|
|
| Weitzenegger & Kons. > en > newsletter | |
 Home Services Experience Clients Resources News Contact Feedback Tools Search |
April 2003Content April 2003
1. Iraq: Humanitarian SituationLatest reports on the Iraq Crisis - IRIN - Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) (part of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), provides full coverage. Humanitarian situation in Iraq documented by the UNHCR: Latest news about the situation of the refugees and the Iraqi population. The ICRC in Iraq: The ICRC, which has been present in Iraq since the Iran-Iraq war in 1980, focuses on the humanitarian consequences of two wars in as many decades and the effects of 12 years of international trade sanctions. On this site they inform about current activities and the situation for the civil society in Iraq. UN Arms Inspections in Iraq: News on the Iraq debate and inspections, offered by the UN's News Focus
service. United Nations Office of the Iraq program Oil for Food: The site provides information about the program, activities and news. Background on the war in Iraq by Human Rights Watch: Up-to-date information on the current humanitarian situation in Iraq. Crisis in Iraq information offered by Amnesty International (ai): Recent news and observations of the humanitarian situation in Iraq. ReliefWeb: UN human rights expert reports "systematic and systemic" violations throughout Iraq: Reports and statistical information. Al Jazeera, English Language Version: News Organisation Al-Jazeera has put up an English language version of its web site especially to cover the war in Iraq. The U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) April 1 issued the second of what USAID said will be daily fact sheets with updates about humanitarian assistance in Iraq. The fact sheets may be found at: 2. Managing Aid to IraqLargely due to the controversy and uncertainty that preceded the war in Iraq, planning and preparations for relief efforts have been plagued by secrecy, inadequate coordination and lack of resources. If fighting drags on, new humanitarian tragedies will compound the problems of a country suffering effects not only of this war, but also of two earlier wars, years of sanctions and decades of authoritarian government, the International Crisis Group argues in a new report. The U.S. should forego temptation to control post-conflict humanitarian efforts and hand coordination over to the UN, it says, as an all-dominant U.S. role would likely become a source of resentment in post-war Iraq and throughout the region and an impediment to funding by other donors. The report, authored in Amman and Brussels, outlines a number of recommendations on how European governments and NGOs should work with the U.S. and put their plans and their funding on the table. Involvement of Iraqis is also crucial. US-AID is registering service providers at http://www.usaid.gov/iraq/ 3. Sachs estimates post-conflict cost in Iraq $200 bnInternational renowned macroeconomist Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University's Earth Institute visited the World Bank on April 2nd to participate in a video conference on development in the post-Iraq war period. Sachs questioned the wisdom of the current military conflict in Iraq, and said the US Administration's emphasis on military solutions came at the expense of sustainable development for impoverished countries. He estimated the conflict and post-conflict period in Iraq will cost the US as much as $200 billion over the next three years, and then discussed possible outcomes if such spending was directed on developmental assistance. During the discussion period which followed, Sachs told one questioner that public pressure on politicians could impact US policy on development assistance. 4. gpgNet The Global Network on Global Public GoodsgpgNet intends to serve researchers, policymakers, business and civil society as a platform for information exchange and discussion, on issues concerning the theory, policy design and practice of providing global public goods. gpgNet intends to serve researchers, policymakers, business and civil society as a platform for information exchange and discussion, on issues concerning the theory, policy design and practice of providing global public goods. The gpgNet is hosted by the Office of Development Studies in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). http://www.gpgnet.net/ 5. Book "Managing Globalization" is onlineThe book "Providing Global Public Goods: Managing Globalization" (Oxford University Press 2003) now has a homepage. It addresses the long overdue issue of how to adjust the concept of public goods to today's economic and political realities. It examines a series of managerial and political challenges that pertain to the design and implementation of product strategies as well as the monitoring and evaluation of global public goods provision. Suggestions are presented on a number of policy reforms and recommendations are made on how to move in a more feasible and systematic way towards a fairer process of globalization that works in the interests of all. 6. IFIwatchnet launched a new websiteIFIwatchnet, an umbrella group connecting over 40 organizations worldwide which are monitoring international financial institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank, the IMF, and regional development banks, will be keeping a close eye on the for the forthcoming Bank/Fund Spring,meetings. IFIwatchnet has launched a new website that can help interested parties source, independent information and analysis from civil society organizations. To find out more please visit the site at http://www.ifiwatchnet.org 7. World Development Report on Basic Service Delivery upcomingHave your say on the forthcoming World Development Report, Making Services Work For Poor People. A seven-week on-line discussion starting on April 14 is an opportunity form stakeholders from government, business, and civil society to help shape the Bank's approach tomthe delivery of education, health, water and sanitation services to poor people. 8. World Bank's Private Sector Development WebsiteThrough a series of services and information resources, this site offers avenues to market-friendly, enterprise-fed growth. Assessments of corporate governance standards and investment climates, advisory services, best practice papers, and toolkits are available. From papers on designingand regulating energy markets, to services that systematically analyse conditions for private investment and enterprise growth within developing countries, the site supports the growth of efficient delivery systems and smart subsidies. 9. PRSPs and the Prospects for the PoorWorld Vision's produced a paper titled "Masters of their Own Development" on the organisation's experience of working with PRSPs at the local level is shared in four cases studies covering Senegal;Cambodia; Ethiopia; and Bolivia, Honduras and Nicaragua. http://www.worldvision.ca/articles/Global_Issues/Masters_of_Dev.pdf 10. World Bank General Strategy PaperThis new collection of background information gives details of all the major World Bank strategy areas. Brief summaries of the key strategies are supported by links to key documents in each area including the strategy papers themselves, internal review and analysis and a brief explanation of the strategy process. Available online here. 11. Aid Effectiveness Research ProjectBOND, British Overseas NGOs for Development, publishes a web page which aims to bring together different aspects of the debate, by providing links to relevant websites and research, and accessible briefs on the views of different stakeholders and updates on the aid effectiveness research project at 12. A Guide to World Resources 2002-2004From the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, World Bank, World Resources Institute (2003). Summarizes the preliminary findings and key messages of the report and was distributed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development meeting in Johannesburg. 13. Dgroups: International Partners Launch Online Community Platform"Development through dialogue" is the slogan of Dgroups, an online meeting place for teams, committees, networks, communities of practice, and communities of interest that transcend geography and institutional boundaries. Dgroups is designed for low bandwidth users in the South. Each Dgroup includes mailing-list based discussions supported by an accessible, simple website with discussion archives, and where members can share personal profiles, events, links, and documents of interest to the group.
Partnership inquiries: contact @ dgroups.org 14. Online ImpAct Resource Centre LaunchedCGAP joined with the Ford Foundation's Imp-Act project in early October 2002 to launch a new, online resource centre on microfinance impact assessment. This Centre provides resources and guidance useful to practitioners and others. Contact: Syed Hashemi. See http://www.microfinancegateway.org/impact 15. ICT Development Forum "Promoting the Knowledge Economy"The 1st ICT Development Forum will take place on May 21, 2003. The Forum is expected to be attended by leading international politicians, scientists, development practitioners, and top executives. Among the participants will be James D. Wolfensohn, Peer Steinbrück, and Jorge Quiroga (former President of Bolivia). The Forum is intended to be held on an annual basis. At this year's event, participants will discuss policy issues and the challenges of bringing ICT benefits to the developing world, including presentations of practical ICT solutions that are really working in the fight against poverty. 16. Conference: Expanding social finance in UtrechtINAISE (International Association of Investors in the Social Economy) is organising in collaboration with Triodos Bank and ASN Bank its annual conference Expanding social finance, towards a worldwide social finance circuit on May 15-16, 2003 in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The following topics will be addressed: The creation of a worldwide social finance circuit; New financial tools for social finance organisations; Basle II banking directive and its impact on social finance organisations; North/South and Fair Trade finance; Developing cofinancing. 17. International Budget Project ConferenceThe International Budget Project held its fourth international conference in Mexico City on March 9-13, 2003. This was the largest gathering of civil society budget groups to date, with 140 participants from 40 countries. The conference agenda was divided into four themes: budget advocacy, pro-poor budgeting, methods to monitor the quality of government expenditures, and the role of international financial institutions in developing country budgeting. The conference provided a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas on different approaches to budget work. The conference agenda and presentations are now available on the IBP website at 18. Water Information Summit and Knowledge Management WorkshopThe IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre from the Netherlands and the Water Web Consortium from the Americas are organizing the sixth Water Information Summit (9-12 September 2003, Delft, The Netherlands). This global event offers a unique combination of water sector and knowledge sharing issues. It provides an international platform ranging from information managers to field practitioners, scientists and policy-makers. The summit will be followed by a three and a half day Knowledge Management Workshop. See http://www.irc.nl/page.php/194 19. Youth Unemployment in Latin America and the CaribbeanAn Inter-American Development Bank policy analysis focuses on the school-to-work transition as providing the central context in understanding youth unemployment in Latin America. By assessing the economic relationships between all sectors the authors argue that youth unemployment is simply a fractured reflection of larger labour market issues. Moreover, the impact of labour market policies and programs for youth is largely tied to
broader labour market dynamics. Available online at: 20. New CONCORD (Co-operation of Relief and Development NGOs)On 30 January the new European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development CONCORD was founded by 10 networks and 18 National Platforms, representing about 1200 NGDOs. The new structure replaces the EU NGDO Liaison Committee (CLONG). For more information please contact Frans Polman frans.polman @ cordaid.be 21. Free On-line Oxford University Press JournalsOxford University Press is offering free on-line access to the majority of OUP electronic
journals for institutions in many developing countries. All they need to do is fill in form at 22. Employers' Handbook on HIV/AIDS: a Guide for ActionA UNAIDS handbook is aimed at employers and employers' organisations and outlines the rationale for businesses addressing HIV/AIDS and provides guidelines on creating a response strategy. It begins by outlining the economic impacts, both macro and micro, of the epidemic and arguing that businesses worldwide need to become more involved in the mitigation efforts to the epidemic. Available online at: 23. 198 Methods of Non-violent ActionTaken from Gene Sharp, the Methods of Non-violent Action, Boston 1973, these are many of the known methods of nonviolent protest and persuasion. The monthly Newsletter "sic! Services for International Cooperation" is a totally free service provided by Karsten Weitzenegger and is circulated via Yahoo! Groups. Subscribers are encouraged to share the newsletter with others who do not subscribe. Please send comments and suggestions by to karsten @ weitzenegger.de For more information, or to subscribe or unsubscribe this newsletter, visit the Yahoo! Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/weitzenegger |
|
|
|
|
© 2001-2005 Karsten Weitzenegger | | |
   |
|
 |