June 2006
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, Karsten Weitzenegger Consulting, http://www.weitzenegger.de
CONTENT
- New ILO analysis sees growing uncertainty, accelerated change in the world of work
- Giving a fair deal to the world's 86 million migrant workers
- The mistakes of export promotion agencies
- Audit of Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale (CEMAC)
- DFID on Training Tanzanian entrepreneurs
- IFC funds Investment climate facility for Africa
- USAID: The Value Chain Approach and Microenterprise Development
- Training and Events
- Publications
- Websites of the Month
1. New ILO analysis sees growing uncertainty, accelerated change in the world of work
In a new analysis designed to stimulate debate on emerging trends and challenges in the world of work, the International Labour Office (ILO) says today's labour market is marked by a widening gap between unprecedented opportunity for some and growing uncertainty for many. The report, entitled "Changing patterns in the world of work" and presented to the 95th International Labour Conference of the ILO for discussion here between 31 May and 16 June, describes recent trends and future prospects in what it calls an "emerging global labour market". "Change provides welcome opportunities for more rewarding and satisfying work and a better life," the report says. "For others, change is worrisome, closing off rather than opening up chances for improving living and working conditions." http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2006/25.htm
2. Giving a fair deal to the world's 86 million migrant workers
Across the world, millions of people are on the move - doing jobs ranging from manual labour such as harvesting to high-skilled computer programming. Combined, their numbers with their dependents would equal the fifth most populous country on the planet. And their numbers are likely to increase, according to the ILO. Its Governing Body recently authorized the Director-General to publish its Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration, which is part of a Plan of Action for migrant workers agreed by ILO constituents at the International Labour Conference in 2004. Furthermore, an OSCE-IOM-ILO Handbook, which aims for better management of labour migration flows in countries of origin and destination, was launched today at the 14th OSCE Economic Forum in Prague. ILO Online spoke with Ibrahim Awad, Director of the ILO's International Migration Programme.
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/features/06/migrant_handbook.htm
3. The mistakes of export promotion agencies
The World Bank hosted a two-day seminar on “Policies to Promote Export Growth and Diversification,” including a particularly interesting session on export and FDI promotion institutions moderated by Andrew Singer. The overarching theme: Be realistic about what these types of institutions can accomplish, and avoid creating big institutions that are just “window-dressing”. According to Singer, the historical focus of export promotion organizations (XPOs) on market entry was mistaken and helps explain the general failure of XPOs. Developing country exports are limited by supply-side constraints, not market access. So what should XPOs be doing? Singer prescribes a more limited role, in keeping with the general trend toward shaving down centralized export promotion activities. He says XPOs can help firms new to exporting in two ways: Providing seconded advisors from the private sector, and providing training in broad cross-sector skills, like finding an agent or dealing with paperwork.
http://psdblog.worldbank.org/psdblog/2006/05/where_have_expo.html
4. Audit of Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale (CEMAC)
ECDPM participated in an institutional, organisational and functional audit of the CEMAC at the request of the CEMAC Heads of State to assess the situation of the Community at the end of its first phase of integration (1999-2004) and pinpoint the areas that still needed to be improved. The audit was approved by CEMAC Member States during the Conference of Heads of States in Malabo in March 2006 where the decision was taken to start an important process of reform. (Source ECDPM)
The Audit: http://www.dgroups.org/groups/CoOL/docs/CEMAC-Institutional_Audit-ECDPM_Evaluation_0206.pdf?ois=no
Summary:
http://www.dgroups.org/groups/CoOL/docs/CEMAC-Institutional_Audit-ECDPM_Evaluation-Description_240506.doc?ois=no
5. DFID on Training Tanzanian entrepreneurs
Home cooking goes down a treat in Tanzania, and more and more women are turning their culinary skills into profit. But many lack the managerial skills to improve and grow their businesses. UNIDO with DFID funding set up training programmes in six Tanzanian provinces, including Arusha and Dar Es Salaam, through its Tanzanian counterpart, the Small-scale Industries Development Organisation (SIDO). Women leave the course with a certificate and then get regular advice on how to improve quality and increase their production. http://www.dfid.gov.uk/casestudies/files/africa/tanzania-cooking.asp
6. IFC funds Investment climate facility for Africa
The IFC has announced a 30 million USD grant to the Investment Climate Facility for Africa - a new public-private partnership for improving the continent's business environment. http://www.investmentclimatefacility.org
7. USAID: The Value Chain Approach and Microenterprise Development
The USAID Microenterprise Development (MD) office value chain approach is a powerful tool to create wealth in poor communities and for promoting poverty-reducing economic growth. MD's value chain approach seeks to understand how and when MSEs can successfully compete in growing value chains, targeting sectors where the poor are concentrated—agriculture, natural products, and labor-intensive industries. The approach then works to improve the competitiveness of industries (or value chains) in which significant numbers of small firms participate while addressing the constraints that hinder MSEs’ potential contributions to and benefit from value chain growth. http://www.microlinks.org/ev_en.php?ID=9652_201&ID2=DO_TOPIC
8. Training and Events
Guide for training in Enterprise development
http://www.ruralfinance.org/servlet/CDSServlet?status=ND02NTM4JjY9ZW4mMzM9KiYzNz1rb3M~
A tool available online from the Rural Finance Learning Centre
This training guide provides the material for a seven day training course in enterprise development, which is intended for the staff of NGOs and other organisations, including government departments, whose mandate is to promote "income-generation" or "micro-enterprises" among poor people.
Access to new markets and better services for the majority
http://www.iadb.org/sds/foromic/?language=English
Quito, Ecuador 13 - 15 September 2006
The title of this year's IDB Forum reflects the increasingly important issue of ensuring that micro and small enterprises have access to new markets for their products, whether local or international, and to better financial and enterprise development services to support their pursuit of valuable business opportunities and improved livelihoods. The Microenterprise Forum 2006 will explore the issue of access to markets and services, as well as several other issues that are relevant and critical to the microenterprise sector, and numerous practitioners and experts in the field will present the latest developments, best practices and new methodologies.
Gender Equity & Micro Enterprise Development
http://www.aidmat.com/idmat/gendergoa.html
9th International Workshop, 3 July - 8 July, Khajuraho, India
The Role of Intellectual Property in Raising Financing Opportunities for SMEs
http://www.insme.org/page.asp?IDArea=1&page=upcoming_training_programmes
Jul 11 - Jul 12, 2006 / Geneva, Switzerland
Free of charge for any interested participants, whether or not Member of the International Network for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises INSME.
Master of Arts in Development Management
http://eadi.org/database/database/?dataset=training&table=data&id=43
Start and finish date: August 2006 - March 2008
Location of study: Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Germany
MSc in International Development
http://eadi.org/database/database/?dataset=training&table=data&id=258
Start and finish date: duration: one academic year
Location of study: University of Bath
Conference on the West African EPAs
http://www.dgroups.org/groups/CoOL/docs/EPAs-ECOWAS-FES_Mtg_12-160605.doc?ois=no
Dakar, June 12-16 - Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung sub-regional conference on the West African EPA. The conference will bring together researchers and policy makers to further contribute to informed debates, policy formulation and negotiation positions with regard to the West African EPA. Together the two groups will hopefully also be able to identify gaps in the current empirical basis and areas for further policy oriented research.
E-Conference: The Role of Development Communication in Sustainable Tourism
http://www.devcomm.org
May 29-June 9, 2006
he World Bank has started an E-Conference on “The Role of Development Communication in Sustainable Tourism”. You are still invited to participate and enrich this conference with your experiences and case studies. The E-Conference is hosted on the Forum section of the World Bank Development Communication Webpage.
FIDIC'S 2006 International Consulting Engineering Conference
http://www.consulting2006.org/
Budapest, 24-27 September
designed around three complementary themes that tackle the new challenges in an era of accelerated change. Keynote speakers will explore best practice procurement, trends within the industry that impact on member firms and the key ingredients for delivering quality projects.
9. Publications
SEEP Network, Practitioner Learning Program in BDS Market Assessment
How to Use Market Assessment Information to Design and Implement a BDS Market Development Program
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/businessenvironment/rc/filedownload.do?itemId=1062537
Discussion Synthesis no. 3. During August through December 2003, The SEEP Network’s Practitioner Learning Program in Business Development Services Market Assessment (PLP in BDS MA) conducted its third e-mail-based, moderated discussion on the following topic: How to use market assessment information to design and implement a BDS market development program. The discussion is the culmination of two years of sharing experiences, lessons learned, and insights from planning a market assessment to the process of conducting a market assessment to piloting market development interventions.
New format for privatization toolkits
http://rru.worldbank.org/Toolkits
The World Bank has re-launched our privatization toolkits in a new, more condensed format.
UNDP's Toolkit for private sector development
http://www.undp.org/psd-toolkit/
This toolkit represents a small technical step, building on previous and ongoing work that will support UNDP's ability to programme in this area. The aim is to assist programme officers working in domestic PSD, and others who are interested in the area, to gain understanding of the PSD paradigm and to structure the analysis they carry out in designing programmes and projects in line with UNDP's mission and oriented towards attaining the MDGs.
2005 Annual Report by KfW Entwicklungsbank and DEG
http://www.kfw-entwicklungsbank.de/EN_Home/KfW_Entwicklungsbank/News/Annual_Report.jsp
The Report, which is entitled ''Good governance means fair play'', shows what good governance means to people in development cooperation and how it is actually implemented.
Voices of the South on Globalisation
http://www.ipseurope.org/voices/voices_of_the_south_april06.pdf
A new monthly newsletter on the North South dialogue by InterPressService and Friedrich-Ebert Foundation.
From the "Washington" towards a "Vienna Consensus"?
A quantitative analyses on globalization, development and global governance
http://www.caei.com.ar/ebooks/ebook1.pdf
Paper by Arno Tausch for the Centro Argentino de Estudios Internacionales prepared for the discussion process leading up to the EU-Latin Americaand Caribbean Summit 2006 in Vienna, Austria
Business against corruption: a framework for action
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC21996
This Global Compact report is a guide to companies preparing themselves to implement the objectives set out in UN's tenth principle to fight corruption within business operations. It examines why companies should fight corruption and outlines a number of practical steps to fight internal and external corruption.
Making EPAs work for the poor: Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and political alternatives
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC21671
This report examines whether the current EU - ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific ) countries trade negotiations within the framework of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA), will reduce and eventually eradicate poverty. It brings together the viewpoints of African and European civil society, and discusses the options, advantages as well as limitations of some of the alternatives to EPAs currently under debate. Authors: Ecumenical Service for Advocacy Work on Southern Africa (KASA); Coordination Southern Africa (KOSA); Network Africa Germany (NAD); Terre des hommes Deutschland. Produced by World Economy, Ecology and Development (WEED)
Improving trade related capacity building in LDCs
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC21613
Lessons from a survey of initiatives in Tanzania and Eastern Africa
Using Tanzania as a case study, this paper by F. Matambalya examines the status quo of trade and investment related capacity building in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The paper shows that only very few institutions in developing countries have designed and operationalised trade and investment-related training and education programmes. This has led to difficulties in building national and international networks as well as limited effectiveness of trade and investment related aid. To conclude that paper argues that several measures can be used to redress the challenges facing the trade and related capacity building programmes.
Information and Communications for Development 2006
http://rru.worldbank.org/Features/ConnectingDevelopment.aspx
This new World Bank report, "Information and Communications for Development 2006: Global Trends and Policies," focuses on the critical role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in economic development. The volume discusses ICT trends in developing countries – covering issues such as infrastructure financing, the importance of public-private partnerships and effective competition to extending access, foreign investment trends, and the role of ICT in doing business. The report shows that developing country firms that use ICT grow faster, invest more, and are more productive than those that do not.
10. Websites of the Month
Corporate Accountability
http://www.corporate-accountability.org/eng/
This Website by WEED aims to facilitate the flow of information among NGOs and social movements who believe their governments, private sector and civil society need to make greater efforts to ensure the accountability of business and industry, especially Transnational Corporations, to society. It contains information about ongoing civil society campaigns on corporate accountability and about NGOs and trade unions that are active in this field. It provides comprehensive material on codes of conduct, multi-stakeholder initiatives and intergovernmental processes. Finally, this site makes available documents and publications on corporate accountability and links to relevant research institutes and databases. It offers a free newsletter.
Small Enterprise Education and Promotion (SEEP) Network
http://www.seepnetwork.org
The SEEP is a membership association of over 50 international organizations that support micro and small enterprise development programs around the world. Its mission is to advance the practice of micro and small enterprise development among its members, their international partners, and other practitioners. The Website offers many practical tools.
Micro, small and medium enterprises database
http://rru.worldbank.org/PapersLinks/resources.aspx?id=6358
This World Bank Group database gathers publicly available country-level data on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and presents them in an easily accessible format. This initiative is a work in progress, with updates and improvements made as new data become available. The most recent update adds historical data and business environment indicators.
Copenhagen Consensus Center
http://www.copenhagenconsensus.com
The Copenhagen Consensus Center (CCC) analyzes the world's biggest problems and provides informed input to any organisational entity concerned with mitigating the negative consequences of the these challenges. The ten challenges assessed at CC04 were: Hunger and Malnutrition, Climate Change, Conflicts, Financial Instability, Water and Sanitation, Subsidies and Trade Barriers, Population, Migration, Communicable Diseases, Education, Governance and Corruption. The background papers identified 38 solutions.
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