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932. STRATCON 2010: An Alliance for a Global Century
- Publication Date:
- 04-2010
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- In the late 1940s, a visionary generation of transatlantic leaders – shaped by the experience of the most devastating war in human history – decided to build a new world based on respect for universal human values and cooperation among nations. Thus was born the United Nations, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the International Court of Justice, the Bretton Woods Institutions of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, the European Coal and Steel Community and, of course, NATO.
- Topic:
- International Relations, NATO, International Political Economy, International Security, and Reform
933. Pakistan in the Danger Zone
- Author:
- Shuja Nawaz
- Publication Date:
- 06-2010
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- The Afghanistan war may be lost on the battlefields of Pakistan, where a vicious conflict is now being fought by Pakistan against a homegrown insurgency spawned by the war across its Western frontier. A year after we at the Atlantic Council raised a warning flag about the effects of failure in Afghanistan and the need to meet Pakistan's urgent needs in its existential war against militancy and terrorism, the situation in Pakistan remains on edge. Domestic politics remain in a constant state of flux, with some progress toward a democratic polity overshadowed by periodic upheavals and conflicts between the ruling coalition and the emerging judiciary. The military's actions against the Taliban insurgency appear to have succeeded in dislocating the homegrown terrorists but the necessary civilian effort to complement military action is still not evident. The government does not appear to have the will or the ability to muster support for longer-term reform or sustainable policies. The economy appears to have stabilized somewhat; but security, governance, and energy shortages are major challenges that require strong, consistent, incorruptible leadership rather than political brinkmanship, cronyism, and corruption that remains endemic nationwide. Recent constitutional developments offer a glimmer of hope that may allow the civilian government to restore confidence in its ability to deliver both on the domestic and external front. But the government needs to stop relying on external actors to bail it out and take matters into its own hands.
- Topic:
- Security, Development, Economics, Government, Governance, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan and Southeast Asia
934. The Moscow metro bombings and terrorism in Russia
- Author:
- Andrew Monaghan
- Publication Date:
- 06-2010
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- NATO Defense College
- Abstract:
- The terrorist attacks in Moscow on 29 March that killed 40 and injured over 100, and the subsequent attacks in Dagestan and Ingushetia highlight a serious problem in Russia. The Russian authorities, led by President Medvedev, quickly responded by promising the swift pursuit and the destruction of the terrorists, the review and improvement of anti-terrorism procedures and enhancement of social and economic measures to address the causes of terrorism in the North Caucasus. Two criminal cases were opened with the charges of terrorism, and an operational and investigation group established, initially comprised of 30 people drawn from the Investigative Committee of the General Procurators Office (SK) and Federal Security Service (FSB). Moscow also linked the attacks to the international context, noting both the international training and preparation of the terrorists and thus the need for international cooperation to address the issue.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation, Terrorism, Governance, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Moscow, and North Caucasus
935. Building Strong for Tomorrow: Recommendations for the Organizational Design of the NOAA Climate Service
- Publication Date:
- 09-2010
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA)
- Abstract:
- This Executive Summary lays out the purpose and method of this report, introduces core recommendations and discusses some of the major success factors needed to ensure an effective launch for the proposed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Service.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Environment, and Reform
936. The Experience of Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Integrated Financial Management Information System Reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa: What is the Balance Sheet?
- Author:
- Mfandaedza Hove and Andy Wynne
- Publication Date:
- 01-2010
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
- Abstract:
- A Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and an Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) are two of the standard reforms promoted and supported by the World Bank and other aid agencies in almost every country in Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper provides a balance sheet of the relative success, or otherwise, of these reforms over the last decade. The aims and objectives of the MTEF and the IFMIS are outlined, indicating the initial hopes for these reforms and the increasingly strident warnings that this promise was not being delivered. The paper then argues that it was the economic problems across Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in the late 1970s and early 1980s, resulting from external events, which led to a worsening of the quality of financial management and governance. This contrasts with the dominant view that it is poor governance that is holding back economic development across the continent. This leads to considerations of effective alternative approaches; the need for real country led reforms which build on the particular existing public sector financial management system in each country; and puts a priority on basic internal financial controls and reforms which have been clearly proved to be successful in similar environments.
- Topic:
- Debt, Reform, Public Sector, and Financial Management
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Rwanda, and Sub-Saharan Africa
937. Currency Reforms in Zimbabwe: an Analysis of Possible Currency Regimes
- Author:
- George Kararach, Phineas Kadenge, and Gibson Guvheya
- Publication Date:
- 01-2010
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
- Abstract:
- The Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) adopted a multiple currencies regime (MCR) in February 2009 and demonetized the Zimbabwean dollar in July 2009 after almost a decade of economic crisis. The MCR strategy resulted in stabilizing the Zimbabwean economy; however, there are remaining concerns that need to be addressed. The purpose of this paper is to explore various options of currency regimes that could be adopted in the short and medium term in order to consolidate Economic stabilization and recovery in Zimbabwe. The paper proposes that the optimal choice of a particular currency regime be based on a framework that takes into account the following: (a) the advantages and disadvantages of a particular regime, (b) the need for correct timing and sequencing of policy tools and reform actions, (c) the prior capacity conditions in the country, and (d) the political commitment to undertake the necessary reforms. It is imperative to note that these reforms are no quick fixes for designing economic stabilization and recovery programs needed in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean authorities and stakeholders need to fulfill the aforesaid preconditions for successful currency reform, before collectively selecting from among the various options.
- Topic:
- Monetary Policy, Reform, Central Bank, Fiscal Policy, Currency, and Safety Net
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zimbabwe
938. Issues In Fiscal Policy Management Under The Economic Reforms
- Author:
- Bright Okogu
- Publication Date:
- 02-2010
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA)
- Abstract:
- Oil-dependent economies face two interrelated challenges in the management of oil resources: in the short run, there is the need to create a stable macroeconomic environment by delinking oil revenue earnings from public expenditures, while in the long run it is necessary to maintain a sustainable use of resources that ensures intergenerational equity. In most of the past three decades, Nigeria's management of oil resources was poor. The Nigerian economy has experienced significant macroeconomic volatility, driven largely by external terms-of-trade shocks, the country's large reliance on oil export earnings and poor policy choices in the management of oil revenues. By some measures, Nigeria ranked among the most volatile economies in the world for the period 19602000. Moreover, contrary to the received wisdom of increasing financial assets as a means of saving oil revenues, Nigeria had accrued significant domestic and foreign liabilities.
- Topic:
- Oil, Reform, Economy, Macroeconomics, and Fiscal Policy
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Nigeria
939. After the Orange Era: Economic Prospects in Ukraine
- Author:
- Dmytro Boyarchuk, Kateryna Ruskykh, Olga Kravets, and Vladimir Dubrovskiy
- Publication Date:
- 07-2010
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Social and Economic Research - CASE
- Abstract:
- When Victor Yanukovich won Ukraine’s presidential election in February 2010, it marked the official end of the Orange Revolution. Soon after taking office, Yanukovich managed to form a loyal parliamentary coalition in a legally dubious way and, consequently, appointed his ally Mykola Azarov as Prime Minister. Indeed this decision may have made state governance more predictable and even provided for shortterm economic stability, but it may have come at the expense of Ukraine’s democratic freedom and long-term economic prospects.
- Topic:
- Development, Reform, Institutions, Economic Stability, Post-Soviet Space, and Victor Yanukovich
- Political Geography:
- Ukraine and Eastern Europe
940. The Future of Bilateral Aid in Africa: Size, Flow, Conditionalities and Relative Importance in Countries Budget
- Author:
- Kristina Svensson
- Publication Date:
- 04-2010
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
- Abstract:
- The publication addresses the growing frustration with lack of aid effectiveness that has set in motion a slow but visible transformation of the way in which development cooperation is being pursued, as embodied in the Millennium Declaration, the Paris Declaration of 2005 on Aid Effectiveness, and the International Health Partnership. Donors' programs are increasingly result- based, with greater emphasis on national to achieve its goal of assisting newly ownership and leadership, real donor harmonization and alignment with the development strategies of partner governments. There is also increased focus within the donor community on the interactions between economic and democratic development. As a result, development actors have become more enlightened about the importance of accountable, representative and transparent government institutions. At the same time, organizations that promote democracy have learned that a government's failure to deliver visible results can undermine democratic reforms
- Topic:
- Development, Bilateral Relations, Foreign Aid, Reform, and Democracy
- Political Geography:
- Africa