| March 2006
Development Assistance & Foreign Aid
| Health, HIV/AIDS & Infectious Diseases
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND FOREIGN AID
H1 - Winners and Losers: Impact of the Doha Round on
Developing Countries
Polaski, Sandra
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, March 13, 2006.
117p
The Doha Round was supposed to benefit developing countries, but
this new study by the Trade, Equity and Development Project of
the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace shows that most
developing countries would lose income under current proposals
for agricultural trade liberalization. The new model of global
trade on which the report is based suggests that the least developed
countries and regions, including Bangladesh and much of sub-Saharan
Africa, would lose income and see their current share of world
export markets shrink. The author concludes that, “A solution
is still possible that would benefit poor nations as well as middle
income and wealthy countries for a win-win-win outcome. But in
order to achieve this, the WTO will have to pay greater attention
to the tough challenges developing countries face in moving large
numbers of people out of low-productivity farming at a time of
overcapacity in manufacturing.” The report offers seven recommendations
that should be part of any new trade agreement. Sandra Polaski
is senior associate and director of the Trade, Equity, and Development
Project at the Carnegie Endowment. Fulltext
H2 - Poverty and Globalization
Singham, Shanker & Donna Hrinak
National Interest, Winter 2005/06, #82, pp117-122, 6p
"Most of the world's people live in countries where markets
do not work properly and resources are not efficiently allocated.
The notion that liberal economics has "failed" misses
the point that in many areas of the world it has not really been
tried. Poverty — often cast as the fault of multinational corporations
or "imperialist governments" — is the most virulent
killer on our planet. Many continue to believe that increased
government regulation and control, particularly when it comes
to international trade, is the best way to combat poverty, ignoring
the fact that real liberalization — truly free and competitive
markets — is in fact the agenda of the world's poor." Shanker
Singham, Chair, International Trade, Competition and Government
Group of Squire; Donna Hrinak, Senior director, Kissinger McLarty
Associates. Fulltext
H3 - The Culture Club
Harrison, Lawrence E.
National Interest, Spring 2006, #83 (online version)
“In the early 1960s, when I started my career in development assistance,
the experts were convinced that tyranny, poverty and social injustice
could be successfully combated by a combination of decolonization,
good policies, and the financial, technical and moral support
of the advanced democracies. Democracy and capitalism, many thought,
were rooted in human nature, and all that was necessary was to
remove the "artificial" obstacles to progress created
by colonial powers, irresponsible and greedy oligarchies, and
incompetent politicians, economists and administrators. But with
a few conspicuous exceptions, mostly in East Asia, almost a half-century
later the optimistic scenario has not materialized…” The author
has observed “a pattern of obstacles that were confounding, because
behind them lay deeply rooted values, beliefs and attitudes--culture--inimical
to democracy, social justice and prosperity.” Lawrence E. Harrison
teaches at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. From 1962
to 1982, he directed U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID) missions in four Latin American countries and Haiti. Fulltext
H4 - Globalization: Ancient and Modern
Hochschild, Joshua P.
Intercollegiate Review, Spring 2006, v41, #1, p40-48
This article outlines the complex economic, political, legal,
technological, cultural and moral factors that define the major
theories about globalization. Increased economic and political
interdependence of nations and states fosters cultural homogenization.
The author maintains that opponents of globalization are most
resistant to cultural homogenization. Joshua P. Hochschild, Assistant
Professor of Philosophy, Mount Saint Mary's University, Emmitsburg,
Maryland. Fulltext
H5 - The Nine Principles of Reconstruction and Development
Natsios, Andrew S.
Parameters: US Army War College. Autumn2005, v35, #3, pp4-20,
17p
“The purpose of this article is to introduce and analyze
the nine principles of reconstruction and development to the military
community. It is important that the military gain a better understanding
of how the U.S. Agency for International Development and development
agencies generally approach their work, and how the two communities
can beneficially build on this cooperation. Project-level examples
from Afghanistan have been specifically incorporated to better
illustrate and provide context for the nine principles. Afghanistan
is not presented as an ideal development context in which to apply
the principles, but it demonstrates how they may apply even in
fragile, less-stable environments.” Andrew S. Natsios, Professor,
Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University; former
Administrator, US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Fulltext
H6 - Global Macroeconomic Consequences of Pandemic Influenza
McKibbin, Warwick J. & . Sidorenko, Alexandra A.
Lowy Institute for International Policy, February 2006, 78p
“This paper explores the implications of a pandemic influenza
outbreak on the global economy through a range of scenarios (mild,
moderate, severe, and ultra) that span the historical experience
of influenza pandemics of the twentieth century. An influenza
pandemic would be expected to lead to: a fall in the labour force
to different degrees in different countries due to a rise in mortality
and illness; an increase in the cost of doing business; a shift
in consumer preferences away from exposed sectors; and a re-evaluation
of country risk as investors observe the responses of governments.”
Warwick J. McKibbin, Brookings Institution, Global Economy and
Development Center; Alexandra A. Sidorenko, National Centre for
Epidemiology and Population Health. Fulltext
H7 - Avian Flu: Business Thinks the Unthinkable
Carey, John et al.
Business Week, November 28, 2005, #3961, pp36-39
"The article focuses on the preparations being made
by business enterprises for a possible outbreak of avian influenza.
A survey of multinational companies finds that 72 percent have
no crisis plan for a possible pandemic. In the case of an avian
influenza pandemic, utilities would be disrupted, supply chains
would be cut, international travel and trade would be halted,
and employees would get sick or die. There is an emerging consensus
of best practices for businesses in the case of a pandemic. Employees
are to be cross-trained and enabled to work from home. Employers
must address their employees' fears of lost wages if they get
sick and do not come to work." By Business Week correspondents
and staff writers. Fulltext
H8 - H5N1: A Special Report -- What is the Threat and
Why Should the Environmental Health Profession Be Concerned?
Fabian, Nelson
Journal of Environmental Health, Jan/Feb 2006, v68, #6, pp46-63
"Bird-to-bird transmission of the H5N1 virus has led
to a large number of avian-flu outbreaks in poultry flocks in
over 16 countries around the world. To date, some 132 people have
been infected by H5N1 through contact with poultry. Transmission
from human to human begins the countdown to many illness and deaths,
and credible experts predict some scenarios that would lead to
as much as 30% of the world's population becoming infected with
the virus. Here, Fabian examines the full scope of H5N1 and explores
how work in environmental health could change should a pandemic
take flight." Nelson Fabian is Executive Director of the
National Environmental Health Association. Fulltext
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