2015-Watch report: EU aid programme to Africa fails to address Millennium Development Goals

On the occasion of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) mid-point, Alliance2015 published its 4th ‘2015-Watch’ report addressing the crucial question whether Europe is still on track to fulfil its commitments and deliver on its promises.
The European Commission is currently finalising its aid programmes for countries in Africa for the period 2008 – 2013. Officially, the main objectives of these programmes are the eradication of poverty and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals but it appears that these are being pushed aside in favour of the EU’s own interests, as evidence suggests: the report cites the example of the new “Governance Facility” which, the Commission claims, will boost the EU’s support for health and education in its partner countries. However, according to the report, the evidence suggests otherwise. The Governance Facility uses a set of 23 indicators to determine which countries will be eligible for additional funding. Of these, only one is related to the Millennium Development Goals.
http://www.alliance2015.org/index.php/news/alliance_update/eu_aid_programme_to_africa_fails_to_address_millennium_development_goals

Filed under: Uncategorized, Development

The Least Developed Countries Report 2007

The UNCTAD has recently released the Least Developed Countries Report, 2007, subtitled “Knowledge, technical learning and innovation for development”. The full report can be downloaded freely online. Introduction: “The least developed countries (LDCs) are a group of countries (presently 50 States) that have been officially identified by the United Nations as “least developed” in the light of their low income, weak human assets, and high economic vulnerability. UNCTAD, in past LDC Reports, has taken the view that the key to sustained economic growth and poverty reduction in LDCs is the development of productive capacities and related creation of productive employment. The Least Developed Countries Report 2007 corroborates this view by focusing on knowledge accumulation, technological learning and the ability to innovate as vital processes toward genuine productive capacity development in these countries.” http://www.unctad.org/Templates/webflyer.asp?docid=8674&intItemID=4314&lang=1&mode=highlights

Filed under: Uncategorized, Development

Rich Growing Richer Faster Than Poor in Developing Asia – ADB Study

The rich are growing richer faster than the poor in developing Asia, and widening disparities in standards of living can threaten the growth process in one of the most dynamic region’s of the world, says a new ADB report. Absolute inequality has increased virtually everywhere between the 1990s and 2000s. One consequence of this is that the most well-off have experienced considerably larger increases in their standards of living than the least well-off. For example, the expenditures of the “rich” (top 20%) have increased much more than those of the “poor” (bottom 20%). This has happened even in countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia where relative inequality declined.
http://www.adb.org/Media/Articles/2007/12077-asian-developments-reports/default.asp

Filed under: Uncategorized, Development

EU and Central America start negotiations for new Association Agreement

The negotiations between the EU and Central America for a comprehensive Association Agreement have started today in Brussels on the occasion of a high level meeting between the European Commission and Central America. The Association Agreement is envisaged as a comprehensive agreement, embracing the whole array of the multifaceted relations of the EU with Central America. Its objective is to enhance the political dialogue between both regions, intensify and improve their co-operation in a vast variety of areas, as well as to enhance and facilitate bi-regional economic links, including trade and investments. The Agreement will be negotiated with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. As soon as Panama takes the decision to join the economic integration process SIECA in Central America, it will be fully involved in the negotiations. The European Commission recently adopted an aid package of some €840 million for the period 2007-2013 to assist the region and its countries to address the most important challenges. http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/ca/index.htm

Filed under: Uncategorized, Development