October 2002
This monthly Newsletter brings you news for international co-operation professionals on economic and social development. Free of charge if you recommend it to other colleagues. Edited by Karsten Weitzenegger Consulting, http://www.weitzenegger.de
1. Project Against the Present Danger
In response to the Bush administration's consistent assaults on
international law and norms, the articulation of a military
strategy based on sustained military primacy, and its generally
unilateralist approach to foreign policy, the Interhemispheric
Resource Center (IRC) and Foreign Policy in Focus (FPIF) project
have developed the Project Against the Present Danger to become a
portal for analysis, news, and resources for citizen movements
and campaigns committed to defending multilateralism and
international law in the U.S. and abroad.
Link: http://www.presentdanger.org/index.html
Source: The Progressive Response
2. Learn for FREE online thanks to MIT OpenCourseWare
People will soon be given access to knowledge from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology for free over the internet.
MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) will make the course materials that are
used in the teaching of virtually all of MIT's courses avail-able
on the Web, free of charge, to any user anywhere in the world.
Depending on the particular course or the style in which the
course is taught, this could include material such as lecture
notes, course outlines, reading lists, and assignments for each
course.
Link: http://web.mit.edu/ocw/
Source: DevNet
3. 100 Ways to Energise Groups
Games to use in workshops, meetings and the community. A
complication by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance that
describes energisers, ice breakers and games that can be used
when working with groups. The guide briefly outlines some general
considerations when using games in workshop settings. Each of the
100 games are described in a short paragraph.
Link: http://www.aidsmap.com/inthival/Energisers2002(English).pdf
Source: DevNet, Eldis
4. LEISA on accessing web-based information via email
LEISA, the biggest international magazine for the exchange of
experiences on low external input, sustainable agriculture, has
published a special issue on ICTs and the changing information
flows in agriculture in developing countries. It includes a
special pull-out section demonstrating techniques for accessing
web-based information via email, along with other tools and
resources for Internet users in rural and remote settings.
Link: http://www.ileia.org/2/nl18-2.html
Source: Bellanet
5. How many planets does your lifestyle need?
The so-called ecological footprint is a concept widely gaining
currency as a way of estimating how much of the Earth's resources
a person, a business or even a city uses. Have a go at this quiz,
developed by the US-based think-tank Redefining Progress, to
estimate how much of the earth's resources you use up.
Link: http://www.dev-zone.org/cgi-bin/links2/jump.cgi?ID=3959
Source: dev-zone
6. World Bank-IMF Study Highlights Rich Country Protectionism
A new World Bank-IMF study examines patterns of protection
imposed by high-income countries on merchandise trade, with a
particular focus on market access in agriculture and on barriers
to trade in textiles and clothing.
Link: http://econ.worldbank.org/view.php?type=5&id=18875"
Source: World Bank
7. Economic Development in OECD Countries during the 20th Century
M. Carmen Guisa and M. Teresa Cancelo present an analysis of
economic growth and cycles in main EU, USA, Japan and other OECD
countries during the period 1900-1997,and more detailed data and
analysis of main economic aggregates for 25 OECD countries during
the period 1964-94, Some important aspects of demand and supply
are analysed in relation with their influence both on economic
growth and cycles.
Link:
http://netec.wustl.edu/adnetec-cgi-bin/nep?urn=RePEc:eaa:ecodev:49
Source: nep-dev
8. Draft WDR Outline: Making Services Work for Poor People -
Comments Welcome
The next World Development Report (WDR) will investigate how
countries can accelerate progress towards the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) by making services - health, education,
water and sanitation - work for poor people. Success in reaching
the MDGs will depend not just on faster economic growth and
increased resources, but on the provision of these services. The
WDR team invites comments on the report outline from
organizations and individuals drawing on recent research or
programmatic work. All comments will be published on the WDR
website. Dead-line: Nov. 9.
Link: http://econ.worldbank.org/wdr/wdr2004/
Source: World Bank
9. Directing EU policy towards poverty eradication
A new paper by M. van Reisen, European Centre for Development
Policy Management (ECDPM), examines the efforts of European
institutions to redirect development policies to assist people
living in poverty. These efforts are assessed within the
inter-national context of new ideas about how poverty eradication
can best be achieved. The formulation of an effective Community
strategy for poverty eradication will hinge on whether a number
of key issues are successfully resolved. The report concludes by
highlighting the roles and responsibilities of the various EC
institutions in order to implement the recommendations.
Link: http://www.ecdpm.org/pubs/dp35_gb.pdf
Source: ECDPM
10. EU Launch Water for Life partnership
The EU has launched a program to supply clean drinking water and
sanitation starting with Africa, eastern Europe, the Caucasus
and central Asia through Water for Life partnership agreements.
The EU Water for Life Initiative was formally launched in
Johannesburg at the World Summit on Sustainable Development
(WSSD).
Link: http://ens-news.com/ens/sep2002/2002-09-09-01.asp
Source: UNDP gln-news
11. Boosting small and medium enterprises in North Africa
The International Finance Corporation announced its partnership
with the Swiss government in the new North Africa Enterprise
Development Facility -- a joint $20 million effort to support
small and medium enterprise growth in Morocco, Algeria, and
Egypt. The Swiss Delegate and the IFC signed documents concerning
Switzerland's $3.3 million commitment to the facility. Additional
donor support is expected in the coming weeks.
Link
Source: World Bank
12. Roll Back Malaria
Scientists have discovered the gene sequence of the parasite that
causes malaria, and state-of-the-art technology may soon make it
possible to develop a cure that would eradicate the disease once
and for all. Until a cure is realized, "Roll Back Malaria" is
committed to stopping the spread of the disease and halving the
incidence of malaria world-wide by the year 2010.
Link
Source: World Bank
13. Global economics and institutions
The Economist newspaper published an article on the role of
institutions in development: What matters most for
development-geography, institutions or policy?
Link:
http://news.economist.com/cgi-bin1/DM?y=hDyF0BtsMi0Mo0BToK0AT
Source: The Economist
14. Tax cheats beware in Ecuador
The Inter-American Development Bank examined how a radical tax
reform in Ecuador helped to increase revenue and fight
corruption.
Link: http://www.iadb.org/idbamerica/index.cfm?thisid=973
Source: IDBAmérica
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