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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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 Alan Gelb is a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development where he studies foreign aid. Full BioShowing posts on the Views from the Center blog. View author posts on: New Structural Economics: Industrial Policy 2.0 or Same Old Structuralism?April 26, 2012By Alan Gelb in Economic Development, International Financial Institutions, World Bank Tags: Economic Development, International Financial Institutions, World Bank
This is a joint post with Julia Clark and Christian Meyer. Industrial policy—as many have already commented—is back. (See here, here and here). The recent wave of post-financial-crisis interventionism has reignited the classic (and often heated) debate about whether governments can in fact nurture economic growth. Previous analysis of the East Asian miracle, and frustration at the perceived failure of certain liberalization policies, has led many to (again) embrace a more activist role for governments in economic development. 2 Comments »P4R: Looking to the Pilot PhaseJanuary 24, 2012By Alan Gelb in Aid Effectiveness, Global Development, World Bank Tags: Cash on Delivery Aid, World Bank
This is a joint post with Rita Perakis. After many stages of drafting, debates, and consultations, the World Bank´s proposed results-based financing instrument, Program-for-Results is going for approval to the Bank´s Board on January 24. The latest draft of the policy can be found here; we´re pleased to see that Bank staff listened to comments at a CGD roundtable and many other consultation meetings and incorporated changes to previous drafts. CGD hosted a final discussion of P4R on Thursday January 19, with a presentation by World Bank VP for operations, Joachim von Amsberg, and a panel that included Anne Perrault of the Center for International Environmental Law, Marta Garcia Jauregui, who represents Spain, Mexico and several Latin American countries on the World Bank board, and CGD president Nancy Birdsall (see event video here). Comment »We Agree! Ugandan Oil Debate Should Take Place in Uganda (Plus a Few Clarifications about Our Paper)September 12, 2011By Alan Gelb in Global Development, Oil Tags: Oil, Uganda
This is a joint post with Stephanie Majerowicz. How should Uganda use its prospective oil revenues? Our recent paper on this question argued that choices should be considered with an eye towards both their development impact and the implications for governance. We are happy that the paper has sparked debate in Uganda, including discussions in the Daily Monitor by Tabu Butagira and Nick Young. As Nick Young correctly observes, the question of what to do with oil revenues should be debated in Uganda rather than in Washington. In hopes of provoking further informed debate locally, we wish to clarify a few points about our paper that seem to have been misunderstood. Comment »Reflections on a Holiday in ZimbabweAugust 26, 2011By Alan Gelb in Africa, Regions Tags: Africa, Regions, Zimbabwe
Not too many people would think to take a vacation in Zimbabwe. My wife Caroline and I have our reasons. Caroline was born and raised in the country, the descendant of an old Zimbabwe “pioneer” family. I am from South Africa. We know quite a number of Zimbabweans, both residents and expatriates and I have had opportunities to speak with some of the very good economists still in the country. So when the opportunity arose to visit Zimbabwe and help one of Caroline’s former classmates with a large charity art sale, we jumped at it, flying first to Johannesburg and then on to Harare. We were not sure what to expect. Related Podcast 1 Comment »Fingerprints, the Next Big Thing in BankingJuly 21, 2011By Alan Gelb in Technology Tags: Biometrics, Technology
This is a joint post with Caroline Decker. With the expansion of cell coverage and mobile banking, millions of poor and rural people can now access financial services. But as financial institutions reach new populations, it is becoming clear that there are other issues keeping people from formal banking, such as the need for identification. Thankfully, there seems to be an easy solution. Just as mobile phones have helped overcome the issue of proximity for banking, biometrics could do the same for identification. Comment »Cash at Your Fingertips: Biometric Technology for Transfer SystemsJune 16, 2011By Alan Gelb in Economic Development, Economic Growth, Global Development, Technology Tags: Biometrics, cash transfers, Technology
This is a joint post with Caroline Decker Last week CGD published our working paper on the use of fingerprint and iris scans for cash transfers. As we continue to look into this topic, we are even more convinced of the potential this technology has for transfer systems, particularly those in resource-rich countries. Cash transfers are increasingly being used by developing countries and development agencies to address a range of economic and social problems, including human investment and greater equality. But the option to directly distribute natural rent to citizens of resource-rich developing countries may also be especially relevant. Such an approach could encourage better resource management and head off the governance problems associated with the concentration of large rents in the hands of the state. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to establish efficient transfer programs in developing countries, many with a record of corruption and leakage. Evidence suggests that even well designed transfer programs experience 10-20 percent leakage, if not higher. Comment »Democracy and Development: The Spread of Biometric Voter RollsJune 3, 2011By Alan Gelb in Global Development, Governance/Democracy, Technology Tags: Alan Gelb, Biometrics, Governance/Democracy, Technology
This post is joint with Caroline Decker Related Working Paper Most recently, Gabon announced plans to introduce a biometric voter roll in advance of the next election: the opposition parties have been urging this for years. The election is due in December 2011, but the President is to seek a court ruling on its deferral to 2012 to allow for the orderly introduction of biometrics. The proposal has been supported by a group of NGOs and associations, as well as the Secretary General of one of the main opposition parties. Bolivia provides an example of what can be done to increase political inclusion. Over 5 million people were enrolled in 2009 within a period of 76 days by some 3,000 enrolment stations, increasing the voter roll by an astonishing 2 million people. The main drivers were the opposition parties, which were reluctant to contest an election with the old, discredited, roll. The exercise was very successful, in the assessment by the Carter Center. 1 Comment »Solar-Powered Biometrics Delivering Healthcare in NigeriaApril 7, 2011By Alan Gelb in Global Development, Technology Tags: Biometrics, Solar Power, Technology
In the developing world, lack of identification often hampers the flow of benefits from governments to their citizens. As I wrote in a previous post, biometric identification could solve this problem. In Nigeria, some government agencies are using this new technology to pay pensions and government salaries. One pilot program claims to have saved $80 million over three years by eliminating ghost workers and beneficiaries and streamlining payment systems. This week I learned about a new twist in the approach. According to an IBM press release, two programs in the Cross River State of Nigeria are combining biometrics and solar energy. The Hope and Comfort programs aim to provide healthcare and economic support to some of the poorest citizens of the region: Read More… Comment »Fingerprint Haiti Now: Biometrics in Haiti, One Year LaterDecember 20, 2010By Alan Gelb in Global Development, Technology Tags: Biometrics, Haiti, Technology
This is a joint post with Caroline Decker. Less than a month until the anniversary of the earthquake that devastated the Haitian capital, 1.3 million still live in tents, clean water remains an issue with cholera rapidly spreading, and millions of cubic meters of debris litter the streets, hampering rebuilding efforts. But Haiti was hardly in great shape before the earthquake. Despite years of assistance, 80% of its population was living under the poverty line, 2 out of 3 Haitians did not have a formal job, and infrastructure was minimal. Comment »Africa Opposed to Chinese-Western Aid Cooperation—WikileaksDecember 8, 2010By Alan Gelb in Global Development Tags: China, DFID
This is a joint post with Lawrence MacDonald. Browsing through Wikileaks to try to understand what the fuss was all about, Alan came on an interesting cable (10Beijing367) about African views on possible cooperation between China and Western donors on aid to Africa. According the summary of a cable from the U.S. embassy in Beijing, reporting on the views of African diplomats stationed there: Read More… Comment »Biometrics, Identity, and DevelopmentOctober 14, 2010By Alan Gelb in Global Development, Technology Tags: Biometrics, Technology, World Bank
I recently presented an overview of this work at one of CGD’s biweekly Research-in-Progress (RIP) staff meetings; colleagues urged me to share my thinking about this and the slides via this blog post. Iris scans, fingerprints and other biometrics are no longer only material for spy movies or crime thrillers. Biometric identification is beginning to be used in transfer programs in the developing world to bring benefits to the poor. But the issue is broader — enabling citizens to establish an official identity is a crucial part of the development process. Identity is required for so many purposes – registering property, banking and credit, voter registration, health care, drivers’ licenses and numerous other services. Even today, half of all births in developing countries are not registered. A lack of ID can be a major obstacle, and also renders citizens more vulnerable to corrupt officials. Read More… Comment »
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