Content Type: Policy Brief / Topic: Development

801. Transatlantic Transformation: Building a NATO-EU Security Architecture

Author:: David C. Gompert, Jan M. Lodal, Leslie S. Lebl, Walter B. Slocombe, and Frances G. Burwell
Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Atlantic Council
Abstract:: Since 1989, the security environment facing the United States and its European allies has changed beyond recognition. The Soviet Union has disintegrated, as has the division of Europe between East and West, and new threats have arisen. The disintegration of Yugoslavia in the 1990s demonstrated that instability and war emerging from failing states could affect the peace and security of Europe. After 2001, global terrorism became the priority threat, especially when linked with the prospect of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Topic:: Security, NATO, and Development
Political Geography:: United States, Europe, Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia

802. Haiti's Economic Challenge

Author:: Emily Hsu and Robert Pierto
Publication Date:: 07-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: Haiti's new government faces an enormous economic challenge. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and among the poorest countries in the world. Two thirds of Haiti's eight million citizens live in poverty. Half of its adult population is illiterate. Only a quarter of its children attend school. Since a brief spike in the 1970's, Haiti's economy has experienced a steady decline as a result of rapacious government policies and, possibly well intentioned, but destructive international sanctions.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and Government
Political Geography:: Central America and Haiti

803. Prospects for Mediation of the Lebanon Crisis

Author:: Patricia Karam and A. Heather Coyne
Publication Date:: 07-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: The U.S. Institute of Peace was the venue for a roundtable session in mid-July to discuss the prospects for mediation of the current crisis in Lebanon. The discussants included former White House and State Department officials, as well as regional experts with experience in mediating previous conflicts between Israel and Lebanon. This USIPeace Briefing highlights the central points made during that discussion and does not represent the views of the Institute, which does not advocate specific policies.
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, International Relations, and Development
Political Geography:: United States, Middle East, and Lebanon

804. Haiti's New Government Faces Historic Dilemmas

Author:: Robert Perito
Publication Date:: 05-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: Two years after Jean-Bertrand Aristide's ouster by armed revolt, Haiti appears ready to turn a page in its turbulent political history. Earlier this month, the Haitian people successfully completed parliamentary elections with minimal violence or fanfare, two months after choosing their new president, René Préval. Once in office, Haiti's new leadership will face grave political challenges in governing a country that has been traumatized by chronic violence and instability.
Topic:: Development, Government, and Politics
Political Geography:: Central America and Haiti

805. Economic Empowerment of Women in Iraq: The Way Forward

Author:: Yll Bajraktari
Publication Date:: 05-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: A UN/World Bank survey conducted after the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime revealed that even though women represented about 55 percent of Iraq's population, they made up only 23 percent of the workforce. Although the international community and Iraqis have since devoted considerable attention to boosting the status of women in Iraq, most of these efforts have focused on the social and political empowerment of women. Full democratic consolidation in Iraq can only be achieved by guaranteeing, in addition, a leading economic role for women in Iraq.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and Gender Issues
Political Geography:: Iraq and Middle East

806. What Do Islamists Really Want?

Author:: Abdeslam Maghraoui
Publication Date:: 05-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: Throughout the Muslim world, Islamist parties have emerged as major power brokers when allowed to compete in free elections. Yet their positions on many crucial governance issues remain unknown or ambiguous. Most debates on the potential to moderate and integrate Islamists in the democratic process have focused on Islam's compatibility with democracy or on debates over Islamists' normative commitment to democracy separately from the mechanics of achieving political power.
Topic:: Democratization, Development, Government, and Religion
Political Geography:: Middle East

807. Syria and Political Change II

Author:: Scott Lasensky
Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: This is the second in a series of USIPeace Briefings written by Scott Lasensky and Mona Yacoubian of USIP's Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention. It is based on discussions at a recent seminar. The views expressed do not reflect those of USIP, which does not take policy positions. One year after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and facing mounting international pressure, the Syrian regime is consolidating its hold on power and adopting a more defiant stance, both in the region and toward the West. On December 12, Lebanese journalist Gibran Tueni—who had been staunchly opposed to Syrian involvement in Lebanon—was killed by a car bomb in Beirut. The attack occurred amidst continued Syrian intimidation of key witnesses as well as an orchestrated Syrian campaign to discredit the UN's Hariri investigation. Then, in a late December interview on al-Arabiya, former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam accused the Syrian regime of directly threatening Hariri just before his death. Khaddam is now openly calling for regime change, even reaching out to exiled leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. In February 2006, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticized the Syrian government for encouraging violence and inflaming popular anger over the Danish cartoon controversy.
Topic:: Development, Politics, and United Nations
Political Geography:: Middle East and Syria

808. Lebanon's Confessionalism: Problems and Prospects

Author:: Imad K. Harb
Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: Over the past year and a half, Lebanon has witnessed tremendous political upheaval. In September 2004, Parliament extended the term of the country's president, Emile Lahoud, for three years after heavy-handed Syrian interference. Attempts were made on the lives of several public figures; among those killed was former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. A popular uprising forced Syria to withdraw the troops it had deployed in Lebanon since 1976. New parliamentary elections were held in May and June, 2005, and resulted in a new majority coalition of reform-minded, albeit sectarian, leaders who promised an overhaul of Lebanese politics.
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, Development, and Politics
Political Geography:: Middle East, Lebanon, and Syria

809. Explaining the Yugoslav Catastrophe: The Quest for a Common Narrative

Author:: Daniel Serwer and Yll Bajraktari
Publication Date:: 01-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: More than a decade after the dissolution of Yugoslavia, people of the region remain deeply divided by contradictory accounts of what happened. Redefinition of historical perspectives along ethno-nationalist lines makes mutual understanding more difficult and hinders reconciliation. Controversies that emerged from the decade of wars continue to hamper the region's prospects.
Topic:: International Relations, Development, and Nationalism
Political Geography:: Eastern Europe

810. Creating a More Inclusive Peace in Côte d'Ivoire

Author:: Kelly Campbell and Adams Fusheini
Publication Date:: 08-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: On June 19-20, 2006, the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), in partnership with the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), hosted a workshop entitled "Challenges to Peace and Reconstruction in Côte d'Ivoire" in Accra, Ghana. Fourteen representatives of diverse Ivoirian civil society organizations (CSOs) attended the conference, as well as representatives from the United Nations Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and other nongovernmental organizations.
Topic:: International Relations, Development, and Peace Studies
Political Geography:: Africa and United States

811. EU Civilian Rapid Reaction - trouble ahead!

Author:: Peter Viggo Jakobsen
Publication Date:: 12-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
Abstract:: This brief takes issue with the prevailing view that the ESDP capacity building process is easier and has been more successful in the civilian than in the military field. It argues that civilian capacity building is harder than military capacity building, demonstrates that the EU's civilian rapid reaction capacity is considerably smaller and less integrated than it is generally assumed, and that the capacity goals set for 2008 are unattainable. Yet another major EU expectations-capability gap has been created and there is now a real danger that this gap will seriously damage the EU's reputation as the global leader in civilian crisis management.
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, Civil Society, and Development
Political Geography:: Europe

812. After Enlargement: Europe's New Migration System

Author:: Adrian Favell
Publication Date:: 12-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
Abstract:: Policy makers underestimate the importance of underlying demographics and labour market dynamics on future East-West migration in Europe. Flows have generally been demand driven, and have therefore been drawn by European nations with the most open and informal labour markets – such as Britain, Ireland, Italy and Spain –rather than more highly regulated welfare states such as Denmark. They are also more likely to be circular and temporary than one way immigration. I discuss the desirability of the apparently inevitable trend in Europe towards a more US style international labour market that strongly parallels the migration system between the US and Mexico. The underlying trend in Europe is towards the emergence of a more regionalised system, in which West European societies come to rely on East European movers to fill secondary labour market needs in the service economy, rather than more racially or ethnically distinct non-European immigrants.
Topic:: Development, Migration, and Politics
Political Geography:: Europe

813. Water reform - implications for rural poor people's access to water

Author:: Helle Munk Ravnborg and Claus Aagaard
Publication Date:: 08-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
Abstract:: Many countries are currently in a process of water reform, often motivated by increasing and a changing composition – and strength – of demands for fresh water. In many countries this reform process has been met with opposition from all political corners, including traditional water users such as large scale farmers and civil society organizations such as indigenous movements and environmental groups.
Topic:: Development, Health, Human Welfare, and Poverty
Political Geography:: Africa

814. UN-led Strategies for Media and Communications in Conflict Prevention and Peace Building

Author:: Bent Nørby Bonde
Publication Date:: 07-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
Abstract:: Media have contributed significantly to the escalation of violent conflicts, but also have a strong potential for contributing to peace building and conflict transformation. The sooner the first steps are taken towards changing the existing media the cheaper and more efficient this process will become. The need for boosting the rapid deployment is evident.
Topic:: Conflict Prevention, Development, Peace Studies, and United Nations
Political Geography:: Yugoslavia

815. Foreign Direct Investment: Key Issues for Promotion Agencies

Author:: Sergey Filippov, Iornara Costa, and Mariana Zanatta
Publication Date:: 10-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United Nations University
Abstract:: The growing importance attached to attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) is evidenced by the steady rise of investment promotion agencies (IPAs) worldwide, especially from the early 1990s. Since its launch in 1995, the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) has registered a growing number of members representing cities, regions, countries and free zones from all over the world: from 112 in 2002, 161 in 2004, rising to 191 members from 149 countries in 2006. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) there were around 500 IPAs in more than 160 countries in 2004.
Topic:: Foreign Policy, Development, Economics, and International Trade and Finance
Political Geography:: United Nations

816. Mobilizing Talent for Global Development

Author:: Andrs Solimano
Publication Date:: 08-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United Nations University
Abstract:: The generation of new ideas and their application for productive uses is an important engine for growth and development. This is an area in which developing countries usually lag behind developed countries and is where development gaps are more evident. Behind the generation of ideas, innovations, and new technologies there is 'human talent': an inner capacity of individuals to develop ideas and objects, some of them with a high economic value. The 'human factor' is critical to the success or failure of many endeavours. Several countries, particularly China and India, followed by Russia, Poland, and some Latin American countries, are becoming an important source of talented people with PhDs and degrees in science, engineering, and other areas that can lead to change in the international patterns of comparative advantages and reduce development gaps. Part of the new talent formed in developing countries goes to live and work to developed countries, typically the USA, UK, and other OECD nations. At the same time multinational corporations are outsourcing several of their productive and service activities, including research and development, to developing countries (China and India are main destinations) to take advantage of the (less expensive) talent being developed there. Today, therefore, we see a double movement of talent and capital around the globe: on the one hand talent from developing countries is moving north seeking better opportunities where people are equipped with more capital, technologies, and effective organizations. On the hand capital from the north pursues talent in the south; a process largely led by multinational corporations.
Topic:: Development, Economics, Human Welfare, and Migration
Political Geography:: United States, China, United Kingdom, and India

817. Fiscal Policy for Poverty Reduction, Reconstruction, and Growth

Author:: Matthew Smith, Alan Roe, and Tony Addison
Publication Date:: 06-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United Nations University
Abstract:: An effective state is able to mobilize revenue and spend it on infrastructure, services, and public goods that both enhance human capital and the well-being of communities (especially the poor), as well as stimulating investment and employment creation by the private sector. An effective state also manages public finance to ensure that macroeconomic balance is maintained—with policy neither too restrictive to discourage private investment and growth, nor too accommodative to create high inflation and crowd out private investment. Fiscal issues are therefore at the heart of the state's role in the development process and failure in this policy area—whether it is in taxation, public expenditures, or in managing the fiscal deficit and public debt—can quickly undermine growth and poverty reduction. Fiscal weakness can also be fatal to social peace when one or more ethnic, religious, or regional groups are taxed unfairly—or receives too little in the allocation of public spending.
Topic:: Debt, Development, Economics, and Poverty
Political Geography:: Africa and Asia

818. Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Transport Alternatives: Issues for Developing Countries

Author:: Grant Boyle and Lynn Mytelka
Publication Date:: 05-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United Nations University
Abstract:: Recent technological advances in the application of hydrogen fuel cells in the transport sector have drawn considerable attention and increased funding from both public and private sources over the past ten years. The International Energy Agency estimates that about US$1billion per year is currently being invested in public hydrogen and fuel cell research, development, test vehicles, prototype refuelling stations and demonstration projects, as compared to the total annual public budget for energy research, development and demonstration of around US$8billion. While still in the early stages of development and costly in comparison to conventional vehicle propulsion and fuel technologies, fuel cells and hydrogen offer a promising solution to address growing concerns over the transport sector's dependence on oil and its impact on climate change.
Topic:: Development, Energy Policy, Science and Technology, and Third World
Political Geography:: United States and Europe

819. Open Source and Open Standards: A New Frontier for Economic Development?

Author:: Philip Schmidt and Rishab Aiyer Ghosh
Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United Nations University
Abstract:: Free software (also called open source software or libre software) has become one of the most talked about phenomena in the ICT world in recent years. This is remarkable, not only for the usual reasons—that open source has been around for many years as a volunteer driven success story before being discovered by big business and now government— but also because it has largely developed quietly on its own without the headline coverage and glare of international attention that it now receives.
Topic:: Development, Economics, Science and Technology, and Third World
Political Geography:: United States

820. The Implications of China's Rise for Asia and Europe

Author:: Linda Jakobson
Publication Date:: 05-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Abstract:: China has in a very short time span embraced multilateral mechanisms to address a broad range of issues and avoided confrontation with the United States. Both stances have shaped Asian and European views of a rising China. At present, Asian and European leaders take China's word regarding its peaceful intentions as a rising power. However, Asian and European policy-makers tend to refrain from confronting China too strongly on issues sensitive to Beijing (poor implementation of intellectual property rights, disregard for human rights, etc). The more prosperous China grows, the less influence any other country will have over Beijing's policies. A rising China is a challenge to others because of its sheer size, its great need for imported energy, and the environmental degradation it causes due to its ongoing industrialization. The troubled relationship between China and Japan is one of increasing concern and could lead to aggravated tensions in East Asia.
Topic:: International Relations, Development, and International Political Economy
Political Geography:: United States, China, Europe, and Asia

821. Taiwan's Rising Rationalism: Generations, Politics, and "Taiwanese Nationalism"

Author:: Shelley Rigger
Publication Date:: 01-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:: A peaceful, amicable relationship between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China (PRC) is essential to prosperity and security in and beyond the Taiwan Strait. Anticipating the future direction of crossstrait relations is thus very important. But it is also very difficult, not least because key trends in the Strait seem to be headed in opposite directions. On the one hand, the scope and intensity of crossstrait interactions are expanding rapidly, creating shared interests on the two sides and eroding resistance to closer crossstrait ties. On the other hand, popular support for political unification within Taiwan is declining, and the percentage of Taiwan residents who think of themselves as Taiwanese, not Chinese, is rising.
Topic:: Development, Energy Policy, and Environment
Political Geography:: Europe and Taiwan

822. Living on a Life Support Machine: The Challenge of Rebuilding Afghanistan

Author:: Peter J. Middlebrook and Sharon M. Miller
Publication Date:: 01-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Foreign Policy In Focus
Abstract:: The forthcoming “London Conference” on Afghanistan (January 31-February 1, 2006), to be attended by President Hamid Karzai, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and Paul Wolfowitz, head of the World Bank, brings together high ranking dignitaries from the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the international development community to endorse a new multilateral agreement to be known as the “Afghanistan Compact,” the successor of the Bonn Agreement.
Topic:: International Relations, Development, and Government
Political Geography:: Afghanistan, Middle East, and London

823. The New Face of Water Conflict

Author:: Ken Conca
Publication Date:: 11-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Wilson Center
Abstract:: Amid the talk of looming “water wars,” a less dramatic—but more immediate—link between water and violence is often ignored: the violence engendered by poor governance of water resources. Policies to expand water supplies, develop hydroelectric power, alter freshwater ecosystems, or change the terms of access to water can have devastating impacts on the livelihoods, cultures, and human rights of local communities. As these communities learn to voice their grievances, build networks across borders, and connect with human rights and environmental activists, once-local conflicts become international disputes. As a result, policymakers at all levels are being forced to rethink water's role in development. To ensure water security in the 21st century, social conflicts over water must be managed in ways that accommodate the full range of people affected by water development projects.
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, Security, Development, and Environment

824. Water can be a Pathway to Peace, Not War

Author:: Aaron Wolf
Publication Date:: 07-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Wilson Center
Abstract:: “Water wars are coming!” the newspaper headlines scream. It seems obvious—rivalries over water have been the source of disputes since humans settled down to cultivate food. Even our language reflects these ancient roots: “rivalry” comes from the Latin rivalis, or “one using the same river as another.” Countries or provinces bordering the same river (known as “riparians”) are often rivals for the water they share. As the number of international river basins (and impact of water scarcity) has grown so do the warnings that these countries will take up arms to ensure their access to water. In 1995, for example, World Bank Vice President Ismail Serageldin claimed that “the wars of the next century will be about water.”
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, Security, Development, and Environment

825. Urban Studies in Cairo, Egypt

Author:: Dominique Harre-Rogers
Publication Date:: 02-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Wilson Center
Abstract:: Greater Cairo Region's population of about 19 million places it among the twenty largest cities in the world. The making of the 'polynucleated' urban region was fast. Restricted up to mid-20th century to what is now the downtown area, the medieval core and the ancient village of Gizah, the city's total built area quadrupled between 1945 and 1982 (El-Kadi 1987). With 4% annual growth in the 1960s-1970s, the city incorporated old suburbs and satellite towns (Maadi, Helwan, Heliopolis), spilled across the Nile and expanded north and west into the desert and the agricultural lands of the Nile Delta valley, swallowing several villages in the process.2 In the mid-1980s, the mega-city entered a new phase and population growth slowed significantly, falling below Egypt's national rate of growth
Topic:: International Relations and Development
Political Geography:: Africa, Middle East, and Egypt

826. Ethnicity and Power in Contested Cities: the Historical Experience

Author:: A.C. Hepburn
Publication Date:: 02-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Wilson Center
Abstract:: Cities are frequently seen as the cutting edge of human achievement, as cosmopolitan sites where new identities may develop and flourish. In this view, traditional barriers are eroded through proximity of living and working. But many modern cities are made up of communities that regard themselves or are regarded by others as distinct in terms of language, religious belief, skin color or culture. In this context, the question becomes "how have cities sought to mitigate their potential for dysfunctionality?" The rapidly growing British industrial cities of the nineteenth century, for instance, drew their populations mainly from nearby hinterlands, so that while the challenges of acculturation to urban living and the discipline of the factory may have been great, the challenge of acculturation to new neighbors was substantially reduced.
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, International Relations, Civil Society, and Development

827. New Actors in Health Financing: Implications for a donor darling

Author:: Felix Zimmermann and Denis Drechsler
Publication Date:: 12-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: With concern about how to finance the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) widespread, recent donor pledges to raise aid volumes are welcome. However, aid alone will not suffice – bringing in new actors and sources of development finance will be essential. In many developing countries, this is already happening, creating new opportunities and challenges for their governments and donors.
Topic:: Development, Economics, Health, and International Trade and Finance

828. Economic Survey of the Russian Federation, 2006

Publication Date:: 11-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: The Russian economy has been enjoying a period of robust growth, thanks largely to steadily rising terms of trade. The challenge confronting policy-makers is to facilitate Russia's transition into a period of self-sustaining, investment- and innovation-led growth. This will require a sound macroeconomic policy framework to manage the economy's adjustment to sustained high oil prices and a range of structural reforms aimed at creating better framework conditions for business.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and Markets
Political Geography:: Russia, Europe, and Asia

829. Economic Survey of Brazil, 2006

Publication Date:: 11-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Considerable progress has been made in recent years in achieving macroeconomic stability and restructuring the economy. Productivity has risen since the macroeconomic stabilisation of the mid-1990s and the implementation of a series of structural reforms. But Brazil's GDP growth performance (about 2.5% per year on average since 1995) nevertheless needs to improve to close a widening income gap relative to the OECD area. Reaping the full benefits of stabilisation in terms of faster growth will require consolidating macroeconomic adjustment, boosting innovation in the business sector and stepping up formal labour utilisation.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and Markets
Political Geography:: Brazil and South America

830. Agricultural Policy Reform in South Africa

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: With a surface area of 1.22 million km2 and a population of 46.9 million, South Africa is one of the largest countries on the African continent. It is also the largest African economy, with a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of USD 3 530, more than four times the African average.
Topic:: Development, Economics, International Organization, and International Trade and Finance
Political Geography:: South Africa

831. Competition Law and Policy in Switzerland

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Competition policy plays a key role in promoting consumer welfare and market opening. Lack of competition is a main reason for the high prices of many products and services on the Swiss market. Traditionally, Swiss competition policy has been relatively lenient and low profile, allowing a relatively uncompetitive internal market to remain unchallenged. The impact of competition policy on economic development has therefore been at best neutral. As the slow rate of growth becomes an issue, however, a more vigorous approach to competition has been identified as an important factor for improving growth prospects. The 2003 reform of the Cartel Act strengthened Swiss competition law, in particular by introducing direct sanctions for the most serious infringements and a leniency programme, thus bringing it closer to that of the European Union and of many other OECD countries. The Swiss Competition Commission has been given considerable new powers to combat private restraints of competition. Comco will have to enforce the new laws resolutely and step up action to promote regulatory reforms. In doing so, it is burdened by institutional arrangements and mechanisms that temper its full independence. The Swiss competition enforcers do not benefit from the networks of exchanges available to national competition authorities in EU member States. Matters are further complicated by a relative lack of resources. Strengthening competition is a key for an effective internal market. The amendments to strengthen the Cartel Law and pending reform proposals signal determination on the part of the Confederation to tackle the problems. It is too early to say how effective they will be and the extent to which they will encourage a change in general attitudes, notably among the sub federal levels of government.
Topic:: Development, Economics, International Organization, International Trade and Finance, and Law
Political Geography:: Switzerland

832. Economic Survey of Finland, 2006

Publication Date:: 05-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Growth performance has been among the best in the OECD, underpinned by a strong innovation performance and high educational attainment. The unemployment rate, currently at 8%, has dropped below the euro area average, employment rates, particularly among the old workers, have been increasing rapidly, inflation is among the lowest in the OECD and the government surplus sizeable.
Topic:: Development, Economics, International Organization, and International Trade and Finance
Political Geography:: Finland

833. Economic Survey of Portugal, 2006

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Portugal's economic performance has deteriorated markedly since 2000, with the slowdown turning out to be more severe and prolonged than in most other OECD countries. This lack of resilience reveals structural weaknesses. Meanwhile, with low growth and weak control of public expenditure, the fiscal deficit has remained at unsustainably high levels, reaching close to 6% of GDP in 2005. Despite the existence of a large output gap, the high fiscal deficit leaves no room to stimulate demand. The government has embarked on a strategy that aims at consolidating public finances and enhancing growth and it is important to strengthen these efforts. Without more wage restraint and higher productivity growth, there is a clear risk that Portugal's competitiveness continues to deteriorate and the income gap vis-à-vis the OECD average widens further.
Topic:: Development, Economics, International Organization, and International Trade and Finance
Political Geography:: Portugal

834. OECD Territorial Reviews: Seoul, Korea

Publication Date:: 04-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: For many cities in OECD countries, globalisation has opened access to new markets, skilled human resources and advanced technology, while accelerating international competition and industrial restructuring. Seoul – a city of 10.3 million people at the core of a capital region of 22.5 million people, one of the world's most populous metropolitan regions – is striving to upgrade its position from that of a national mega-capital to become a “world city” and a leading business hub in Northeast Asia.
Topic:: Development, Economics, International Organization, and International Trade and Finance
Political Geography:: Korea, Northeast Asia, and Seoul

835. OECD and the WTO (Policy Brief compilation)

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Fears that “globalisation” implies increasing job losses and lower wages are an important source of popular ambivalence towards the increasingly open character of OECD economies. Although such concerns are not new, recent developments appear to have heightened workers' apprehensions that rising trade competition threatens their jobs, wages and employment conditions, particularly in the higher-wage OECD countries. Increased international sourcing of production activities – including the “offshoring” of some white-collar jobs in information technology (IT) and business services – has led some commentators to conclude that a large share of high-wage OECD workers will soon be in direct competition with workers in countries where wages are far lower. EU enlargement and the increasing integration of large, labour-surplus economies such as India and China into the world trading system also reinforce anxieties about “delocalisation” and “a race to the bottom”.
Topic:: Development, Economics, International Organization, and International Trade and Finance
Political Geography:: China

836. OECD Territorial Reviews: Stockholm

Publication Date:: 05-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Stockholm is one of the most successful metropolitan regions in the OECD. Throughout the 1990s, the region experienced consistent and impressive growth, drawing on its role as the national capital, its research and development strengths, concentration of advanced business, logistical and financial services, and specialisation in high growth, high-tech sectors, notably ICT. Stockholm also stands out for its high quality of life, as is evident in its strong public health performance, high educational attainment and low poverty levels. In terms of these and other socio-economic indicators, Stockholm ranks among the best in the world.
Topic:: Development, Economics, International Organization, and International Trade and Finance

837. Reforming Personal Income Tax

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Many OECD countries have reformed their personal income tax system over the last two decades. Yet no clear consensus has emerged on what is the ideal personal income tax. These reforms have tried to create a competitive fiscal environment, which encourages investment, risk taking and entrepreneurship and provides increased work incentives. At the same time, fairness and simplicity have become the byword of reformers. Fairness requires that taxpayers in similar circumstances pay similar amounts of tax and that the tax burden is appropriately shared. Simplicity requires that paying your taxes becomes as painless as possible and that the costs of collecting taxes are kept at a minimum.
Topic:: Development, Economics, Emerging Markets, and International Trade and Finance

838. Putting Climate Change Adaptation in the Development Mainstream

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Climate change poses a serious challenge to social and economic development. Developing countries are particularly vulnerable because their economies are generally more dependent on climate-sensitive natural resources, and because they are less able to cope with the impacts of climate change.
Topic:: Development, Economics, Environment, and Human Welfare

839. Advancing Sustainable Development

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: What is sustainable development and why is it important? Most people support the idea of sustainable development, but without fully understanding what it is. Most would agree that it implies a better balance between economic, environmental and social goals, and greater fairness in distributing the gains from growth among people and countries. It also concerns preserving the environment and natural resources as a basis for progress. And it means making policy decisions which are in the interest of future generations.
Topic:: International Relations, Development, Economics, and Environment

840. Challenges for China's Public Spending

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: China's evolution from a centrally-planned to a market-based economy is leading to major transformations of its public expenditure policies. Much progress has been made in raising infrastructure spending to a level more in line with China's development needs and in modernising mechanisms for budget planning and implementation. Nevertheless, significant challenges remain.
Topic:: Development, Government, and Markets
Political Geography:: China and Asia

841. Economic Survey of Ireland, 2006

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Ireland has continued its exemplary economic performance, attaining some of the highest growth rates in the OECD. After a remarkable decade, per-capita income has caught up with and overtaken the EU average. Further progress will require strong productivity growth and continued increases in labour supply. These challenges are familiar to most OECD economies. But it also faces some issues that are less common: it is going through a transition phase in upgrading its social services; infrastructure levels need to catch up with the boom in activity and population that has occurred over this period; and it has to manage some sizeable macroeconomic risks.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and Markets
Political Geography:: Europe and Ireland

842. Keeping Water Safe to Drink

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Access to water that is safe to drink is vital to human health and to development. Recognising this, world leaders have set themselves the goal of halving by 2015 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. This is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to reduce world poverty set out in the United Nations Millennium Declaration in the year 2000, and reaffirmed at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development.
Topic:: Development, Environment, and Health

843. Improving Water Management: Recent OECD Experience

Publication Date:: 03-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: Securing safe and reliable water and sanitation services for all is one of the leading challenges facing sustainable development. All but a few OECD countries have connected 100% of their populations to safe water supplies, and the majority are connected to wastewater treatment. Progress has also been made in developing countries, where between 1990 and 2000 access to safe water supply rose from 73% to almost 80% of the population. But there is still a long way to go. Over 1 billion people worldwide still lack access to safe water and 2.6 billion people are without access to adequate sanitation. About 80% of all diseases in developing countries are water-related, leading to an estimated 1.7 million deaths each year.
Topic:: Development, Environment, Health, and Third World

844. E-learning in Tertiary Education

Publication Date:: 01-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:: E-learning is becoming increasingly prominent in tertiary education, with universities increasing provision and more students signing up. But is it actually changing the way universities teach and students learn, or is it simply a case of students typing up their essays on computers and professors sending them course reading lists or work assignments by e-mail?
Topic:: Development, Education, and Science and Technology

845. Derechos Humanos y Gobernabilidad Democrática. Oportunidades para la Cooperación Canadiense en el Perú

Author:: Carmela Chávez Irigoyen
Publication Date:: 01-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
Abstract:: Recientemente, Canadá ha anunciado que el Perú se encuentra entre los 20 países en los cuales va a enfocar su ayuda al desarrollo. Se contará con mayores recursos financieros y humanos y se continuará trabajando para un mayor enfoque programático y geográfico orientándolo a lograr una mayor efectividad de la ayuda en respuesta a los principios de la Declaración de París. Así mismo ACDI ha priorizado un enfoque de derechos humanos en el campo de la governanza del sector de industrias extractivas y continuar con los programas de mejoramiento de la calidad en la educación formal, con énfasis en educación intercultural. Así mismo, continuará siendo un importante donante para el fortalecimiento de la Defensoría del Pueblo.
Topic:: Development, Human Rights, Governance, and Democracy
Political Geography:: South America and Peru

846. Export Diversification: Is it Really Necessary for Botswana?

Author:: Joel Sentsho
Publication Date:: 12-2006
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis
Abstract:: Even though Botswana gained independence as a very poor country in 1966, over the last three decades the country has risen to the level of a middle income developing country. The country’s GDP growth averaged about 9 percent over the fi rst three decades of independence and was thus comparable to that of the East Asian Tigers. Perhaps the only disadvantage with this impressive growth is that it was and continues to be fuelled by the primary sector, particularly diamond mining, although copper/nickel and beef were also important in the earlier years. As early as 1982, the Government of Botswana recognized that dependence on a narrow range of exports was undesirable and could have adverse long-term consequences, and that export diversifi cation was necessary. However, despite numerous policies aimed at achieving export diversifi cation, it appears that there has not been much success, and while sustained high rates of economic growth have been achieved this has remained dependent upon the primary export sector, mainly diamonds. This raises fundamental questions: Is export diversification really necessary for Botswana? Could Botswana not continue into the future and achieve the ideals of Vision 2016 through continued primary export growth? These questions will form the focus of this policy brief. The main objective of this Policy Brief is to explore the reasons why Botswana continues to pursue the export diversifi cation strategy in spite of its limited success over the years. The Policy Brief is based on the BIDPA-World Bank study entitled “Diversifying Botswana’s Exports: An Overview”, fi nalized in July 2005, which argues strongly that export diversifi cation still needs to be pursued by Botswana. This policy brief will summarise the reasons advanced by the study for the pursuit of export diversification and make recommendations on the way forward.
Topic:: Development, Economy, Diversification, and Exports
Political Geography:: Africa and Botswana

847. No Child Left Behind: How to give It a Passing Grade

Author:: Martin R. West
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Brookings Institution
Abstract:: The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has the potential to improve many of America's schools, but this potential is currently undermined by serious flaws in how the program evaluates school performance. Because NCLB's measurement system compares only students' performance at a single point in time against state-determined standards, the information generated on school performance is often misleading and creates perverse incentives for states to lower their expectations.
Topic:: Development, Education, and Politics
Political Geography:: United States

848. High Cost or High Opportunity Cost? Transportation and Family Economic Success

Author:: Margy Waller
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Brookings Institution
Abstract:: Research suggests that having a car is a worthwhile investment in better outcomes for low-income families. Recent reports quantify the additional money required to own and operate personal vehicles, as compared to the lower cost of traveling on public transit. However, this method of accounting fails to consider the fact that poor workers without a car may not be able to search for or accept a better-paying job because public transit doesn't take them there, causing these workers to lose income or benefits as a result. This report outlines opportunity costs experienced by transit-dependent poor households, and concludes that when all costs are considered along with benefits of private vehicles, it makes sense to press for more assistance and policies that reduce car ownership costs for poor workers.
Topic:: Demographics, Development, Economics, and Human Welfare

849. Block Grants: Flexibility vs. Stability in Social Services

Author:: Margy Waller
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Brookings Institution
Abstract:: Since the 1940s, federal officials, commissions, and scholars all have suggested that local governments receive their federal funds in the form of so-called block grants. Supporters say block grant sallow local governments more freedom to design programs, simplify administration of funds, and improve consumer access to social services. The biggest challenge to wholesale support for block grants is simple: How can we ensure accountability for spending and outcomes? Policymakers face a dilemma: keep block grant funding flexible to ensure its success or protect programs from potential cuts that threaten the stability of services. This policy brief reviews the history of federal block grants for social services, the academic literature examining block grant outcomes, and recent federal proposals.
Topic:: Development, Economics, Government, and Human Welfare

850. Why Federalism Matters

Author:: Pietro S. Nivola
Publication Date:: 10-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Brookings Institution
Abstract:: What do we want from federalism?” asked the late Martin Diamond in a famous essay written thirty years ago. His answer was that federalism—a political system permitting a large measure of regional selfrule—presumably gives the rulers and the ruled a “school of their citizenship,” “a preserver of their liberties,” and “a vehicle for flexible response to their problems.” These features, broadly construed, are said to reduce conflict between diverse communities, even as a federated polity affords inter-jurisdictional competition that encourages innovations and constrains the overall growth of government.
Topic:: Development, Government, and Politics
Political Geography:: United States

851. Individual Development Accounts: Policies to Build Savings and Assets for the Poor

Author:: Ray Boshara
Publication Date:: 03-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Brookings Institution
Abstract:: Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)—matched savings accounts for low-income households—are a relatively new means of improving the lives of the poor. Advocates of IDAs argue that those with assets are more economically secure, have more options in life, and can pass on status and opportunities to future generations. They further argue that assets have positive social, psychological, and civic effects that are independent of the effects of income. Over the last decade, research and demonstration projects have been initiated to address these claims; some of the key findings are that IDAs do lead the poor to save or acquire assets, but do not necessarily increase their net worth (assets minus debt). While costs are declining, IDAs are expensive to administer and are often used by the poor as checking and savings accounts as well as a means to accumulate wealth, reflecting in part the dearth of savings products aimed at the poor.
Topic:: Foreign Policy, Development, Economics, and Government

852. Post-Election Iraq: Facing the Constitutional Challenge

Author:: Nathan J. Brown
Publication Date:: 02-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Abstract:: Iraq's newly elected National Assembly (NA) will soon take up its major task—although hardly its only one—of drafting a permanent constitution. The task is to be completed in time to submit the draft constitution to a national plebiscite by October 15, 2005.
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, Development, and Government
Political Geography:: Iraq and Middle East

853. A Better Way to Support Middle East Reform

Author:: Thomas Carothers
Publication Date:: 02-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Abstract:: The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), an important component of the Bush administration's policy of promoting Middle East reform, is falling short. MEPI should be relaunched as a private foundation funded by the government, akin to the Asia Foundation or the Eurasia Foundation. Such a relaunch would permit MEPI to develop greater expertise in the region, use more flexible, effective aid methods, and gain some independence from other U.S. programs and policies that serve conflicting ends. The restructuring of MEPI should be part of a broader set of measures to establish a more visible, coherent institutional policy structure to pursue the critical goal of fundamental political and economic change in the Middle East.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and Politics
Political Geography:: Eurasia, Middle East, and Asia

854. Legislative Elections in Egypt: Another Test for Democracy

Author:: Khairi Abaza
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: November 9 marks the start of legislative elections in Egypt. These are the first elections to be contested after Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak pledged to implement political reforms during his presidential campaign in September. The political opposition maintains that the legislative elections will not reflect the true will of the Egyptian people and that the political environment is still not conducive to truly democratic politics.
Topic:: Democratization, Development, and Politics
Political Geography:: North Africa and Egypt

855. Reform Prospects during Mubarak's Fifth Term

Author:: Khairi Abaza
Publication Date:: 09-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: On September 27, Hosni Mubarak will be sworn in for a fifth consecutive term as president of Egypt. Mubarak was reelected according to new electoral procedures introduced earlier this year that allowed for a competitive election between multiple candidates. The opposition, united in its calls for more democracy, criticized the reforms, claiming that they only aimed at strengthening the regime's grip on power. For his part, Mubarak pledged to introduce further political reforms during his fifth mandate. What would a reform program look like and what would its prospects be?
Topic:: Democratization, Development, and Government
Political Geography:: Africa, Europe, and Egypt

856. Previewing Jordan's National Agenda: Strategies for Reform

Author:: Samer Abu Libdah
Publication Date:: 09-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: King Abdullah II's latest domestic reform initiative for Jordan — the National Agenda Committee — will soon release a series of major political recommendations. These proposals will provide the Jordanian government with a detailed framework to guide the reform process in coming years.
Topic:: Development, Government, and Politics
Political Geography:: Middle East and Jordan

857. Entering the 'Tipping Period' in Iraq

Author:: Jeffrey White
Publication Date:: 08-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: Though armed insurgencies can last for a decade or more, they also can have decisive periods in which their paths are set, even if those paths do not become apparent for some time. Iraq appears to be entering just such a period of decision.
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, Development, and Government
Political Geography:: Iraq and Middle East

858. Insurgency and Counterinsurgency in Iraq: A Progress Report

Author:: Jeffrey White, Jack Keane, and Francis West
Publication Date:: 08-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: Daily images of carnage from Iraq and uncertainty over how to measure coalition progress continue to stoke debate in the United States. How does one assess the status of the insurgency? How are the efforts to recruit and train Iraq's security forces proceeding? What are America's options in Iraq?
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, International Relations, and Development
Political Geography:: United States, Iraq, Middle East, Vietnam, and Syria

859. The New Lebanon: Democratic Reform and State Sponsorship

Author:: Matthew Levitt
Publication Date:: 07-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: On July 19, Lebanon's incoming prime minister, Fuad Siniora, announced the formation of a new Lebanese cabinet, a move praised in Washington as another step toward democratic reform. At the same time, the State Department warned that it would not be able to maintain contact with newly appointed Minister of Energy and Water Muhammad Fneish, who is a member of Hizballah. Beyond the fact that U.S. officials are prohibited by law from dealing with members of officially designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations like Hizballah, Fneish's appointment raises the larger question of how to deal with the extensive presence of active terrorist groups in a Lebanon no longer dominated by Syria.
Topic:: International Relations, Democratization, and Development
Political Geography:: Washington, Middle East, Lebanon, and Syria

860. Lessons from the Fight against Terrorism

Author:: Dennis Ross, Moshe Yaalon, and Avi Dichter
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: On December 15, 2005, Lt. Gen. (ret.) Moshe Yaalon, Avi Dichter, and Ambassador Dennis Ross addressed The Washington Institute's Special Policy Forum. General Yaalon, a distinguished military fellow at the Institute, is the former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff. Mr. Dichter, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution's Saban Center for Middle East Policy, is the former head of the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet). Ambassador Ross, the Institute's counselor and Ziegler distinguished fellow, is a former U.S. Middle East peace envoy and author of The Missing Peace: The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace (2004). The following is a rapporteur's summary of their remarks.
Topic:: Security, Development, and Terrorism
Political Geography:: Middle East and Israel

861. The Consequences of Fatah's Chaotic Primaries

Author:: Ben Fishman and Mohammed Yaghi
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: After a relatively calm first round of Fatah primaries in five of the West Bank's eleven electoral districts, a second round of primaries in five additional districts—four in the West Bank and one in Gaza—held between November 28 and December 3 have caused increased tensions within the movement. Where the victories by the younger generation of Fatah leaders in the primaries could have represented a watershed moment in Fatah's evolution, they have been marred by a haphazard system of voting and numerous accusations of fraud. Moreover, repeated incidents of violence at polling stations demonstrate Palestinian Authority (PA) president Mahmoud Abbas's difficulty in enforcing his principle of One Authority, One Gun even within his own movement. Rather than unifying Fatah, the primaries have highlighted the party's disorganization and divisions. The old guard represented by Fatah's Central Committee, which dominates a committee of the wise tasked to determine Fatah's final electoral lists, will now have greater leverage in that process to place its own members high on Fatah's national list of candidates in Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) elections scheduled for January 2006.
Topic:: Democratization, Development, and Politics
Political Geography:: Middle East

862. Fatah Primary Results: Lessons from the First Round

Author:: Ben Fishman and Mohammed Yaghi
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: In preparation for January elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Fatah, the mainstream Palestinian faction that dominates the current council, held its first ever primaries on November 25.
Topic:: Development, Government, and Politics
Political Geography:: Middle East and Palestine

863. Campaign Season Begins in Israel (Part II): Labor's New Leader, Amir Peretz

Author:: David Makovsky
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: Amir Peretz's decision to pull the Labor Party he leads out of its national unity government with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon set Israel's new political calendar and precipitated Sharon's decision to bolt the Likud Party and consent to elections in March 2006. Peretz is a veteran labor union leader who won the leadership of the Labor Party on November 10, defeating Shimon Peres, a dominant force in the party since 1974.
Topic:: Development, Government, and Politics
Political Geography:: Middle East

864. Campaign Season Begins in Israel (Part I): Ariel Sharon Bolts from Likud

Author:: David Makovsky
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: On Monday, November 21, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon announced that he is bolting the Likud Party and forming a new National Responsibility Party. The Knesset took a preliminary vote to dissolve itself. While wrangling may continue, a final date will soon be set for elections in March 2006. Sharon remains prime minister during the interregnum.
Topic:: Development, Government, and Politics
Political Geography:: Middle East and Israel

865. Assessing Palestinian Security Reform

Author:: Mohammed Yaghi
Publication Date:: 06-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:: Palestinian security reform was high on the agenda during Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent visit to Ramallah. A spike in armed clashes, crime, and demonstrations in the territories has highlighted the issue of law and order among the Palestinian people, who are increasingly concerned about their daily security. On June 14, Palestinian Authority (PA) prime minister Ahmed Qurei threatened to suspend the work of the cabinet "if the security forces fail to put an end to the trespasses and anarchy."
Topic:: Conflict Prevention, Security, and Development
Political Geography:: Middle East and Palestine

866. The Food Aid Debate in Trade and Development

Author:: Andreas Schneider
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:: It is generally agreed that making progress towards eradicating hunger worldwide is a moral obligation for the richer countries of the world. The instrument known as food aid is widely regarded as an important vehicle for providing assistance to needy countries. However, fresh debates in the present Doha round of WTO negotiations have brought a renewed interest in food aid issues. The Doha round is designed to put development at the centre of trade negotiations, and along with agriculture, to the fore among the contentious issues to be agreed.
Topic:: Agriculture, Development, Economics, and International Trade and Finance

867. Who finances the Queen's CAP payments? The CAP as a dooH niboR Scheme

Author:: Richard E. Baldwin
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:: Thanks to the British Freedom of Information Act, the list of all CAP payments to English farms is public. It shows that the CAP is a dooH niboR scheme (that's Robin Hood spelled backwards). Table 1 records the CAP receipts for some of Britain's richest royalty. Why do royalty get paid? The CAP makes payments to farm owners, not to farmers, and about 40% of EU farmland is not farmed by its owner.
Topic:: Development and Economics
Political Geography:: United Kingdom and Europe

868. Technology in a Post-2012 Transatlantic Perspective

Author:: Christian Egenhofer
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:: The EU and the US have found themselves supporting two polar views on which strategy is the most effective in achieving stabilisation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: 'market pull' vs 'technology push'. As an advocate of the latter, the US asserts that the principal emphasis should be on technology development, financed through typical public R programmes. It argues that it would be preferable to invest in the short term in R and to adopt emissions limitations later, when new technologies will have lowered the cost of limiting GHG emissions. In supporting the 'market-pull' approach, the EU argues that technological change is an incremental process emanating primarily from business and industry, induced by government incentives. According to this logic, profit-seeking firms will respond with technological innovation.
Topic:: Development and Science and Technology
Political Geography:: United States and Europe

869. Capital Adequacy vs. Liquidity Requirements in Banking Supervision in the EU

Author:: Karel Lannoo and Jean-Pierre Casey
Publication Date:: 10-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:: The debate on banking supervision over the last decade has largely focused on capital requirements and solvency of financial institutions. The interaction between solvency and liquidity has been much less debated. Traditionally, it was assumed that once solvency was under control, liquidity should pose no problem. Banks with sufficient capital should be able to obtain extra liquidity from the central bank against adequate collateral if needed. Furthermore, the aim of the New Basel Accord to create a better alignment of regulatory capital with the risk to which banks are exposed, and the stronger focus on diversification, should eventually reduce mismatches between solvency and effective liquidity.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and Emerging Markets
Political Geography:: Europe

870. Is the IMF business model still valid?

Author:: Ángel Ubide
Publication Date:: 09-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:: Since the Asian crisis, the IMF has undergone a deep process of soul searching, trying to extract lessons from the experience. External criticism has been abundant, and basically all three of the IMF's main areas of work – surveillance, crisis prevention and resolution, and poverty reduction – have been called into question. Several years later, there is a feeling that not much has been achieved, and key questions remain unanswered. As the world business cycle matures, and thus the likelihood of further crises slowly increases, it is critical for the stability of the world financial system to discuss what the IMF's business model should look like.
Topic:: Development, Economics, Emerging Markets, and International Trade and Finance
Political Geography:: Asia

871. Oxfam Publishing: Girls' Education in Africa

Author:: Sam Gibson
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Oxfam Publishing
Abstract:: Sub-Saharan Africa has some huge problems to reslove if it is to achieve gender equality in education, and fulfill the Millennium Development Goals related to education and gender. Conversely, the region has some of the most innovative and enterprising examples of initiative that promote gender equality in education. This paper focuses on sub-Saharan Africa and considers some of the most significant obstacles that African girls face in achieving the education that is their right. The paper then reviews the most significant initiatives–those that are 'gender-neutral' and those that have a specific focus aon gender equality–that have enabled African countries to overcome these obstacles.
Topic:: Development, Education, and Gender Issues
Political Geography:: Africa

872. Oxfam Publishing: Blood on the floor: how the rich countries have squeezed development out of the WTO Doha negotiations

Author:: Duncan Green
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Oxfam Publishing
Abstract:: Four years on, the Doha Round looks increasingly unlikely to deliver on its promises to the world's poor. Rich countries have sidelined developmjent concerns and insisted on, among other conditions, the "blood on the floor" rule, i.e. obtaining economically painful concessions from all countries, including poor ones. In agriculture, trade rules look set to remain stacked against developing countries and poor farmers. Talks on industrial tariffs could jeopardise the industries of poor countries. If the rich countries fail to significantly improve their offer at the WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December 2005, developing countries should not be expected to sign on to a bad deal.
Topic:: Development, Globalization, International Trade and Finance, and World Trade Organization
Political Geography:: Hong Kong

873. Oxfam Publishing: Why developing countries need tariffs: How WTO NAMA negotiations could deny developing countries' right to a future

Author:: Ha-Joon Chang
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Oxfam Publishing
Abstract:: The NAMA negotiations are heading towards a development disaster. If the developed countries have their way and force the developing countries to massively cut (or even altogether eliminate) industrial tariffs on a line-by-line basis in an irreversible manner, the future prospect of industrial development, and therefore economic development, in today's developing countries is truly bleak.
Topic:: Development, Globalization, International Trade and Finance, and World Trade Organization

874. Oxfam Publishing: Non-agricultural market access (NAMA) talks threaten development: Six reasons why a fundamentally different approach is needed

Author:: Duncan Green and Marita Hutjes
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Oxfam Publishing
Abstract:: The WTO's current NAMA (non-agricultural market access) negotiations will not lead to a pro-development outcome. Developed countries are demanding excessive opening to imports which, if agreed, could destroy local businesses and jobs in developing countries without bringing compensating economic gains. Poor-country governments will face balance of payments problems, loss of tax revenue, and downward pressure on workers conditions and rights, and their future industrial development prospects will be undermined.
Topic:: Development, Globalization, International Trade and Finance, and World Trade Organization

875. Oxfam Publishing: Green but not clean: Why a comprehensive review of Green Box subsidies is necessary

Author:: Liz Stuart
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Oxfam Publishing
Abstract:: Green Box subsidies, by definition of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), are not allowed to distort trade. This is why, under the terms of the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), countries may provide as many Green Box subsidies as they like. ActionAid, CIDSE, and Oxfam believe, as this briefing note will show, that the EU and the USA are using this provision to continue to give support that is manifestly trade-distorting, thereby causing serious damage to farmers in developing countries. At least $40bn of Green Box payments annually are likely to be trade-distorting and therefore break WTO rules.
Topic:: Development, Globalization, International Trade and Finance, and World Trade Organization
Political Geography:: Europe

876. Oxfam Publishing: Africa and the Doha Round: Fighting to keep development alive

Author:: Jennifer Brant
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Oxfam Publishing
Abstract:: As the poorest continent on earth, Africa needs debt relief, aid, and trade to help it to alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable development. Unfortunately, unfair trade rules and supply constraints impede Africa's capacity to trade. As a result, it captures a mere one per cent of world trade.
Topic:: Development, International Trade and Finance, and World Trade Organization
Political Geography:: Africa

877. Oxfam Publishing: Make Extortion History: The case for development-friendly WTO accession for the world's poorest countries

Author:: Shuna Lennon
Publication Date:: 10-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Oxfam Publishing
Abstract:: This paper aims to make the case for a complete overhaul of the way in which Least-Developed Country (LDC) applicants hoping for accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are treated by the WTO itself, and by the member countries that elect to join the working party dealing with the accession application.
Topic:: Development, Globalization, International Trade and Finance, and World Trade Organization

878. How To Saving APEC

Author:: Dr. Malcolm Cook and Allen Gyngell
Publication Date:: 10-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Lowy Institute for International Policy
Abstract:: What is the Problem? The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, APEC, has served Australian interests very well since its establishment in 1989, but it has lost its early momentum and is confused about its purposes. It faces competition from the new East Asian Summit. In 2007, Australia will chair APEC and host its 21 leaders in Sydney. How can we ensure that APEC is in good shape for that meeting and that it continues to serve the interests of the Asia Pacific region?
Topic:: Conflict Prevention, Development, and Diplomacy
Political Geography:: Australia/Pacific

879. Building a democratic Palestine: an Australian contribution to legal and institutional development in the Palestinian territories

Author:: Anthony Bubalo
Publication Date:: 05-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Lowy Institute for International Policy
Abstract:: The current fragile ceasefire between Palestinian militants and Israel has raised hopes of an end to four years of violence. To sustain that ceasefire both Israel and the Palestinian Authority must meet their respective commitments under the "Road Map for Middle bast Peace". For the PA this means preventing terrorist attacks against Israel and undertaking political, legal and security reforms. These reforms are also critical to meeting the Palestinian public's own demands for an end to lawlessness and corruption. Given Australia's expertise in legal and institutional development, the Australian government's commitment to promoting democracy and peace in the Middle bast and its sound relationship with both the PA and the government of Israel, Australia should lend what support it can to the Palestinian effort to establish strong foundations for a stable, prosperous and democratic Palestinian state.
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, International Relations, and Development
Political Geography:: Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Australia

880. Beyond Arafat

Author:: Anthony Bubalo
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Lowy Institute for International Policy
Abstract:: Arafat may have suffered a lingering physical demise, but politically he has long been in decline. He lost much of his international credibility over his unwillingness to rein in Palestinian terrorism against Israel, and domestically his authority had gradually been eroded. While lacking an anointed heir, a succession plan is more or less in place. Political infighting is a possibility, though a desire for unity will probably prevail in the short term. But Arafat's successors will struggle to end the chaos and lawlessness into which the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have descended. Over the longer term Arafat's passing will remove the main obstacle to internal Palestinian reform. It has the potential to re-invigorate the peace process although it will not solve the fundamentals of the current impasse. It will also complicate Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plans for a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank, even if his instinct will be to press ahead.
Topic:: Conflict Resolution, Development, and Government
Political Geography:: Middle East

881. Living with Global Imbalances: A Contrarian View

Author:: Richard N. Cooper
Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Peterson Institute for International Economics
Abstract:: Three propositions have become conventional wisdom in Washington and elsewhere. Americans save too little. As a consequence, the US current account deficit is unsustainably large. A necessary step to bring the global economy into sustainable balance is a significant appreciation of the Chinese currency, which in practice has been fixed to the dollar for over a decade.
Topic:: International Relations, Development, Economics, and Globalization

882. Security Cooperation and Non-State Threats: A Call for an Integrated Strategy

Author:: Albert Zaccor
Publication Date:: 08-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Atlantic Council
Abstract:: There is widespread recognition that the struggle against international terrorism relies heavily on the cooperation of our partners and allies. The National Security Strategy (NSS) of the United States declares that the U.S. will hold partners responsible for doing their part in the struggle -- including efforts to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and trafficking of illicit drugs -- but admits that weaker nations may not be able to fulfill that responsibility. That strategy and other subordinate strategies call for U.S. assistance to those states that lack the capacity to counter effectively those threats. This places foreign assistance and building partner and allied security capabilities at the center of the struggle against terrorism and related transnational threats.
Topic:: International Relations, Security, Development, and Terrorism
Political Geography:: United States

883. Germany and the Future of the Transatlantic Economy

Author:: Jan Neutze and Philipa Tucker
Publication Date:: 08-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Atlantic Council
Abstract:: A senior delegation from the Atlantic Council of the United States, led by W. Bowman Cutter and Paula Stern, visited key government, parliamentary, and private sector stakeholders in Frankfurt, Berlin, and Brussels in spring 2005. The delegation presented the findings of the Atlantic Council report, "The Transatlantic Economy in 2020: A Partnership for the Future?" to numerous business, government, and think tank audiences. This report summarizes the delegation's discussions.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and International Trade and Finance
Political Geography:: United States, Europe, Germany, and Berlin

884. Topics in Terrorism: Toward a Transatlantic Consensus on the Nature of the Threat

Author:: Jason S. Purcell (ed) and Joshua D. Weintraub (ed)
Publication Date:: 07-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Atlantic Council
Abstract:: The Brussels Conference on “Topics in Terrorism: Toward a Transatlantic Consensus on the Nature of the Threat” was the first of three conferences whose principal purpose was to explore specific themes associated with the world-wide effort to cope with and counter the threat of terrorists. Held in three different European capitals (Brussels, Vienna, and Budapest), the conferences drew on divergent presenters and audiences. Each conference convened subject-matter experts from the United States and Europe with the express intent of considering various perspectives on some of the most difficult challenges facing the transatlantic community. While reaching a consensus on each of the major topics would certainly have been a desirable outcome, where a consensus proved elusive, a major objective was to gain a better understanding of the divergent views and the rationale that underpins those views.
Topic:: International Relations, Development, and Terrorism
Political Geography:: United States, Europe, and Vienna

885. The New Partnership: Building Russia-West Cooperation on Strategic Challenges

Author:: Frances G. Burwell
Publication Date:: 04-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Atlantic Council
Abstract:: By the beginning of 2005, the improvement in relations between Russia and the West had lost momentum and come to a standstill, as serious concerns emerged in the United States and Europe about developments in Russia. European and U.S. commentators who disagree over economic policies and Iraq find themselves in broad critical consensus about Russian political and economic evolution. Will the term that has been moribund since the death of the Cold War — “containment” — emerge as an option for those in the United States and Europe making policy toward Russia? Already some argue for isolating Russia from Ukraine, Georgia, and other former Soviet republics; will they encourage the building of a new fence around Russia? Or will there be a new effort at engagement, albeit one that is more cautious about Russia's future in the West?
Topic:: Cold War, Development, and International Cooperation
Political Geography:: Russia, United States, Europe, and Asia

886. A Marshall Plan For Energy And Water Supply In Developing Countries

Author:: Richard L. Lawson, John R. Lyman, and Donald L. Guertin
Publication Date:: 03-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Atlantic Council
Abstract:: Today, hunger, poverty, and desperation remain prevalent throughout much of the developing world. If we are to live in a 21st century more prone to peace than violence, the developed countries must move expeditiously to address the developing countries' energy and water problems. The availability, accessibility and affordability of energy and water are vital to the economic development that is required to alleviate global poverty and to address environmental degradation.
Topic:: Development, Energy Policy, Environment, and Poverty

887. Afghanistan: Old Problems, New Parliament, New Expectations

Author:: Emily Hsu and Beth DeGrasse
Publication Date:: 10-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: With the September 18 parliamentary elections, Afghanistan completes its internationally mandated blueprint for democracy and enters a new phase of state building in uncharted waters. This transition occurs against the backdrop of rising threats to security and an economy dominated largely by illicit production and export of opium. On October 12, 2005, the U.S. Institute of Peace convened a meeting of the Afghanistan Working Group to review the recent parliamentary elections. The presenters at the meeting included Robert Varsalone, resident country director for Afghanistan for the International Republican Institute; Sam Zia-Zarifi, research director for the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch; Larry M. Sampler, former chief of staff for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan; and Barnett R. Rubin, chairman of the Afghanistan Working Group. The following USIPeace Briefing summarizes views expressed at the meeting. The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Institute, which does not take positions on policy issues.
Topic:: Democratization, Development, and Politics
Political Geography:: Afghanistan, United States, and Asia

888. Belarus : Is a Peaceful Turn Towards Democracy Possible?

Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: Described as the last remaining dictatorship in Europe, Belarus is scheduled to have a presidential election in 2006 that could prove crucial to the future of the country. After nonviolent democratic revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine, questions arise about similar changes in Belarus: Is a peaceful transition to democracy in Belarus possible? And if so, what would be needed to make that happen?
Topic:: Democratization, Development, and Peace Studies
Political Geography:: Europe, Ukraine, and Georgia

889. Syria and Political Change

Author:: Mona Yacoubian and Scott Lasensky
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: This USIPeace Briefing , written by Scott Lasensky and Mona Yacoubian of the Institute's Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention, is based on discussions at a recent seminar. The views expressed do not reflect those of the Institute, which does not take policy positions. Syria is facing unprecedented pressure from the international community on issues ranging from Syrian meddling in Lebanon to its support for terrorist groups. The United Nations investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri will release its second report in mid- December 2005. The current crisis has increased speculation about prospects for political change in Syria. The opacity of Syrian politics means there are more questions than answers. Nonetheless, a number of key indicators suggest a changing political environment, in a country where political development has essentially been frozen for thirty-five years.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and Politics
Political Geography:: Middle East and Syria

890. Iraq before the Election: Constructing a National Narrative

Author:: Courtney Rusin
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: Iraq will elect a new parliament on December 15th. The new government—whatever its composition—will then be in a race to build a democratic order before the insurgency creates enough chaos to break it down. Whether or not the government succeeds depends on how political events of the past two years have set the stage for the December elections—and on the prospects of creating a national narrative that encompasses all of Iraq's main political and ethno-sectarian groups.
Topic:: Democratization, Development, and Politics
Political Geography:: Iraq and Middle East

891. Strategies for Peace in the Niger Delta

Author:: Dorina Bekoe
Publication Date:: 12-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: The Niger Delta, an area of dense mangrove rainforest in the southern tip of Nigeria, comprises nine of Nigeria's thirty-six states: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers. The region's oil accounts for approximately 90 percent of the value of Nigeria's exports, but the Niger Delta remains one of Nigeria's least developed regions.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and Peace Studies
Political Geography:: Africa and Nigeria

892. Lessons for the Future of Civic Resistance: Georgia and Ukraine

Publication Date:: 11-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:: Following the successes of the peaceful revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine, experts are examining these movements for insights into future prospects for nonviolent civic resistance. They hope to find lessons in these successes that might hold significance for nonviolent political change in other non-democratic countries.
Topic:: Development, Government, and Peace Studies
Political Geography:: Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and Georgia

893. Reforming from the Top - A Leaders' 20 Summit

Author:: Andrew F. Cooper, Ramesh Thakur, and John English
Publication Date:: 10-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United Nations University
Abstract:: This document is based on a forthcoming book that examines the feasibility of creating an institution known as the “L20”, a summit of twenty world leaders whose objective would be to break the international deadlock over some of the most pressing problems facing the world. In a climate of despondency over the achievements of existing global institutions such as the G7/8, the United Nations, the World Bank and others in dealing with these major issues—which include terrorism, HIV/AIDS, globalization and the “global apartheid” between the developed North and the developing South —this document asks what is new and unique about the L20 that might enable it to make the breakthrough where others are deemed to have failed. Is the L20 destined to be the defining institution of the 21st century, or is it doomed to remain merely an idea?
Topic:: Development, Globalization, International Trade and Finance, and United Nations

894. Regulating Bioprospecting: Institutions for Drug Research, Access and Benefit-Sharing

Author:: Padmashree Gehl Sampath
Publication Date:: 04-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United Nations University
Abstract:: This policy brief summarizes the main arguments and conclusions of a forthcoming book by United Nations University Press, which examines the regulation of bioprospecting for drug research from an interdisciplinary law and economics perspective. Bioprospecting was once touted as a promising opportunity for collaborative ventures in biotechnology-based research and development (R) between the genetic resources-rich South and the technology-rich North, especially in the case of drug research. However this promise has yet to materialize. Understanding why this is so is a central policy question for countries in the South that wish to leverage their biodiversity endowments in the development process.
Topic:: Development, Environment, Health, and Science and Technology

895. Rising Spatial Disparities and Development

Author:: Ravi Kanbur and Anthony J. Venables
Publication Date:: 09-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: United Nations University
Abstract:: Amidst a growing concern about increasing inequality, the spatial dimensions of inequality have begun to attract considerable policy interest. In China, Russia, India, Mexico, and South Africa, as well as most other developing and transition economies, there is a sense that spatial and regional disparities in economic activity, incomes and social indicators, are on the increase. Spatial inequality is a dimension of overall inequality, but it has added significance when spatial and regional divisions align with political and ethnic tensions to undermine social and political stability. Also important in the policy debate is a perceived sense that increasing internal spatial inequality is related to greater openness of economies, and to globalization in general.
Topic:: International Relations, Foreign Policy, Demographics, and Development
Political Geography:: Russia, China, India, South Africa, and Mexico

896. The United States, China, and India: A Story of Leaders, Partners, and Clients

Author:: Zia Mian
Publication Date:: 09-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Foreign Policy In Focus
Abstract:: The past few months have seen important developments in relations between the United States and India. Much of the commentary has focused resolutely and rightly on the wisdom and possible consequences of the new agreements on military and nuclear policy and programs. But these recent agreements need also to be seen in the light of the more than 50 years of U.S. efforts to have India become a part of American political, strategic, and economic plans for Asia. What becomes clear is how difficult this proved to be over the years. It begs the question why Indian leaders have finally started to fall in step so easily in the past few years.
Topic:: Development
Political Geography:: United States, China, America, India, and Asia

897. U.S.-China Relations — Opportunities, Risks, and the Taiwan Issue

Author:: Thomas J. Bickford
Publication Date:: 08-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Foreign Policy In Focus
Abstract:: China is primarily interested in concentrating on trade and economic development and therefore wants an international environment conducive to continued economic growth. Even with recent defense budget increases, China's ability to project power beyond its borders will be extremely limited for a long time to come. There is a real risk of conflict between the United States and China over Taiwan, and U.S. policy needs to be aimed at avoiding such a conflict.
Topic:: International Relations, Security, and Development
Political Geography:: United States, China, and Taiwan

898. August Around the World

Author:: Daniel Smith
Publication Date:: 08-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Foreign Policy In Focus
Abstract:: The prevailing sentiment, less "laid back," refers to "the dog days of summer" from which the rich and well-connected have historically sought relief by getting out of town. Indeed, one can easily picture Caesar Augustus — in whose honor the Roman Senate renamed and lengthened the sixth month in the Julian calendar — abandoning Rome in the same way Congress and the president flee Washington.
Topic:: International Relations, Security, and Development
Political Geography:: United States and Washington

899. The G-8 Debt Deal: First Step On A Long Journey

Author:: Debayani Kar and Neil Watkins
Publication Date:: 06-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Foreign Policy In Focus
Abstract:: Jubilee campaigns and debt cancellation advocates can be proud of their efforts. The Finance Ministers of the eight rich country governments as represented at the Group of 8 (G-8) have announced a deal on 100% debt cancellation of International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and African Development Fund debt for some impoverished nations.
Topic:: Foreign Policy, Debt, Development, and Economics
Political Geography:: Africa

900. Lingering Shadows of World War II

Author:: Zia Mian
Publication Date:: 06-2005
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: Foreign Policy In Focus
Abstract:: Many events commemorating the 60th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War were held this past May. Yet there has been little or no discussion of some of the most important and enduring legacies of that war, legacies that have cast long shadows ever since. Nationalism, industrial production, the bureaucratic state, and science and technology were harnessed to the cause of war in terrible new ways. It brought us the gas chambers, the systematic bombing of cities, and nuclear weapons. These three forms of modern violence are different in some significant ways, but they shared important features. Among these were centralized authority, extensive compartmentalization of responsibilities, tasks, and knowledge accompanied by strong organizational loyalty, along with scientific rationalization for the policy and technical ways of distancing perpetrators from victims.
Topic:: Security, Development, Science and Technology, and War
Political Geography:: Germany

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COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS