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Viewing blog posts on: International institutions



From Gleneagles to Hokkaido: Monitoring G8 commitments on aid to Africa
posted Friday, June 20, 2008 2:49 PM by Geoff Handley

In 2005, Africa was promised an additional $25 billion per year in aid. But has the G8 delivered? There is no simple answer, given the complex package of commitments. As we approach the Japanese G8 summit at Hokkaido in July, there is a dangerous dearth of concrete and accessible information in the public domain... (more)

739 Views,  1 Comments


Reading between the lines. Is EU aid in trouble?
posted Wednesday, June 18, 2008 1:01 PM by Simon Maxwell

The EU Council meeting on 19 and 20 June represents an important marker in this year of the Call to Action on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There are some serious issues to consider, including the failure of European donors to meet their commitments on aid, both in terms of the levels of funding and in delivering harmonisation and alignment. Most importantly, however, the future of the MDG project itself will be debated... (more)

627 Views,  1 Comments


Reform of the International System: the momentum is building
posted Friday, June 13, 2008 10:19 AM by Simon Maxwell

The Commonwealth mini-Summit in London is the latest sign that reform of the international system is moving rapidly up the agenda. The Summit discussed reform of the UN, the Bretton Woods Institutions and global environmental governance. On all these, there is enthusiasm among Heads of Government for faster and better coordinated change... (more)

798 Views,  2 Comments


Rome exceeded expectations; will the G8 do the same?
posted Friday, June 06, 2008 12:12 PM by Simon Maxwell

The Food Summit in Rome turned out better than expected. It was not derailed by Robert Mugabe. It survived the unedifying wrangling over a final communiqué. It gave the topic a good hearing. It confirmed some practical actions. And it passed the torch successfully to the G8 in Japan in July... (more)

1214 Views,  1 Comments


The food price crisis: another 'lost decade' for development?
posted Monday, June 02, 2008 11:38 AM by Simon Maxwell

The Food and Agriculture Organisation summit is a vital step in a process that will develop through a series of events in 2008, including the G8 in Hokkaido in July, and the UN Call to Action on the Millennium Development Goals, in New York in September. At this stage, the Rome summit must deliver four things... (more)

2004 Views,  0 Comments


The IMF Reform Package: Small progress towards increased representation for developing countries
posted Monday, May 19, 2008 3:01 PM by Lauren Phillips

In April, after several years of negotiation and discussion, the member states of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a governance reform package. The impetus for the reform was to ensure that the IMF maintains credibility and legitimacy with fast growing developing countries. It is, therefore, envisioned as a first step in a longer process of reform for the representation of developing countries in the IMF... (more)

1412 Views,  0 Comments


Tackling the food price crisis: five steps
posted Thursday, May 08, 2008 11:06 AM by Simon Maxwell

The word "crisis" is much abused. But the current food price crisis constitutes a genuine emergency. Urgency in tackling it is essential... (more)

2664 Views,  5 Comments


The view from Davos - Part four: The Davos agenda – more to watch
posted Tuesday, February 05, 2008 9:23 AM by Simon Maxwell

In the last of four blogs with reflections and predictions from Davos, I look at web 2.0, Africa, governance and institutions... (more)

4029 Views,  1 Comments


The Japan G8 in 2008: a New Year’s Resolution for delivery on the big questions?
posted Thursday, December 20, 2007 10:29 AM by Fletcher Tembo

The 2008 G8 Summit in Toyako, Japan will be particularly significant because there are big issues on the international development agenda that require firm G8 commitments to be made in 2008; and yet the risk of not delivering on these agendas has never been higher... (more)

7610 Views,  2 Comments


International Human Rights Day 2007: New challenges
posted Monday, December 10, 2007 10:15 AM by Marta Foresti

Today the UN begins a year long campaign leading to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, on the theme of ‘Dignity and Justice for us all’. Over the years, the Declaration inspired the creation of more than 60 human rights instruments and it is one of the most translated document of all times. However, 60 years on, these are not easy days for human rights. .. (more)

2617 Views,  0 Comments


EPAs: Distinguishing what we know from what we don’t know
posted Friday, November 30, 2007 5:56 PM by Chris Stevens

We always knew that the final few days before the EU’s self-imposed deadlines for initialling Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) texts to forestall the application of generalised system of preferences (GSP) tariffs on 1 January would be frenetic. And so it has proved to be... (more)

6608 Views,  2 Comments


Spin or reality? The state of play on EPAs
posted Wednesday, November 28, 2007 4:33 PM by Mareike Meyn

Is the breakthrough in the negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) being claimed by the Commission an example of spin or has the chasm that existed only a couple of weeks ago really been bridged? Mandelson labelled the initialling of an.. (more)

2955 Views,  0 Comments


Why the International Year of Sanitation is no matter for prudery
posted Wednesday, November 14, 2007 6:26 PM by Peter Newborne

The International Year of Sanitation is an opportunity to draw attention to S&H goals. From ‘World Toilet Day’ on November 19th, the launch of the IYS on November 21st and the year of activity that follows, development practitioners around the world can expect to witness a renewed and more determined effort to make the case that providing better sanitation & hygiene facilities for poor households is a development priority – especially for the benefit of all the people who are currently without basic means to carry out a basic daily function. .. (more)

3848 Views,  3 Comments


IMF fails to agree reform deal
posted Monday, October 22, 2007 2:09 PM by Lauren Phillips

This weekend, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank held their annual meetings in Washington. Top of the agenda was the reform of IMF governance, and in particular the formula which determines the representation of each country in the IMF, which has been under negotiation since last spring. No progress was made, despite high expectations and a need to push the reform programme forward prior to the end of the year. .. (more)

2043 Views,  0 Comments


Important messages from the UK Government on international development. Are we listening?
posted Monday, October 15, 2007 9:51 AM by Simon Maxwell

There have been some important messages on international development from the UK Government since the change of administration in June – and they signal changes of emphasis to which we might want to react. A first set of changes was to do with structure,.. (more)

3208 Views,  3 Comments


Can the International Health Partnership deliver a new way of funding health spending?
posted Friday, September 07, 2007 2:56 PM by Simon Maxwell

The International Health Partnership was launched in London on 6 September, signed by 8 bilateral donors, 7 developing countries, 9 international organisations, and 2 other donors.  Importantly, the ‘signature party’ was led by two Prime Ministers,.. (more)

3039 Views,  9 Comments


What future for the World Bank?
posted Wednesday, August 29, 2007 12:55 PM by Simon Maxwell

The World Bank’s Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President, Francois Bourguignon, was in London yesterday, for informal consultations on the future strategy of the World Bank.  This contributes to the Long Term Strategic Exercise (LTSE), described.. (more)

2830 Views,  3 Comments


Globalisation and Global Poverty Policy Group Report
posted Saturday, July 21, 2007 3:39 PM by Simon Maxwell

The Conservative Party’s Globalisation and Global Poverty Policy Group reported today.  At nearly 500 pages long, the report is a substantial contribution: there are 76 recommendations.  Without being party political, we are going to use the.. (more)

3367 Views,  5 Comments


Ten steps to a new development agenda
posted Monday, July 16, 2007 3:43 PM by Simon Maxwell

This is a time of transition in politics and policy.  What contribution can ODI make? We are always careful not to be party political and not be tarred as advocates or campaigners.  Nor do we have an institutional view which might constrain.. (more)

1959 Views,  1 Comments


De Rato's summer to-do list
posted Sunday, July 15, 2007 2:45 PM by Lauren Phillips

Just weeks after the leadership debacle at the World Bank seemed to have finally faded from front page news, the uncertainty spread across H Street to the Bank’s sister institution, the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Rodrigo de Rato, Managing Director of the IMF, announced his intention to resign from his post much earlier than expected. .. (more)

1723 Views,  0 Comments


Where are the political divides on international development?
posted Friday, June 22, 2007 1:05 PM by Simon Maxwell

With Gordon Brown about to take office, ODI asked representatives of the three main political parties in the UK to speak on the theme ‘What’s Next in International Development?’.  These three speeches tell us something about the issues that will.. (more)

2708 Views,  4 Comments


Will the new EU Code of Conduct on Division of Labour improve or undermine aid quality?
posted Friday, May 25, 2007 10:02 AM by Simon Maxwell

The EU Code of Conduct on Complementarity and Division of Labour in Development Policy, approved by the Council on 15 May 2007, is potentially revolutionary, with significant implications for the future of British and other bilateral aid. The Code of.. (more)

2758 Views,  3 Comments


A more careful approach to scaling up is called for
posted Tuesday, May 08, 2007 3:03 PM by Paolo de Renzio

Just last week Kofi Annan, in his new role as chairman of the Africa Progress Panel, called on G8 leaders to deliver on the promises for increased aid to Africa that were made at Gleneagles in 2005. While large amounts of additional aid have so far failed to materialise, there is little doubt that in the near future aid will play an important part in efforts to assist African countries in reaching the MDGs. Yet, how and when scaling up happens is likely to be as important as how much additional aid is actually given. .. (more)

1901 Views,  0 Comments


Is Tony Blair’s legacy on Africa at risk?
posted Tuesday, May 08, 2007 2:20 PM by Simon Maxwell

With the trade talks failing and aid volume way below target, is Tony Blair's legacy on Africa at risk?  The G8 meeting in Heiligendamm, Germany, in June, provides a last opportunity to persuade the most powerful leaders in the world to deliver on.. (more)

4895 Views,  5 Comments


Millennium Development Goals, agriculture and climate change
posted Thursday, April 19, 2007 5:12 PM by Martin Prowse

With July 7th 2007 designated the official mid-point of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the time is ripe to assess challenges to meeting these goals, and to look beyond them. In this blog we ask: how do the physical impacts of climate change affect the prospects for achieving the first goal, to halve world poverty?.. (more)

3706 Views,  8 Comments