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Independent research & practical ideas for global prosperity
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Independent research & practical ideas for global prosperity
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Global Prosperity Wonkcast
Archive for September, 2010Tempered Optimism on New U.S. Development Policy: Connie VeilletteSeptember 27, 2010Posted by Lawrence MacDonald in Aid Effectiveness, Global Development, Rethinking US Foreign Assistance Tags: Barack Obama, Connie Veillette, USAID
Podcast: Play in new window | Download 1 Comment »What’s Not to Like About the Millennium Development Goals? Todd Moss and Michael Clemens Weigh In.September 18, 2010Posted by Lawrence MacDonald in Global Development Tags: MDGs, Michael Clemens, Todd Moss
Undoubtedly, the MDGs have achieved one objective: they have provided a focal point for development advocates to make the case for increased foreign aid in rich country capitals. The MDGs have “been tremendously successful at getting the aid budget up,” Todd allows. What they have not done, he says, is to “focus development goals in a way that’s useful for countries.” Both Todd and Michael say that applying global targets—such as 100% school enrollment and universal access to AIDS treatment—to individual countries is a recipe for failure. Podcast: Play in new window | Download 9 Comments »Can Oil Money Be Spent Well? Alan Gelb on Resource Revenues and Development.September 14, 2010Posted by Lawrence MacDonald in Africa, Economic Growth, Fragile States
We begin with a discussion of that curse. Alan explains the various problems that accompany oil revenues. Most obviously, that money is easy to misdirect and can often end up fueling corruption. But even for honest and well-intentioned leaders, oil money still presents special headaches. The extreme volatility of oil prices, which can vary by hundreds of percent from one year to the next, make it exceedingly difficult to plan national budgets. The trick is to stock away money in boom oil years to smooth spending in bust years—not easy even when small surpluses are involved. “Clearly you’ve got to save,” Alan explains. But to flatten the boom-bust revenue cycle, “the typical producer may have to save an equivalent of its whole GDP.” Podcast: Play in new window | Download 1 Comment »HIV/AIDS Donors and Africa’s Health Workforce: Nandini OommanSeptember 8, 2010Posted by Lawrence MacDonald in Global Health Policy Tags: Global Health, HIV/AIDS, Nandini Oomman
The new report identifies six ways AIDS donors could minimize the negative spillover effects major donor HIV/AIDS programs can have on health systems in recipient countries, and move away from temporary and AIDS-specific interventions. Until now, Nandini explains, donors have adopted an emergency response approach to AIDS, putting a priority on training a large number of health workers specifically to provide HIV/AIDS treatment (and, to a lesser extent, work on HIV prevention). Podcast: Play in new window | Download 4 Comments »
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After months of study, work, negotiation and anticipation, the Obama administration has announced its development policy. What’s new here and what are the chances of implementation? To find out, I chatted with Connie Veillette, who has recently joined the Center for Global Development as director of our Rethinking U.S. Foreign Assistance program. Connie comes to us from Capitol Hill, where she spent many years with the Congressional Research Service and worked most recently as a senior professional staff member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee minority staff, specializing in U.S. foreign assistance and USAID.
Leaders from around the world meet in New York City next week to review progress towards the 
Many developing countries have found that large deposits of oil or other natural resources are more a curse than a blessing. My guest on this week’s Wonkcast is Alan Gelb, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development. Together with co-author Sina Grassman, Alan has written a paper that explores the options facing developing countries with abundant natural resources and draws on historical evidence to recommend best practices for dodging the ‘resource curse.’
My guest this week is 
