UNCTAD's governing Trade and Development Board meets 15-26 September, with high-level discussion focusing on how to enhance abilities of developing-country economies to offer more varied and sophisticated products to world markets. The intent is to spur broad-based economic growth that creates jobs, reduces poverty, and allows achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). An overview by WDEV
Concern over rapidly climbing food prices adds urgency to this discussion. UNCTAD economists say decades-long neglect of the agricultural sector in the developing world is a major cause of the highly publicized food crisis. Recent higher costs for nourishment are threatening to undercut significant economic progress achieved by millions of poor since 2000 ... ... this article is for subscribers only. For direct log in >>> click here.If you have no subscription >>> pick your option or >>>
After decades of isolation - imposed by major OECD countries out of concern for the country's human rights violations - Myanmar is emerging as a new darling of the "West" - judging by the accelerating succession of visits by senior officials and gurus. New groups of investors are waiting to enter the country as soon as possible.
Persistent high unemployment, the euro area debt crisis and premature fiscal austerity have already slowed global growth and factor into the possibility of a new recession. Now the United Nations have downgraded significantly its forecasts for the world economy in the next year.
Eastern European states are in for a new round of the crisis. The external control of the banking sector and high reliance on external credit has landed the countries of Eastern Europe in a vulnerable position. Now, credit flows from Western banks are drying up again. Hungary has been the first country in the region to ask for IMF support again.
While the G20 efforts to manage global aggregate demand, exchange rate management and stronger regulation of the international financial sector have not worked out quite as planned, in Cannes the Group was further solidifying its role in directing the system of multilateral institutions.
In November 2011, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is celebrating its 50th anniversary.The new Minister, Dirk Niebel of the (neo)-liberal FDP has launched a 'radical change of course'. In the recent edition of the Reality of Aid shadow report the change is analyzed.