshop on Entrepreneurship and Economic Development:
Concepts, Measurements, and Impacts. http://www.wider.unu.edu/...
Helsinki, Finland, 21 - 23 August 2008, WIDER
Having embarked on a ‘building entrepreneurial capacity’ project, this WIDER international workshop will create a platform to chart past and present thinking on the topic, with specific reference to developing economies, and share ideas on future research. Entrepreneurship is important for structural economic change, growth, and ultimately for improving human well-being. Governments and development agencies are recognizing the need to build entrepreneurial capacity. This can gain from a better understanding of the role of entrepreneurship in economic development. Having embarked on a 'building entrepreneurial capacity' project, WIDER is hosting an international workshop to chart past and present thinking on the topic, with specific reference to developing economies, and share ideas on future research (the call for papers is open until 14 March 2008 - further details via the web link).
United Nations Online Course for Finance-sector and Trade Officials http://www.unitar.org/pft/elearning
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is pleased to announce its 2008 e-Learning Course Calendar. For 2008, UNITAR will be conducting over least fifteen online courses intended for a global audience of finance-sector and trade officials.
9. Publications
Creating a World without Poverty, by M. Yunus http://ga4.org/ct/gdwkqMM1BRP0/
In his new book, Yunus gives a compelling account of the successful launches of social businesses. These businesses, while structured the same as traditional businesses, have two significant difference: all profits are reinvested into the business and used to advance the company's mission, and the mission is to provide a product or service that improves the lives and opportunities of poor people.
Cluster Management – A Practical Guide. Part A: Overview. http://www2.gtz.de/dokumente/bib/07-1496.pdf
Cluster Management – A Practical Guide. Part B: Tools http://www2.gtz.de/dokumente/bib/07-1498.pdf
This GTZ-manual provides an encompassing and concise overview of methods and instruments of cluster management. It was developed in Croatia commissioned by the GTZ and financed by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is, however, not only applicable to Croatia and to other transformation countries, but by all means suitable for a worldwide use. In addition to being useful for cluster management as such, it can also be applied to other forms of enterprise cooperation which go beyond pure supplier-buyer-relationships.
Cluster Management (German version)
Überblick: http://www2.gtz.de/dokumente/bib/07-1492.pdf
Tools: http://www2.gtz.de/dokumente/bib/07-1494.pdf
he Political Economy of Poverty Reduction http://www.brookings.edu/...
Large-scale antipoverty programs have achieved significant and positive results in many developing countries around the world in the past decade. This paper explores the challenges of ''scaling up” small-scale antipoverty programs—taken here to mean the processes by which successful efforts to raise the incomes of the poorest citizens in developing counties are expanded in coverage over time and across geography. By Raj M. Desai, Visiting Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Wolfensohn Center for Development - The Brookings Institution.
Webcast: Cut out the Middelmen? http://media.libsyn.com/...
Mark Lundy and Jörg Meyer-Stamer discuss the middleman: Who is he, or she, why is s/he so important, why do local stakeholders often suggest to cut out the middleman, and why is this probably not a good idea.
Better Access to Growth: Mainstreaming Gender in Cluster Development http://www.unido.org/...
Traditionally the Cluster Development Programme of UNIDO focuses on assisting underperforming clusters and enhancing their competitivness in a context of market liberalisation and rapid technological change. Past interventions have shown that strengthening cluster competitivness is necessary but not sufficient to reduce poverty. This paper shows how integrating a gender perspective within technical cooperation projects can enhance pro-poor effects of cluster development.
Promoting local economic development in a war-affected country http://www.ilo.org/public/...
This paper on the ILO experience in Cambodia analyses the ''Small Enterprise and Informal Sector Promotion'' project, implemented in Cambodia (1992 - 1995) to raise the living standards of disadvantaged, war affected, population. Its strategy was the promotion of local economic development by providing financial and non financial services to small scale and private economic activities. The organizations set up for service delivery were the Local Economic Development Agencies (LEDAs) which assisted thousands of small and micro enterprises with a significant effect on incomes and employment. The achievements are presented in terms of impact, cost-effectiveness and sustainability with a summary of lessons learned.
GTZ-Reader: Knowledge Management and Knowledge Systems for Rural Development http://www2.gtz.de/wbf/...
Knowledge Management (KM) is a relatively novel management concept. It has been pushed by the rapid developments of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ICT facilitates a speedy exchange of data, information and documents. There is groupware for communication; content management systems to organise and retrieve documents; expert systems, data mining and text mining systems, tracing services and search engines, e.g. Google. Communication via email, fax, and phone- and video-conferences is ordinary business. It is good guessing that technological advances will continue to revolutionize the way we communicate and interact with each other. While the speed and ease to exchange data and information will increase, a new challenge for users emerges: to select relevant data, information and documents. To better understand potential and limitations it is importance to recognise the differences between data, information and knowledge.
Moving Toward Competitiveness: A Value-Chain Approach http://www.ifc.org/...
Developing countries face tremendous opportunities for economic growth given economic liberalization worldwide, and rapid advancement and application of information and communications technologies. However, along with the many opportunities global network trade has to offer, firms in developing countries also face strong competitive pressures for greater efficiency and productivity to maintain market share or even survive. A strong business environment based on sound institutions and policies is a necessary basis for enhanced competitiveness of private firms that produce and deliver goods and services. When business environment constraints - inefficiencies and cost disadvantages - can be identified, policy makers have the opportunity to jumpstart economic reform processes that target priority areas along the product/service life cycle known as the value chain. This technical report outlines a pragmatic approach for analyzing value chain performance as the basis for identifying binding constraints to growth and competitiveness. This approach is intended to facilitate formulating a targeted reform agenda.
Targeting Regional Economic Development:
An Outline of a National Extension Educational Program http://www.nercrd.psu.edu/...
A national network of university researchers and extension specialists is working together to develop a collection of educational materials on targeted regional economic development (TRED). Building on the notion of Michael Porter's cluster development a collection of tools and educational processes is outlined.
Financial Management for Local Governments http://www.citiesalliance.org/...
The Financial Management for Local Governments series is designed to cover all aspects of sound financial management for local governments in developed and developing countries and economies in transition.
Skills for work? From skills development to decent livelihoods in Ghana's rural informal economy http://www.norrag.org/...
In developing countries, skills development has been neglected. Skills development does not appear in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) or in many poverty reduction strategies and has been side-lined in favour of investment in primary education. However, it is hoped that recent discussion of skills development will refocus attention on skills. Also in Ghana skills development has received too little support on the ground.
BMZ Spezial: Zentrale Herausforderungen für wirtschaftliche Entwicklung in Afrika südlich der Sahara http://www.bmz.de/...
Im Rahmen dieser Stellungnahme werden grundlegende Ursachen der schlechten Entwicklung Afrikas näher beleuchtet. Unter dem Schlagwort ''Geography vs. Institutions'' hat sich in den vergangenen Jahren eine Debatte entwickelt, die versucht, die hinter den traditionellen Wachstumsdeterminanten stehenden fundamentalen Ursachen wirtschaftlicher Entwicklung zu bestimmen Auf die Ergebnisse dieser Debatte wird im zweiten Abschnitt in einem afrika-spezifischen Kontext eingegangen. Im folgenden werden die aktuellen Herausforderungen, mit denen sich der afrikanische Kontinent auseinandersetzen muss, sowie neue Chancen und Möglichkeiten für die zukünftige Entwicklung dargestellt.
BMZ KonZepte 147: Zur Bekämpfung der Armut – Unsere Ziele in den Regionalen Entwicklungsbanken http://www.bmz.de/de/...
Die Regionalen Entwicklungsbanken stehen vor großen Herausforderungen. Angesichts der globalen Liquidität und der Entwicklung der internationalen Finanzmärkte sind die Finanzierungsmöglichkeiten für die Entwicklungs- und Schwellenländer vielfältiger geworden. Der Wettbewerb ist für die Regionalen Entwicklungsbanken in den letzten Jahren unzweifelhaft härter geworden. Bei allen Änderungen ist allerdings der rote Faden geblieben, dass die Bekämpfung der Armut den obersten Grundsatz für unsere Zusammenarbeit mit den Regionalen Entwicklungsbanken bildet.
The Role of Remittances in Leveraging Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean http://www.microfinancegateway.org/...
This Accion Internacional paper deliberates on the type of financial services which can help leverage the economic impact of remittances.
Microscope on the Microfinance Business Environment in Latin America 2007 http://topics.developmentgateway.org/...
The Scoring Model (Excel) - Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) - In this inaugural Microscope on the Microfinance Business Environment in 15 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries, the Economist Intelligence Unit - in association with the Inter-American Development (IDB) and Andean Development Corporation (CAF, in Spanish) charts the industry's strengths and weaknesses across the region. Contributor: Giulia D'Amico
Innovative Practices for Connecting Small-scale Producers with Local and Regional Markets http://www.regoverningmarkets.org/en/global/about_regoverning_markets.html
Rapid changes are taking place in agri-food markets in middle and low-income countries and small-scale agriculture, which supports the livelihoods of the majority of rural poor, is poorly prepared for these changes. These 8 case studies, which were conducted as part of the Regoverning Markets Programme, provide examples of innovative practices in connecting small-scale producers with dynamic markets at local or regional level. Based on significant fieldwork activities, the case studies provide examples of market links between small-scale producers and dynamic markets, focusing on four drivers of innovation: public policy principles, private business models, collective action strategies by small-scale farmers, and intervention strategies and methods of development agencies. The studies highlight policy lessons and suggest working methods to guide public and private actors.
Banking on Development : private banks and aid donors in developing countries http://lysander.sourceoecd.org/...
The aim of this ECD Working Paper No. 263 is precisely to contribute to this debate and process. It highlights how private banks and other private financial operators like private equity firms and investments funds, can play a pivotal role in economic development. All in all, they are interesting potential partners for public aid donors willing to deepen impacts on developing countries. As documented, some of the private banking firms are more active in specific regions. UK and French banks seem, for example, to be potential interesting partners for aid donors in Africa while Spanish banks or US counterparts are more relevant for Latin America and German, Swiss and Italian banks for Eastern Europe. Beyond international banks, local private banks in Brazil, India, South Africa, Morocco and other developing countries are becoming increasingly aware and sensitive to economic, social and environmental impacts.
Remittances from Germany and their Routes to Migrants' Origin Countries http://www2.gtz.de/dokumente/bib/07-1374.pdf
Germany is one of the most important countries of origin for remittances— money transfers from migrants. In 2006 they amounted to approximately ten billion euros. However, as this study shows, migrants face considerable difficulties with the transfer process. Despite its large volume, the market for money transfers is extremely intransparent. Intensive research is needed to discover which financial institutions offer what kind of services, and at what cost. In some cases the cost of these services is extremely high. The result is that transfers are frequently made through informal channels.
The environment for women's entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa Regio, World Bank Report http://siteresources.worldbank.org/...
Despite a commonly-held perception that women-owned firms in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are small, informal and low-tech, this study demonstrates that there is, in fact, little difference between female-owned and male-owned firms. This study aims to analyse gender-specific barriers that exist across the region or within countries and identifies factors outside the business environment that affect women's entrepreneurship.
Key to success: A sound business climate survey, by Friedrich Kaufmann http://www2.gtz.de/wbf/...
A sound business climate survey can be a useful instrument for strengthening the business reform agenda. Its benefits can be multifold: It produces valuable data, enriches the public-private dialogue, and helps to prioritize political action plans and project activities. For GTZ in Mozambique, the focus on a representative quality survey, with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the provinces as the main target group, producs a real value added.
Youth and Economic Development in Africa - An Issues Paper http://www.uneca.org/adf/docs/Issue_paper_eco.pdf
In the context of youth and economic development, leadership is a multi-layered phenomenon characterized by two main features: 1. The economic challenges facing African youth warrant responsible leadership by governments and international partners; 2. As leaders, youth can themselves play an important role in the promotion of economic development. This paper seeks to address these aspects of leadership by exploring seven main issues of economic development that are central to the well-being of youth in Africa. The paper looks in particular at how governments have responded, how international partners have supported efforts, and how youth themselves are taking the lead in addressing these issues.
Kenya: It's the economy, stupid (not just ''tribalism'') http://www.dev-zone.org/...
The wave of violence that engulfed Kenya after the presidential election has been widely described as tribal or ethnic in nature. But analysts in the east African country point to basic economics as the true cause of the unrest.
‘Trade and Climate Change’ http://www.socialistgroup.eu/...
Socialist Group in the European Parliament, with contributions from a series of stakeholders, including Nathalie Bernasconi from CIEL and Meena Raman and I from Friends of the Earth. The pamphlet is available in four languages: DE, EN, ES, FR.
Venezuelan Economy is Prepared to Withstand the Effects of Decline in Oil Demand http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/...
The Center for Economic and Policy Research has updated its overview of the Venezuelan economy, ''The Venezuelan Economy in the Chávez Years,'' including the latest available data for growth, employment, poverty, budget information, and other data. The paper notes continued progress in economic growth, poverty reduction, employment, and health and education indicators. The paper also underscores a key point made when the original was released in July 2007: the Venezuelan economy does not fit the mold of an ''oil boom headed for a bust,'' as frequently described by observers and analysts.
Growth, Poverty and Employment in Brazil, Chile and Mexico http://www.undp-povertycentre.org/pub/IPCWorkingPaper42.pdf
The authors find that earnings trends were more powerful than employment trends in explaining changes in labour income. They also find that out of the total of eight country periods that they reviewed, only three exhibited a pro-poor pattern of change in labour income but two of these occurred during economic contractions.
10. Websites of the Month
Vaccinate your business against bad times http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/sme2chance/ewt/self_assessment.cfm
You are an owner of a small or medium-sized enterprise or self-employed. You invest 15 minutes of your time. You gain a preventive screening of your business that might save you a lot of time and money in the future! This really is an official EC site.
Directory of Research Centres at International Poverty Centre http://www.undp-povertycentre.org/site/CentreSearch.do
The Directory currently covers 540 institutions doing research on poverty, inequality and development in 27 countries in Latin America and 200 institutions in 38 sub-Saharan African countries. This directory is an effort to strengthen links among research centres in developing countries and foster South-South Cooperation on poverty research and training.
Intute: Social Sciences http://www.intute.ac.uk/socialsciences/
Intute: Social Sciences is the subject group of Intute that provides Web resources for education and research for the social sciences, including law, business, hospitality, sport and tourism. Intute: Social Sciences has been created by bringing together two of the Hubs of the Resource Discovery Network (RDN): Altis and SOSIG. In combining the resources and services of these two services, Intute: Social Sciences offers an easy to use and powerful tool for discovering the best Internet resources in this important range of subjects.
The Róbinson Rojas Archive - The political economy of development http://www.rrojasdatabank.org
Created and managed by Dr. Róbinson Rojas, this academic site promotes excellence in teaching and researching economics and sustainable development, and the advancing of describing, understanding, explaining and theorizing. This site also contains books, parts of books, papers, parts of papers, notes and lecture notes published and unpublished by R. Rojas, statistics and documents from international and national sources.
ENTWINED Research programme on Trade and Environment http://www.entwined.se
This project examines the role of private and governmental environmental policies under the trade regime from both a positive and a normative point of view. It focuses in particular on the treatment of trans-boundary problems. Its ultimate aim, first, is to identify areas where governmental and private environmental policies are able and where they are insufficient to address these problems. The second purpose of the project is to suggest alternative solutions to allow for better simultaneous achievement of environmental and other objectives of trade.
The Regoverning Markets programme http://www.regoverningmarkets.org
The overall aim of the Regoverning Markets programme is to provide strategic advice and guidance to the public sector, agri-food chain actors, civil society organizations including economic organizations of producers, and development agencies on approaches that can anticipate and manage the impacts of the dynamic changes in local and regional markets. This programme is supported by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), ICCO, Cordaid, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Other development partners and related programmes are also networked with this programme at international, regional and country levels.
African Presidential Archives and Research Center at Boston University (APARC) http://www.bu.edu/aparc
APARC has three core programs: the African Presidents in Residence Program, the Public Papers/Private Conversations Project, and the Annual African Leaders' State of Africa Report. The goal of the program is to give former democratically elected African leaders a way to offer their perspectives to the ongoing discussion of Africa's place in the global community. This website contains links to policy papers delivered by former democratically elected presidents of African countries; links to annual leadership workshops; and outreach.
Institute Of Peace, Leadership and Governance - Africa University, Zimbabwe http://www.africau.edu
The Institute of Peace, Leadership and Governance (IPLG) was established at Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe, in 2003 to provide training, research and consultancy in peace, leadership and governance for students in Africa. IPLG`s work is guided by an International board chaired by Salim Ahmed Salim, former Secretary General of the OAU. The purpose of IPLG is to train participants to develop ways to prevent and resolve conflict and to sustain global peace.
Whither EC Aid http://weca-ecaid.eu
This ECDPM and ActionAid project aims to re-position the debate on monitoring the effectiveness of European Commission aid by seeking to open it up and bring in the views of a wide variety of stakeholders. You can find the latest information about the project and contribute directly to the debate.
Free and Affordable Distance Learning http://www.docnmail.com
You will find lots of resources on this site, many of them free of charge. Business Education, Money, Science, Careers, Professional, Life, Art/Entertainment, Fitness/Health, Fun and Games; these are some of the categories, and each one has many subtopics from which to choose. If you don't see your interest right away, be sure to browse all drop down navigation boxes to find the profession or vocation that you're interested in. There online tests and exams as well, to help you assess your baseline knowledge and give you an idea of the things you will be expected to know in any given field of work. Contributor: Cally Robyn Wolk
DATA - debt AIDS trade africa http://www.data.org
DATA is an advocacy organization dedicated to eradicating extreme poverty and AIDS in Africa. DATA argues that supporting Africa is essential to our economic and national security interests. However, at the core of DATA's beliefs is a view that these issues are not about charity, but about equality and justice.
11. Check out our daily Newsbox zine and RSS feed
Most of the input we compile for our newsletters is now open for our readers. Visit our Newsbox at http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/newsbox/ It has a fast search facility, that leads you to latest partner newsletters. With the full version with 10+ e-mails per day you'll get an overwhelming wealth of information, but might be flooded by mails. We recommend to you the Daily Digest option, which sorts all in one handy file. Or simply read the RSS feed at http://rss.groups.yahoo.com/group/newsbox/rss