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321. The Role of Health in the Fight against International Poverty

Author:
Lael Brainard
Publication Date:
04-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Aspen Institute
Abstract:
The end of the Cold War and disillusionment with aid's many failures led to widespread aid fatigue among donors during the 1990s. Total official development assistance (ODA) as a share of donor GDP fell by one third over the decade (from 0.32 to 0.22 percent). This was particularly pronounced in the United States, where a slash-and-burn approach reduced foreign economic assistance to just over one half of 1 percent of budget outlays, compared with over 3 percent at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. And U.S. per capita spending fell to last place among donor nations, ending the decade at $29, far below the average of $70.
Topic:
Development, Human Welfare, International Organization, and Poverty
Political Geography:
United States and Cuba

322. Inter-organisational relations as a factor shaping the EU's external identity

Author:
Hanna Ojanen
Publication Date:
09-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Abstract:
Among the EU research community, the general consensus of opinion is that the Union is an actor in international relations, and that it wields some kind of power over its member states, in some cases even over outsiders, at least in its near abroad, be that power structural (Rynning 2003) or normative (Manners 2002). What is debated, however, is the nature of the Union's identity. Typically, the debate often centres around the EU's external profile being that of a 'civilian power' versus a military one, or something in between.
Topic:
NATO, International Organization, and International Political Economy
Political Geography:
Europe

323. Program on Economic Agendas in Civil Wars: Principal Research Findings and Policy Recommendations

Author:
Karen Ballentine
Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
International Peace Institute
Abstract:
The Program on Economic Agendas in Civil Wars (EACW) was launched in 2000 in response to a convergence of political factors, academic interests, and policy concerns that pointed to the need for conflict prevention and resolution policies to be informed by a systematic understanding of the economic dimensions of contemporary civil wars. Preliminary studies undertaken by the International Peace Academy, the World Bank, and university researchers generated many of the broad propositions that guided the program's research and policy development design. These included assumptions that: Economic factors are consequential to warring elites' decisions to pursue war and peace; Economic greed and not socio-economic or political grievance is the chief driver of armed conflict; Countries with a relatively high dependence on natural resources are at higher risk of conflict; and Global economic flows (trade, aid, and investment) affect the incidence, duration, intensity, and character of armed conflict.
Topic:
Economics, International Organization, and Peace Studies

324. Keeping Children Safe in Traffic

Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:
Road accidents are the number one killer of children in OECD countries. An estimated 100,000 children have died on the roads in the past 20 years – almost 100 per week on average. Of course, this level of fatalities is not acceptable. Road transport safety, particularly for children, should be a priority for all governments.
Topic:
Agriculture, Economics, Environment, Human Rights, International Organization, and Political Economy

325. Economic Survey of the Netherlands, 2004

Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:
The economic downturn in the Netherlands, like the boom that preceded it, has been more marked than in most other European countries. This is partly attributable to greater exposure to international trade, especially with the US, and to greater sensitivity to international stock price movements. But there are also some structural policies – pension fund regulation, housing and wage setting institutions – that have undermined economic efficiency and contributed to the amplitude of the cycle. Furthermore there has been a marked deterioration in public finances, part of which is structural. Longer term growth trends too are unfavourable. In view of these developments, the main challenges are to reform those policies that have reduced efficiency and increased volatility, put public finances on a sustainable path, and, most importantly, increase trend growth by increasing both employment and productivity.
Topic:
Agriculture, Economics, Environment, Human Rights, International Organization, and Political Economy
Political Geography:
Europe and Netherlands

326. Mobilising Public Opinion Against Global Poverty

Author:
Jude Fransman and Henri-Bernard Solignac Lecomte
Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:
Citizens in OECD countries quite unambiguously support more solidarity and justice at the international level; however, despite the adoption of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) by their governments in 2000, they remain insufficiently informed and educated about global development challenges. With increased understanding of the issues, citizens could provide greater support for more efficient and coherent development policies as well as for more funding. This requires new efforts by national authorities to report on desirable outcomes and on the results and effectiveness of international development policies towards achieving them.
Topic:
Agriculture, Economics, Environment, Human Rights, International Organization, and Political Economy

327. Security System Reform and Governance:Policy and Good Practice

Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:
Security in all its dimensions is fundamental to reducing poverty, protecting human rights and achieving the Millennium DevelopmentGoals (MDGs). Security concerns not only the stability of the state and the security of regimes. It also involves the safety, well-being and freedom from fear of a nation and its people.
Topic:
Agriculture, Economics, Environment, Human Rights, International Organization, and Political Economy

328. Economic Survey of the United States, 2004

Publication Date:
04-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:
Economic performance over the past two decades has been impressive. Underpinned by an increased reliance on competitive forces, which have been stronger than in most other member countries for some time, productivity and output have accelerated significantly. In recent years, helped by timely macroeconomic policy responses, the economy has demonstrated its capacity to adjust to adverse shocks, so that the per capita growth gap against other countries has widened further. The outlook is for this to continue in the next few years, with real GDP expanding by around 4 per cent per annum. Nonetheless, there are a number of challenges that need to be addressed to sustain these laudable economic outcomes. By far the top priority is to confront the current and projected federal budget deficits. The fiscal stimulus of the past few years has been helpful in supporting the recovery, but if public dissaving is not reduced, interest rates may be higher, ultimately implying slower growth in economic potential. Increased budget discipline, and indeed significant reform on both the spending and revenue sides of the budget, will be necessary because of the impending demographic pressures on government finances. Corrective fiscal measures will also assist the unwinding of the current account deficit, which is unusually large for this stage of the cycle. As the Federal Reserve begins to move the federal funds rate back to a more neutral level, it will need to be especially attentive to the clarity of its communications with the markets. Further corporate-governance and accounting reforms would help to underpin confidence of domestic and foreign investors, thereby facilitating orderly current-account adjustment. Less reliance on import restrictions and maintaining a leadership role in trade liberalisation would favour structural adjustment at home. Furthermore, despite the generally pro-competitive thrust of antitrust and other regulatory policies, a number of areas deserve attention, notably intellectual property rights, telecommunications and electricity, where further reforms would be welfare enhancing.
Topic:
Agriculture, Economics, Environment, Human Rights, International Organization, and Political Economy
Political Geography:
United States

329. Innovative Approaches to Funding the Millennium Development Goals

Author:
Helmut Reisen
Publication Date:
04-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:
At the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000, world leaders adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which set clear targets for reducing poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and discrimination against women by 2015.The need for additional development funding, if the MDGs are to be achieved by 2015, is widely recognized. The figure of additional $50 billion per year, roughly the present total of ODA spent by DAC donors, is often quoted (e.g. Zedillo Report). This estimate is of back-of-the-envelope nature, and it seems to be the minimum estimate. If governments exclude the option to abandon the MDGs, they have either to double the existing ODA or to find alternative sources of comparable magnitude–or a balance of the two. The challenge to the international community is mounting by the day.
Topic:
Agriculture, Economics, Environment, Human Rights, International Organization, Political Economy, and United Nations

330. OECD Environmental Strategy: 2004 Review of Progress

Publication Date:
04-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:
OECD countries are working hard to tackle the environmental problems they face, but much more ambitious policies will be needed if their national and international commitments are to be met. Progress has been made in a number of areas since OECD ministers agreed in 2001 on an Environmental Strategy for the First Decade of the 21st Century. For example, air pollution regulations have been tightened, new market-based policies to mitigate climate change at least cost are in place or planned, regulatory frameworks are being strengthened to protect the environment and human health from chemicals, and a number of key international agreements to protect the marine environment and ensure sustainable fishing have recently entered into force, thanks in part to their ratification by some OECD countries. But current policies are insufficient to adequately protect biodiversity resources, or to address climate change. Economic growth no longer leads automatically to an equal increase in pressure on the environment in some key sectors, indicating at least some “decoupling” of environmental pressures from economic growth, but the environmental impact of continuing road transport expansion, energy production, and agricultural practices remains high.
Topic:
Agriculture, Economics, Environment, Human Rights, International Organization, and Political Economy