DOCON 2013 Directory of Consulting Firms active in International Development Cooperation | www.docon.info

I recently updated DOCON, the Directory of Consulting Firms active in International Development Cooperation at http://www.docon.info. Here you can find service providers, consortium partners or employers. The list is sorted by country of Headquarters. Companies are listed world-wide, but I make an effort to cover the European Union Member States and the ACP African, Caribbean, Pacific Group of Countries, as many consortia are formed in these regions.

Please help growing this directory. I especially look for more African consulting companies as local partners, as are currently listed here: http://www.weitzenegger.de/docon/htm/acp.htm. Everyone can suggest an entry at http://www.weitzenegger.de/content/?page_id=7901. It’s free and hand-edited, so no spam appears.

Filed under: ACP, Africa, European Union, Networks

SADC launches new website: www.sadc.int

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat launched its new website www.sadc.int to the public on Monday December 03, 2012 at a function which was held at the SADC Secretariat Head Office in Gaborone Botswana.

The internet is a rapidly evolving technology, and to keep up with it as well as to remain relevant, SADC saw the need to revamp its website. The new website was launched under the banner ‘Our Face to the World” and is intended to be more outwardly focused while engaging relevant stakeholders in SADC Member States. Officially launching the new SADC website, SADC Executive Secretary Dr Tomaz Augusto Salomão said it the SADC website must be continuously maintained and information updated. He called on all the originators of information at the Secretariat to feed it to those who are responsible for managing the website content to ensure that it will not go stale to need another re-launch a few years down the lane.

Dr Salomão expressed his sincerest gratitude to the government of Germany with whose support the website was revamped as a joint effort between SADC and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ). He lauded the all-inclusive website revamping process that allowed all SADC staff Secretariat staff to participate, spearheaded by the SADC Public Relations (PR), and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Units under the leadership of Ms Emilie Ayaza Mushobekwa, SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Finance & Administration and support from GIZ and Hatfield Consultants, which yielded the new world-class design and content.

Giving an overview on the new website at the launch, Ms Mushobekwa said that the new website was a necessity as it plays an integral role in SADC’s aspirations of becoming a world class organisation. “Realising the importance of becoming a world-class organisation, the SADC Secretariat included a benchmarking exercise as part of the review process. This exercise ranked the old SADC website and those of similar organisations such as the African Union and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa against good website practices. The results highlighted areas that needed most attention and the amount of effort needed to move ahead of the pack,” she said. Furthermore the website contains valuable information about institutional set-up, priorities of regional integration and common projects as well as progress and impact made by all 15 Member States and relevant stakeholders.

Filed under: ACP, Africa, Germany, Links, News, Technology, Web 2.0, SADC

Regional integration can boost FDI in Africa, experts at AEC say

Kigali, Rwanda, 31 October 2012 (ECA) – Experts at the ongoing African Economic Conference in Kigali today agreed that Africa would need to strengthen regional integration in order to boost increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on the continent, because it creates larger domestic markets and stimulates trade, two elements that can attract FDI.

“At a time when China, India, Brazil and other large emerging markets are taking on such a prominence in the global economy, we must surely focus the minds of African policymakers, particularly from smaller, landlocked countries, on the importance of pushing forward the regional integration agenda”, said Andrew Mold, a senior Economic Affairs Officer of ECA.

Mold said that attracting FDI in Africa could be facilitated by the adoption of appropriate trade and macroeconomic policy regimes that promote regional integration activities.

By banding together through regional integration arrangements, member countries can enhance their bargaining power in international economic relations. “Such power can be especially beneficial in trade negotiations, particularly for small countries”, he said.

Policy makers at the conference showed a wide consensus that regional integration in Africa is the way to go. John Rwangombwa, Rwanda’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning said that in the continued uncertainties of the global economy, Africa must present itself as the most profitable and secure destination of investors’ funds that are scared of the problems in the Western markets.

“It is worrying to know that Africa attracts less than nine percent of FDI. We need as much as possible to continue reducing the uncertainties about the evolution of our economies”, said Minister Rwangombwa.

The fifth edition of ECA’s flagship report on Assessing Regional Integration in Africa provides leading insights on the matter. The report states that economies of most African countries are individually too small to provide adequate incentives for large-scale investment.

The report clearly articulates that regional integration is likely to improve efficiency as a result of competitive pressure among rival firms in African economy.

Source: ECA Information and Communication Service Press Release 183/2012

Filed under: ACP, Africa, Economy

New reports assess EU policy coherence for development

The European Commission published a progress report of the Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) approach launched in 2005 as part of the European Consensus on Development. The PCD review published in late September says that its framework ”allows for a systematic exploration of the effects that EU policies other than aid might have on development and on the achievement of the MDGs. The European Commission claims that these are ”powerful mechanisms to promote PCD”. Source: CTA.
http://www.eurodad.org/whatsnew/articles.aspx?id=3883

Filed under: ACP, Development, European Union, Publications

Official launch of the ACP Migration Facility

http://www.acp.int/en/sg/migration09/acpmigration09_workshop.html

The ACP Migration Facility aiming to support the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries to better understand and manage the flow of migration within their borders, was officially launched on the 27th and 28th October in Brussels. This took place during a workshop organised by the ACP Secretariat in collaboration with the European Commission’s EuropeAid Cooperation Office (AIDCO). Source: ACP Secretariat.

Filed under: ACP, Africa, Caribbean, Development, European Union, Migration, Remittances

European Commission adopts communication on Fair Trade

The European Commission has adopted a communication on the role of Fair Trade and non-governmental trade-related sustainability assurance schemes. The communication recognises the significant development of the Fair Trade movement and the significance of a European market now worth EUR 1.5 billion per year. The communication also lays out new policy areas where Fair Trade and other schemes can contribute to European sustainable development objectives. It also sets out main principles and definitions and the fundamentals for public procurement of sustainable goods and services. Source: European Commission,
http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2009/may/tradoc_143089.pdf

Filed under: ACP, Caribbean, Development, Economy, European Union, Trade

Development Aid at its highest level ever in 2008

In 2008, total net official development assistance (ODA) from members of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) rose by 10.2% in real terms to USD 119.8 billion. This is the highest dollar figure ever recorded. It represents 0.30% of members’ combined gross national income. Bilateral development projects and programmes have been on a rising trend in recent years; however, they rose significantly by 12.5% in real terms in 2008 compared to 2007, indicating that donors are substantially scaling up their core aid programmes.

Fears remain however that the unfolding economic crisis will have a negative impact on the 2009 aid levels putting agreed 2010 targets in jeopardy. The current global financial crisis is having a serious impact on low income countries. World trade is experiencing its largest decline since 1929 and commodity prices, particularly for the exports of low income countries, are falling.

Only a special crisis-related effort can ensure that the 2010 targets for aid are met, which is even more important now that the economic crisis is reducing developing countries’ growth prospects and their ability to make progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. The European Commission urges Member States to stick to their aid commitments as aid plays a vital countercyclical role in poor countries severely hit by the economic crisis.

http://tinyurl.com/d4g8vm

http://tinyurl.com/c5whar

Filed under: ACP, Development, OECD

New information on Aid for Trade from the EC

The European Commission has published a new document on Aid for Trade. This publication provides a clearer picture of this development assistance strategy. It examines the broad scope of Aid for Trade, explains the key types of Aid for Trade under the themes of ‘‘narrow” Aid for Trade (Trade Related Assistance) and ‘‘Wider” Aid for Trade, emphasizes EU’s strong commitment to Aid for Trade agenda and provides information on EU’s Aid for Trade activities in Africa.
http://europafrica.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/memo-09-150_en.pdf

Filed under: ACP, Economy, European Union, Trade

Diaspora to Promote Job Creation and Youth Development in Africa

More than 50 Washington D.C.-based members of the African Diaspora participated in the launch of the 2008/2009 Africa Development Indicators (ADI) report . As this year’s ADI focuses on ‘‘Youth and Employment in Africa – The Potential, The Problem, The Promise”, the launch targeted Diaspora with an interest in youth development and promoting job creation in Africa. ‘‘The ADI launch in D.C. targets people who can really make a difference to Africa – the Diaspora,” said Shantayanan Devarajan, Chief Economist of the World Bank’s Africa Region, in his opening remarks. He further explained that data can be a good tool for accountability to help citizens hold leadership responsible for measurable results.
http://tinyurl.com/d4s24k

Filed under: ACP, Africa, Crisis, Development, Employment, Migration, Remittances

Report shows EU imports from developing countries growing

The European Commission has presented to the European Parliament its regular report on the openness of the European market to imports from developing countries. The report sets out how the EU has continued in 2007 to use its trade policy to advance a pro-development agenda and analyses the relevant data for which the most recent available is for the period up to the end of 2006. The report shows that the EU continues to offer market access for developing country exports that is unmatched by any other major economy. EU imports from developing countries rose 16% in 2006 from 2005 and by 14% if imports from China are excluded. According to the WTO, overall global merchandise trade grew by around 8% over the same period.

The report also assesses EU measures to help developing countries integrate further into the global economy by developing their capacity to trade. The EU’s Aid for Trade strategy of October 2007, jointly agreed by the Commission and EU Member States, provides a strong basis for implementation of Aid for Trade in their respective development assistance activities. It argues that both the Doha WTO trade talks and the ongoing negotiations for comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements and other bilateral and regional agreements have considerable potential for increasing imports and economic diversification in the developing world.
http://ec.europa.eu/trade/issues/global/development/pr220408_en.htm

Filed under: ACP, Africa, Caribbean, Economy, European Union, Trade

UNCTAD XII to consider impact of economic trends on development

Twelfth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to take place in
Accra, Ghana, 20-25 April

Heads of state, ministers, economists to discuss better translation of globalization gains into poverty reduction; nurturing and expanding South-South trade; commodities boom; regional integration; foreign investment for development, debt management; technology; growing impact of creative economy; importance of small firms and entrepreneurship for development.

A related problem to be scrutinized in Accra is the seeming paradox that despite high growth in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, only limited reductions in poverty have been achieved, especially in the world’s 49 least developed countries (LDCs). Globalization that does not bring broadly higher living standards − especially during a halcyon period of economic growth − has governments and international economists concerned about what will be necessary to tackle the deep poverty in which hundreds of millions continue to live. It also raises questions about the world’s ability to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which include halving extreme poverty by 2015.

The international community has a ”special duty” to spread recently promising global economic growth to the ”poorest of the poor,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a special address. The year 2008 should be ”the year of the bottom billion,” Mr. Ban told the TDB’s 43rd executive session. Globalization is still leaving the extreme poor behind, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, he said, and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which include halving extreme poverty by 2015, will not be met at current rates of progress. ”Now is the time for new ideas and fresh approaches.” Mr. Ban said, warning against ”delay and dither.” He added, ”In the coming weeks and months, I will dedicate myself to strengthening the UN’s role in development.”
http://www.unctadxii.org

Filed under: ACP, Africa, Development, Trade, WTO

EU-ACP: 10th EDF country strategy papers adopted

A good number of country strategy papers for the implementation of the 10th European Development Fund in the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries have now been adopted and signed. They are available on EC website at:
http://ec.europa.eu/development/how/iqsg/documents_library_en.cfm

A rapid overview of the 31 CSPs that were signed on 9 December 2007 at the occasion of the EU-Africa Lisbon Summit shows that:
- in general, the strategies seem to be more focused on a limited number of priorities (not more than 2 in most cases) than in the case of the 9th EDF.
- Non-state actors are often mentioned but no full and detailed inventory of envisaged support to civil society has been made yet.
- Governance is a focal sector in 12 countries which represent more 39% of the countries.
- Infrastructure (including mainly transport but also the rehabilitation of basic infrastructures in post conflict situations like Liberia and Sierra Leone as well as energy and water infrastructures) is a focal sector in 22 countries (70%). Transport has always been a key sector of the EDF. For the coming 6 years, the focus will be on regional connections with the building of main regional road axes in view of promoting regional integration and trade relations.
- Regional integration and trade is effectively mentioned as a focal sector in 11 cases and most generally combined with transport except in the case of Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville.
- Another important focal sector mentioned in 9 CSPs is rural development, in certain cases combined with agriculture and in others with food security.
- Water and sanitation is also mentioned in 5 CSPs and energy in 3.
- Social sectors are to be supported mainly through general budget support but are however specifically mentioned as a focal sector in 6 cases for education and only 3 cases for health (Burundi, Swaziland, and Zambia).

For 31 countries, however, the CSP is not yet posted on the website and many signatures are still pending. Not all countries are eligible to general budget support, in several cases, sectoral budget support is envisaged for supporting the focal sectors while no general budget support is provided. Source: EU News

Filed under: ACP, Africa, Caribbean, Development, European Union, Publications, Trade

Economic Partnership Agreements Negotiations: Where do we stand?

At a time when the pace of the EPA negotiations has increased in all regions, and the state of play is ever changing, accessing the latest information available on these wide-ranging agreements is of essence. Pursuing its efforts to increase the transparency of the highly sensitive EPA negotiations, ECDPM has decided to set up dedicated pages for each ACP region negotiating an EPA with the EU at http://www.acp-eu-trade.org/epa and http://www.ecdpm.org/epa. These pages will be updated on a weekly basis and aim at providing news “as-it-happens”, drawing from various reliable sources of information. French versions of these webpages are available for the regions Central Africa, West Africa and Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) as well as for the All ACP level.

Oxfam International on EPAs in 2008

According to the NGO, these agreements demand ACP countries to liberalise their EU imports as broadly and as rapidly as possible and rule out previous declarations (in most cases, liberalisation will cover more than 80% of imports more often than not over 15 years); do not offer adequate protection for developing industries or food safety because they do not contain adequate safeguard clauses; do not contain a clause for the modification of the tariff commitments; demand the reduction or elimination of export restrictions (reducing the possibilities for reserving raw materials for local processing); do not contain EU commitment to reduce or eliminate export subsidies; only contain minor improvement of rules origin, limiting cumulation to countries that have signed interim agreements; oblige ACP countries to negotiate services, investment, government procurement and other issues even though Cotonou Agreement does not contain such obligations and they remain vague on development cooperation and impact assessment. See
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/applications/blogs/pressoffice/2008/01/oxfam_international_on_economi.html

ONGOING DISCUSSION FORUM:
Which factors are necessary to the achievement of a positive relationship between
Trade and Sustainable Development?

“Trade liberalization and sustainable development are not unavoidably incompatible. Trade liberalization can advance sustainable development goals, just as it can retard their achievement. The same can be said for foreign direct investment. Appropriate investment can spur sustainable development, but much investment in developing countries has been environmentally, socially and often economically questionable.” (IISD Statement on Trade and SD) We kindly invite you to participate in the recently posted Discussion Forum. You will need to be logged-in to the Development Gateway to contribute. We advise to register there anyway.

http://topics.developmentgateway.org/trade/discussion/default/showDiscussion.do~id=5306?intcmp=925

GTZ Studies on EPAs
Four Studies on how to ensure development friendly EPAs have been published by GTZ. The main themes are TRIPS, trade in services, SPS measures, and trade liberalisation impacting on regional integration.
http://www.gtz.de/en/themen/laendliche-entwicklung/13421.htm

Filed under: ACP, Africa, Caribbean, Development, European Union, Trade, Business Environment, Development Policy, Poverty, Trade