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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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 Vijaya Ramachandran is a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development. Full Bio Follow @vijramachandran
Showing posts on the Views from the Center blog. View author posts on: A Review of the U.S. Government’s Review of Its Haiti Quake ResponseMay 1, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Evaluation, Fragile States, Latin America Tags: disaster relief, Haiti
This post is joint with Julie Walz. Last week, USAID finally published an external review on its activities in Haiti: “Independent Review of the U.S. Government Response to the Haiti Earthquake”. The report is dated March 28, 2011. Yes, 2011. It took over a year to post the document on the USAID website. The review was conducted by MacFadden and Associates – which operates an $80M Indefinite Quantity Contract from USAID. There are some frank and enlightening assessments of USG response and coordination, but very little discussion of aid accountability. Comment »Haiti: Where Has All the Money Gone?April 26, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Aid Effectiveness, Evaluation, Fragile States Tags: Aid Effectiveness, Evaluation, Fragile States, Haiti
This is a joint post with Julie Walz. The Assessing Progress in Haiti Act (H.R. 1016) was approved by a voice vote in the Senate this week, almost a year after it was passed by the House. The Act “directs the President to report to Congress on the status of post-earthquake humanitarian, reconstruction, and development efforts in Haiti” including progress of programs, alignment with the Haitian government priorities, and coordination among U.S. agencies and other donors. 2 Comments »Why Does Cargo Spend Extra Weeks in Sub-Saharan African Ports?April 18, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Africa, Trade Tags: Sub-Saharan Africa, Trade
A new report from the World Bank asks a key question–why does cargo spend weeks in Sub-Saharan African ports—and comes up with some very thought-provoking ideas. Authors Gael Raballand, Salim Refas, Monical Beuran and Gozde Isik, argue that the answer is NOT that the lack of port capacity. Examining six Sub-Saharan African ports—Tema (Ghana), Lome (Togo), Douala (Cameroon), Mombasa (Kenya), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), and Durban (South Africa)—the authors find that on average cargo spends about two weeks more in port than in the large ports of Asia, Europe and Latin America. Longer “dwell” times mean that the cost of transporting goods is much higher in Africa than elsewhere; something that Alan Gelb and I have written about extensively, using data from enterprise surveys carried out in Sub-Saharan Africa. 1 Comment »A Challenge for Jim Yong Kim, New President of the World Bank—What to Do in Fragile States?April 16, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Fragile States, International Financial Institutions, World Bank Tags: Fragile States, International Financial Institutions, World Bank
This post is joint with Ross Thuotte Today, the World Bank announced that Jim Yong Kim will be the institution’s next president. As the dust settles from the leadership selection debate, the focus will necessarily shift to the issues that confront Kim and the world’s leading development institution. One of the most difficult and important questions is: how can the bank more effectively engage in fragile and conflict-affected countries? Comment »ONE Campaign Reminds the G-8 That Food Security Must Be a Top PriorityApril 11, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Food & Agriculture, G8 Tags: Food Security, G8, ONE
This is a joint post with Julie Walz. Just ahead of the G8 summit on May 19 at Camp David, a new report by the ONE Campaign highlights the opportunity to focus on real and sustained investments in African agriculture that could impact the lives of millions. The report includes very timely recommendations for the heads of the G-8 and other world leaders: Comment »The Time of His Life: Why Kim and the Bank Could Be Good for Each OtherMarch 26, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in International Financial Institutions, World Bank Tags: International Financial Institutions, World Bank
On Friday, President Obama surprised the international development community with the news that Jim Yong Kim would be his choice for the presidency of the World Bank. Kim is a distinguished medical doctor and anthropologist, the president of Dartmouth College, and the co-founder and former executive director of Partners in Health. 1 Comment »First Edition of the Oxford Companion to the Economics of Africa Features Essays by CGD Staff and BoardFebruary 28, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Africa, Economic Development, Global Development Tags: Africa, Economic Development
This is a joint post with Julie Walz Since the mid-nineties, many African nations have ushered in dramatic economic and political changes. But growth in other countries is stalled due conflict, repressive regimes, and lack of infrastructure. A new publication captures the diversity across Africa, using an economic lens to evaluate the key issues affecting Africa’s ability to grow and develop. The Oxford Companion to the Economics of Africa is a compilation of 100 essays on key issues and topics across the continent. It includes contributions from young African researchers, longtime researchers on Africa and four Nobel Laureates. Authors were given the freedom to write their own perspectives, thus the result is not a literature review but an engaging snapshot of concerns and possibilities across the continent. With 48 country perspectives (from Algeria to Zimbabwe) and 53 thematic essays, the book rejects a one-size-fits-all approach yet recognizes that there are continent-wide opportunities and challenges. As the first work of its kind, it is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the field, from graduate students to policymakers. Comment »Tough Love: Bill Gates Calls on the Donor Community to Do Better on Food SecurityFebruary 24, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Food & Agriculture Tags: Food Security
This is a joint post with Peter Timmer and Julie Walz. “If you care about the poorest, you care about agriculture,” declared Bill Gates in a high-profile speech in Rome yesterday, at a meeting of the Global Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. IFAD is one of the three Rome-based UN food agencies; the other two are FAO, and WFP. The speech came after the announcement of an expanded partnership between the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and IFAD, which will focus on improving food security and rural livelihoods in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. 6 Comments »A Diamond in the Rough? Africa’s Newest Central Bank Opens in an Unexpected LocationFebruary 13, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Africa, Economic Development Tags: Africa
This is a joint post with Ross Thuotte. Last week, lawmakers in Somaliland (Somalia’s northern, semi-autonomous region) reportedly established Somaliland’s first central bank. The measure will pave the way for foreign commercial banks to start operating in Somaliland by 2013, providing much-needed financing support for Somaliland’s private sector businesses. Simultaneously, the donor community (represented by multilateral institutions and both Danish and US aid agencies) has expressed a strong interest in Somaliland. Two questions arise: How can international donors further support Somaliland’s businesses and what can they learn from the parliament’s new central bank? 1 Comment »Africa on K Street: Lobbying Is Not Restricted to the Developed WorldFebruary 10, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Africa, Corruption Tags: On the Hill
This is a joint post with Julie Walz. The aid community is well-accustomed to pushing for transparency in foreign aid transactions. But are we missing another key flow of money? A recent article by Geoffrey York, African bureau chief for the Globe and Mail, described a contract signed a few years ago by the Government of Rwanda with Racepoint Group, which was tasked with doing an image make-over for the Rwandan government for a monthly fee of over $50,000. The rationale was that public perceptions of Rwanda were dominated by the horrific genocide that occured in the 1990s, along with accounts of human rights abuses and media censorship. The contract with Racepoint reportedly aimed to increase the number of stories of Rwanda’s successes and block criticism of the government and its alleged human rights abuses. The effort landed more than 100 positive articles per month in newspapers from the New York Times to BBC, increased discussions of travel to Rwanda by 183%, and decreased discussion of the genocide by 11%, according to Racepoint. 3 Comments »Local Procurement Is Key to Rebuilding the Private Sector in HaitiFebruary 1, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Economic Development, Latin America Tags: Haiti
This is a joint post with Julie Walz. In a recent blog post, we discussed the phenomenon of Haiti as a “Republic of NGOs” where the government and the private sector were crowded out by large international organizations that provided most services. Just as international donors have sidestepped the Haitian government, reconstruction contracts have also bypassed Haitian firms in favor of Beltway contractors. The Center for Economic and Policy Research analyzed the 1,490 contracts (worth $194.5 million) awarded between January 2010 and April 2011. Only 23 contracts–for a total of $4.8 million or 2.5 percent of the total—were awarded to Haitian companies. In comparison, contractors based in the Washington DC area received $76 million – almost 40 percent of the total. 1 Comment »Dubai, Magnet for Foreign Workers, Could Do Better by Easing Labor Mobility RestrictionsJanuary 13, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Economic Growth, Migration Tags: labor mobility
The story of Dubai is remarkable. In six decades it has grown from a small fishing village to a gleaming metropolis with a per capita GDP comparable to that of the United States. In many ways, Dubai must be seen to be believed. Even its skyline is unreal–rising straight out of the desert and dominated by the tallest building in the world—the 2625 ft., 160-story, silver-and-glass Burj Khalifa. Dubai is also home to the largest port in the Middle East (Jebel Ali), and serves as the hub for Emirates, one of the best airlines in the world. In recent years, a construction boom and bust has tempered the development of this city in the desert. But new reports suggest that the Emirate is undertaking a significant restructuring of its debts and is restarting its economic engines. 1 Comment »Is Haiti Doomed to be the Republic of NGOs?January 9, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Foreign Aid Reform, Governance/Democracy Tags: Haiti
This is a joint post with Julie Walz. Two years ago, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, plunging an already poor and unstable country into complete and utter chaos. In the days and weeks that followed, international responses and donations were overwhelming. Yet almost all of the assistance provided to Haiti has bypassed its government, leaving it even less capable than before. Humanitarian agencies, NGOs, private contractors, and other non-state service providers have received 99 percent of relief aid—less than 1 percent of aid in the immediate aftermath of the quake went to public institutions or to the government. And only 23 percent of the longer-term recovery funding was channeled through the Haitian government. Figure 1 shows the breakdown of relief aid from all donors to Haiti, by recipient. 2 Comments »A Bold New Idea for Infrastructure in AfricaJanuary 3, 2012By Vijaya Ramachandran in Africa, Economic Development Tags: Africa, Infrastructure
This is a joint post with Julie Walz. It is no secret that Africa faces an infrastructure crisis. The low-income economies of the region have fewer miles of paved roads and fewer modern freight and passenger-transport systems than any other region in the world. Electricity is also highly unreliable; businesses in many African countries suffer from power outages on more than half of the days they work per year. Inadequate infrastructure is cited by most African firms as the single biggest obstacle to doing business. 1 Comment »Brave New World: Emerging Donors and the Changing Nature of Foreign AssistanceNovember 21, 2011By Vijaya Ramachandran in Aid Effectiveness, Global Development Tags: Aid Effectiveness, DAC, global development, OECD
This is a joint post with Julie Walz As we approach the Fourth High Level Conference on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, South Korea, the topic of emerging donors looms large. While some policymakers hope the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) will play a larger role, others warn they lack a collective agenda and do not have enough influence in a space dominated by members of the OECD-DAC. Comment »CGD Non-Resident Fellow Peter Timmer Wins the 2012 Leontief AwardSeptember 21, 2011By Vijaya Ramachandran in Food & Agriculture, Food Crisis, Global Development Tags: Food Aid, Food and Agriculture, Food Crisis
I was delighted to learn yesterday that Tufts University’s Global Development And Environment Institute, will award its 2012 Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought to Michael Lipton of Sussex University and to world-renowned agricultural expert and CGD Non-Resident Fellow Peter Timmer. This year’s award, titled “The Global Food Crisis and the Future of Agriculture,” recognizes the critical work these researchers have contributed to the economics of food and agriculture. The ceremony and lectures will take place on April 3, 2012 at Tufts’ Medford campus. The Leontief Prize recognizes economists whose work, like that of the institute and Leontief himself, combines theoretical and empirical research to promote a more comprehensive understanding of social and environmental processes. Read More… 1 Comment »What WOULD It Take for the US and Europe to Give Up Control of World Bank and IMF Leadership?May 20, 2011By Vijaya Ramachandran in Global Development Tags: IMF, World Bank
This is a joint post with David Roodman. The Dominique Strauss-Kahn debacle has unexpectedly forced the first leadership turnover at a Bretton Woods institution since the global financial crisis—the first leadership transition in what we might call the G-20 world. The tacit deal that has long put an American atop the World Bank and a European in charge of the IMF, rooted in the geopolitics of the 1940s, looks more archaic than ever. That’s why this time around, the calls have grown even louder to make the leadership selection process of the World Bank and IMF open, transparent, and meritocratic. Owen Barder suggests on his widely read blog that transparency and merit are key to maintain the reputation and relevancy of these international institutions, and Nancy Birdsall agrees that the decision needs to be based on merit, not nationality. The Financial Times and others news media say that it is time for everyone to acknowledge that we are in the 21st century with several emerging powers that must have a larger role in the Bank, the Fund and other multilateral organizations. One of us (Vij) has made this argument too, constructing a model of global governance that factors in GDP and population as of 2011, not 1941. Read More… 2 Comments »Equatorial Guinea Dictator to Lead the African UnionJanuary 31, 2011By Vijaya Ramachandran in Global Development Tags: African Union, Dictator, Equatorial Guinea, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
This post is joint with Julie Walz Yesterday, the African Union chose Equatorial Guinea’s dictator of 31 years, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, to serve as their chairman; a move that will undoubtedly undermine the AU’s attempt to bring stability to the African continent and to confront leaders who cling to power./ Obiang has been criticized for violating the basic human rights that the AU swears to uphold and is consideredone of the world’s worst dictators. Having ruled the country since 1979, Obiang claims to have won 97 percent of the vote in 2002 and 95 percent in 2009. And despite their oil wealth, the people of Equatorial Guinea have seen little benefit. Life expectancy is a mere 50 years, half of the children who live in that country do not complete primary school, and about 15 percent die before age of 5. The country ranks 118 out of 182 in the UNDP Human Development Index. 1 Comment »South Africa to Launch Development Aid AgencyJanuary 25, 2011By Vijaya Ramachandran in Africa, Global Development, Regions Tags: Africa, OECD DAC, Regions, South Africa
This is a joint post with Julie Walz. South Africa announced last week that it will launch its own development aid agency in 2011 – the South African Development Partnership Agency. This move places South Africa ahead of other emerging donors such as India and China , who have yet to create separate agencies to dispense aid. No longer just a recipient of aid, South Africa has quietly ramped up its role as a leader on the African continent, largely via peacekeeping, post-conflict reconstruction, and even analytical work. Read More… 2 Comments »Baby Doc Return to Haiti!? Let Bill Clinton Run for President!January 21, 2011By Vijaya Ramachandran in Global Development Tags: Bill Clinton, Haiti, Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier
This post is joint with Julie Walz The surprise return of ousted dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier to Haiti has thrown more uncertainty into a country already struggling with political paralysis from the November election and a painful recovery from last year’s quake. Duvalier returned after nearly 25 years in exile and was arrested in Port au Prince for charges of corruption and embezzlement. The following day, a lawsuit was filed against him for torture and crimes against humanity. Duvalier is blamed, along with his father Francoise “Papa Doc” Duvalier, for the torture and rape of thousands –between 40,000 and 60,000 Haitians are thought to have died under their rule from 1957 – 1986. Despite this horrendous record, some young Haitians are drawn to Baby Doc, believing that he might bring some relief from the desperate conditions in which they find themselves. Comment » |
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