-
Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- November 19, 2009, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
On November 19, the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings hosted Antoinette Sayeh, director of the African Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), for a discussion on the economic outlook for Africa. The IMF has just released its semi-annual Regional Economic Outlook for Africa which contains findings that indicate sub-Saharan Africa’s economic activity has slowed sharply with the onset of the global financial crisis. As the world economy stages a tentative recovery, what does this mean for the region?
-
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On October 29 President Zuma surprised the South African Parliament by announcing the need to "respond with urgency and resolve" to the "devastating impact of HIV and AIDS" on the nation. Richard Joseph discusses recent efforts to combat this disease in Africa and what can be done to facilitate further effective and humane action.
-
Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Treasury Neal Wolin's visit to three African nations demonstrates the commitment by the current administration to African development issues. Ernest Aryeetey urges Deputy Secretary Wolin to focus on sustainable development and encourage countries to establish frameworks for long-term growth.
-
Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On October 26 Johnnie Carson, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, announced that the U.S. was revoking the visa of a top Kenyan official because of his role in blocking reforms in the country. Mwangi Kimenyi discusses this approach and urges that the focus should be on overhauling institutions, not targeting individuals.
-
Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Since 2004 there have been encouraging trends related to internal displacement. Walter Kälin notes that the use of the Guiding Principles as the relevant framework for protecting IDPs and the development of national and regional laws and policies on internal displacement have been positive trends. However, despite such positive trends, the challenges presented by climate change, the disregard for civilian populations in conflict zones, a shrinking humanitarian space, and protracted displacement situations still remain unchanged.
-
Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Forced displacement is a devastating experience that often takes years or even decades to recover from. Africa hosts the worlds largest population of internally displaced persons and, as Walter Kälin points out, has taken the initiative to go beyond the existing state of law by creating the first binding international law on internally displaced persons.
-
Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Decades of armed conflict, natural disasters and climate change, have given rise to sizable populations of internally displaced persons (IDPs) throughout Africa. On October 23, African heads of state and government signed a legally binding convention on internal displacement, which as Andrew Solomon notes, demonstrates their commitment to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of IDPs, to facilitate durable solutions and to ensure that millions of people are no longer excluded from society as a whole.
-
Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Access to financial services is crucial to economic growth and poverty reduction, yet a large proportion of households in developing countries lack access to financial services. Brookings expert Mwangi Kimenyi and Njuguna S. Ndung’u, Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, discuss the Kenyan experience with mobile phone banking and how this technology can expand the financial services frontier.
-
Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
There is wide agreement that the African developmental problem is largely rooted in its institutions. Mwangi Kimenyi discusses the link between size and the quality of governance in African countries.
-
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- October 01, 2009, 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM
In October 2009 a high-level delegation of officials from the office of the president and government of Kenya visited the Brookings Institution. The event, which was hosted by the Africa Growth Initiative, included discussion on the key political, economic, and social challenges currently affecting Kenya’s development.
-
Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:15:00 GMT
Event Information:
- September 30, 2009, 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM
On September 30, the Brookings Institution hosted Chief Ojo Maduekwe, the foreign minister of Nigeria, for a conversation on the U.S.-Nigeria partnership, and the challenges and opportunities for democratic and economic reform and regional stability in Africa's most populous country.
-
Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The spring 2009 operation to rescue the captain of the Mersk Alabama did not end the problem of piracy and it was not a model for the future, writes Michael O’Hanlon. Instead, he believes a U.S. House idea to insert U.S. military personnel onto cargo ships for dangerous parts of the journey is a good one because they are well trained and can use force carefully.
-
Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The challenges that the judiciary system in Uganda has faced are well known, but the country has come a long way from that past. In a new paper, Cynthia Baldwin proposes a four-part approach to control judicial corruption.
-
Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Brookings Doha Visiting Fellow Anouar Boukhars examines recent commentary that the Obama administration is distancing itself from democracy promotion in the Middle East. Boukhars finds that these claims are largely untrue, and points to examples of continued funding political reform as well as why some goals of the Bush administration needed amendment.
-
Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On September 24, President Obama will chair his first G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh. With the world economy improving, leaders will now focus their attention on economic recovery and restoring financial stability. Experts from Brookings Global Economy and Development program analyze top issues to be addressed at the summit and provide recommendations on how to effectively overcome global economic and governance challenges to ensure recovery now and to prevent future crises.
-
Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- September 17, 2009, 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
Morocco has often been hailed as a model for democratic reform in an otherwise authoritarian region. In order to understand better the progress Morocco has undergone since the 1990s, when it started on the path of democratic reform, the Saban Center’s Patkin Visiting Fellow in Arab Reform, Maâti Monjib, led a policy luncheon discussion regarding the various advances and obstacles associated with Moroccan democratization.
-
Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In response to a Wall Street Journal article by former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi E. Frazer, Brookings expert Mwangi Kimenyi urges that U.S. policy toward Africa should be defined by a sustainable agenda whose focus is economic development.
-
Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak recently visited Washington for the first time since 2004. Tamara Cofman Wittes and Michele Dunne examine how he and President Obama can achieve shared goals for the Middle East. Wittes and Dunn analyze areas in which the relationship could be improved and offer suggestions for strengthening the partnership with both the citizens and government of Egypt.
-
Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Since the early 1990s, Congo has been on a rapid descent as Genocide in Rwanda spilled over the border and other internal human rights issues worsen. Michael O'Hanlon writes that the United States needs to lead by example and plan to deploy a specialized volunteer force of U.S. military peacekeeping monitors to strengthen the security of the nation.
-
Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Following State Hillary Clinton's visit to Nigeria at the end of her 11-day tour of African nations, Richard Joseph says that Nigeria has a historic opportunity to address its myriad problems. "Nigeria and the United States," Joseph writes, "could initiate a new era of cooperation based on shared commitments to constitutional democracy, the strengthening of open, multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies and laying the foundations for sustainable and equitable growth."
-
Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's multi-nation tour of Africa highlights America's development aid imbalance. Last year, the United States directed almost three-quarters of its resources to countries that are not among the poorest in the world. David Gartner argues that a greater focus on the least developed countries, especially those in Africa, would yield enormous progress toward reducing global poverty.
-
Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On July 30, notables from all corners of Morocco gathered at the Royal Palace in Tangier to celebrate the tenth anniversary of King Mohammed VI’s ascendance to the throne. Maati Monjib and James Liddell investigate what has changed in the country since King Mohammed first took power with a commitment to an open and democratically ruled society.
-
Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:44:47 GMT
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 11-day visit to select African nations wraps up this week, her longest overseas mission as America's top diplomat. Ernest Aryeetey says African nations view Secretary Clinton’s trip so early in her term as a smart move, adding her visit instills a sense of optimism about U.S.-Africa relations.
-
Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Internal displacement continues to be one of the world's major humanitarian and human rights challenges and many internally displaced persons (IDPs) experience serious violations of their human rights. In his annual report to the UN General Assembly, Walter Kälin argues that it is important to translate the increasing recognition of the human rights dimension of internal displacement at the international and regional levels into effective action at the national and local levels of government.
-
Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In August, high-level delegations of government, private sector and civil society representatives from the United States and sub-Saharan Africa met in Nairobi for the eighth annual forum on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Mwangi Kimenyi reflects on the success of AGOA and how the forum can be a chance to focus on making Africa competitive.
-
Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- July 28, 2009, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
On July 28, the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World was pleased to host Ford Foundation Visiting Fellow Mirette Mabrouk in a discussion about the changing landscape of Arab media and its effect on Egypt’s domestic politics.
-
Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- July 28, 2009, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The Brookings Doha Center hosted a discussion on democracy promotion and key U.S. allies in the Arab world. The panel was addressed by Roula Attar, the resident country director in Jordan for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and Anouar Boukhars, Brookings Doha Center visiting fellow. Hady Amr, director of the Doha Center, moderated the discussion.
-
Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Foreign policy observers awaited South African President Jacob Zuma’s May 10 appointment of minister for international relations and cooperation with great anticipation. Xolela Mangcu explores the surprise decision of Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in the broader context of South Africa's role in the region and world.
-
Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Ghanaians welcomed President Obama’s visit in July, making it the only African stop after his European trip. Ghana, regarded as a “beacon of democracy” in Africa, still has room for growth with 40 percent of its people living in poverty. Richard Joseph argues that Ghana could lead a new wave of accelerated and sustainable development and that Obama's support could inspire a transformation across the continent.
-
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
African development has been a top agenda item at previous G8 Summits, including the creation of the Africa Action Plan and increased financial commitments to support economic growth. Although the continent has seen some progress, Mwangi Kimenyi argues that more should be done and provides specific strategies for more effective development.
-
Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Moroccans voted in local elections on June 12 and the leading newspaper Almassae characterized it as a "sweeping electoral tsunami" for the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), founded only a few months ago. Patkin visiting fellow Maati Monjib says that while on the surface the elections were a successful exercise in procedural democracy, a deeper look reveals troubling trends for Morocco’s political liberalization.
-
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 12, 2009, 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
On June 12, the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings hosted Dr. Constance Freeman, regional director for East and Southern Africa of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Nairobi who led a roundtable discussion on the recent elections in Kenya.
-
Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Nigeria, which has long struggled with governance issues and poverty, is in need of a profound economic transformation. In the inaugural BusinessDay Scholars in Society Forum in Lagos, Nigeria, Richard Joseph addressed the different challenges and opportunities that lie ahead on the country's path to economic growth and prosperity.
-
Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Piracy has been a growing problem in the waters off Somalia for several years, and was recently thrust into the headlines with an April hijacking of a United States-flagged cargo ship. Michael O'Hanlon and Stephen Solarz outline a process in which the United States and international partners can combat piracy by using of World War II-style convoys.
-
Wed, 06 May 2009 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 06, 2009, 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
On May 6, the Saban Center at Brookings’ Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World was pleased to host Ford Foundation Visiting Fellow Mirette F. Mabrouk to talk about the changing landscape of Arab media, and its effect on Egyptian domestic politics.
-
Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Marred by violence and intimidation, recent voting in the Ekiti state of Nigeria ended with Segun Oni of the Peoples Democratic Party emerging as the winner of the rerun governorship polls. Richard Joseph argues that if Nigeria is to establish its democracy on a firm basis, a major non-partisan national movement may be needed.
-
Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
With all the attention given to and other hot spots around the world, one place consistently is forgotten—the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bruce Jones and Michael O'Hanlon lay out options for the United States and its international partners to address the conflict.
-
Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
International aid has significantly impacted Ethiopia's development initiatives since the end of World War II, and Ethiopia has been a major recipient of foreign aid in recent times. Project consultant Getnet Alemu examines the country’s aid flows—predominantly assisting Ethiopia's health sector—and argues that although aid has been instrumental in the country's development, donor coordination has been challenging.
-
Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On April 8, a United States-flagged cargo ship carrying U.S. government food aid destined for Africa was hijacked by Somali pirates 300 miles off Somalia's coast. Hady Amr and Areej Noor examine the growing problem of of piracy and offer solutions to empower Somalia's new government and effectively end the string of hijackings.
-
Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Since 2002, the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor has issued four criminal indictments, carefully navigating turbulent national and international political waters. In each case, the timing of the indictments has elicited much controversy, particularly regarding their potential impact on peace agreements or ongoing negotiations. According to Jacqueline Geis and Alex Mundt, at issue is a fundamental debate over whether peace and justice can be pursued simultaneously.
-
Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The debate has heated up over whether western foreign aid has done Africa more harm than good. In an interview with Chicago Public Radio’s Worldview, Richard Joseph discusses the approach of "smart aid" and how a focus on incentives and accountability will lead to smart thinking about aid.
-
Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 01, 2009, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
On April 1, 2009, the Brookings Doha Center hosted a luncheon with the recently-appointed foreign minister of the Republic of Somalia, His Excellency Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar, to discuss the new unity government of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, brokered by the Djibouti peace process, and the prospects for reconciliation, security, and reconstruction in the country.
-
Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Leaders of the Group of 20 (G-20) countries met in London on April 2 for their second summit on the global financial crisis. In a new set of articles, Brookings experts addressed the critical issues for policy-makers and offered guidelines for more effective global coordination.
-
Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Barack Obama's election held potential promise for Africa, but attention to many key areas of development has been diverted by pressing U.S. domestic issues. Richard Joseph recommends that a side meeting in London, before the G20 Summit, between Obama and several African finance ministers could yield concrete suggestions for urgent action.
-
Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Post-conflict reconstruction and stabilization requires protecting and assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have been uprooted from their homes and made vulnerable to violence, exploitation, discrimination and other human rights violations. In this paper, Andrew Solomon and others review the international standards and best practices for protecting the housing, land and property rights of IDPs.
-
Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Homi Kharas analyzes the impact of the financial crisis on developing countries—from declining economic growth forecasts to cutbacks in development assistance. He argues that greater attention should be paid to managing risk in low income countries and developing countercyclical instruments in the international institutions to aid the developing world.
-
Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- February 13, 2009, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
On February 13, 2009, the Brookings Global Economy and Development program hosted a luncheon to introduce Dr. Ernest Aryeetey, Director of the new Africa Growth Initiative, and to discuss the impact of the financial crisis on Africa.
-
Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Nigeria possesses abundant assets to meet the economic challenges. Richard Joseph urges Nigerians to continue on the course of sustainable development efforts.
-
Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Because foreign aid to Kenya is highly volatile and fragmented, efforts are being made to coordinate and harmonize aid allocations. Project consultant Francis M. Mwega analyzes these efforts and focuses on the health sector to compare and contrast trends and experiences. This case study highlights the innovations and competencies that have developed over time to respond to the challenges in development aid.
-
Fri, 09 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- January 09, 2009, 9:00 AM to 10:30
Advances and innovations in science and technology have been essential catalysts of growth for developing societies. Yet sub-Saharan African countries continue to lag behind in science, technology, and engineering developments and applications. On January 9, Dr. Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, gave a talk on "Science, Engineering and Economic Growth in Africa" at the National Academy of Sciences.
-
Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
In this article, Walter Kälin explains that while it is hard to take an objective view on an enterprise in which you have been closely involved, he thinks that it is fair to say that over the last ten years the Guiding Principles have demonstrated their utility and impact but also their limitations.
-
Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Africa’s resource boom offers the hope of economic growth to many countries on the continent but how can governments ensure that natural resources fuel long-term growth rather than become a curse? In a new working paper, John Page discusses how natural resource wealth can be an effective driver of growth for Africa.
-
Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- November 14, 2008, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
With escalating tensions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), more than 200,000 displaced civilians are living in camps seeking refuge from the violence. Given the ever-worsening situation in the DRC, what are the options to prevent a humanitarian disaster? Will the international community organize an effective international response? On November 14, the Brookings Institution will host a discussion on the crisis in Congo.
-
Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
In a new working paper, William Easterly examines Western efforts to “save Africa” through development policies and interventions. He assesses the performance of aid efforts to date and examines successes and failures.
-
Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Though there are important similarities in the impact of prolonged displacement on the lives of IDPs and refugees, there are also significant differences in their situations -- particularly when it comes to solutions. While return is often the desired solution for both IDPs and political actors, Alex Mundt and Elizabeth Ferris argue that local integration and return should not be seen as mutually exclusive alternatives, as they can encourage IDPs to build new lives elsewhere without having to give up the possibility of an eventual return.
-
Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Most people who are displaced by natural disasters remain within the borders of their country, making them internally displaced persons (IDPs) as defined by the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the national government to provide protection and assistance to them and to facilitate durable solutions for their displacement. In disaster response, Elizabeth Ferris argues, it is necessary to develop a rights-based approach to guarantee that the rights of those who've been displaced by the disaster are protected.
-
Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
In a speech delivered before the Department of Political Science, Faculty of the Social Sciences at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria prior to the U.S. presidential election, Richard Joseph reflects on what a win by Barack Obama could mean for Africa, with regard to aid and smart growth.
-
Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Speaking at the 14th Nigerian Economic Summit, Richard Joseph reflects on governance and institutional capacity building in Nigeria, with respect to how Nigeria can confront its economic challenges and move to sustained growth.
-
Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Speaking at the 14th Nigerian Economic Summit, Richard Joseph reflects on governance and public service in Nigeria, with respect to how Nigeria can maximize its economic potential.
-
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
As President-Elect Obama prepares to lead the United States, what are the top global economic challenges facing the new president and his advisors and how should the new administration address them? A new report by Brookings global economic and development experts ranks the top 10 issues and details specific ideas for how to tackle the toughest challenges.
-
Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT
At first glance, the reaction of humanitarian actors on the ground in Darfur to potential indictments of the Sudanese president Omar Bashir seems pretty obvious. Darfur's 2.5 million internally displaced people, the 4.2 million in need of food assistnace and the 17,000 or so humanitarian workers would make easy targets for an angry Sudanese government. But like everything in Darfur, Elizabeth Ferris explains, the situation is more complicated than it seems at first glance.
-
Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT
When those working with IDPs develop programs and policies without taking the time to listen to those most affected — the IDPs themselves — plans often go wrong. In order to ensure their needs not only are met but also that lasting solutions are found for their displacement, Roberta Cohen explains that it is critical to listen to the voices of IDPs.
-
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Following the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the High Level Forum will resume for its third gathering in Accra, Ghana on September 2, 2008. Homi Kharas examines the coordination of development aid and the addition of new donors since the Paris Declaration and questions whether this Forum’s ministerial declaration of an Accra Agenda for Action can provide improvements to the $170 billion aid system.
-
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The rise of private aid donors—foundations, NGOs, corporations, and individuals—is changing the landscape of development assistance. As private aid has doubled within the past decade, the developing world welcomes these new players, and Raj Desai and Homi Kharas argue that they have the potential to be more effective in ending global poverty than the traditional bilateral and multilateral aid agencies.
-
Sat, 16 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Khalil Al-Anani considers the question of the internal practice of democracy among Islamist groups in the Arab world. He concludes that Islamist parties often demonstrate a greater respect for democratic practice than secular and liberal parties.
-
Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
For years, global poverty eradication and climate change mitigation have been two prominent but separate struggles yet in order to solve both challenges, policymakers will need to consider linked issues across both fields and understand how solutions for one might affect the other. In a new paper for the 2008 Brookings Blum Roundtable, Lael Brainard and Nigel Purvis examine the issues facing climate change and global development and offer recommendations for how to address the urgency of both policy imperatives.
-
Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Khalil Al-Anani writes about the recent coup in Mauritania and about its ramifications for the Arab world. He argues that the country’s recent political history is proof of the need for the broader region to commit to democracy as the best means of achieving political balance and economic prosperity.
-
Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
As part of an Oxford-style debate hosted by The Economist, Homi Kharas provides further reasoning that there is “an upside for humanity in the rise of food prices.” Higher prices provide incentives for increased food production and opportunities for raised incomes among the poor, and international donor support for the developing world has been accelerated due to this global crisis.
-
Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
An unprecedented explosion of development players heralds a new era of global action on poverty. Global Development 2.0 celebrates this transformative trend within international aid and offers lessons to ensure that this wave of generosity yields lasting and widespread improvements to the lives and prospects of the world’s poorest.
-
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Bindi assesses Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe and Russia's veto of proposed United Nations sanctions against the country. (Italian)
-
Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Ted Piccone explores the Nigerian presidency of the United Nations Human Rights Council and recent U.S. reluctance to work with international organizations. In this piece for washingtonpost.com's Think Tank Town, Piccone argues that recent events prove "how much NGOs can achieve by persuading democratic countries in the developing world to stand up for human rights."
-
Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
An estimated 80,000 migrants have been displaced by the recent wave of anti-immigrant violence in South Africa. While some have returned to their home countries, many still remain in temporary camps. The South African government aims to reintegrate them in the communities from which they fled. Throughout their displacement (and return), the government will need to take steps to protect the rights of these migrants who have been displaced.
-
Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 09, 2008, 3:00 PM to 05:00 PM
One of the most difficult challenges to achieving durable solutions for persons displaced by conflict arises where the homes and lands they left behind have been destroyed or occupied by others. The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement hosted a round-table discussion on the opportunities and challenges posed by property issues in post-conflict displacement settings.
-
Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 05, 2008, 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
On Thursday, June 5, 2008 the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings hosted a roundtable discussion with Ahmed Herzenni, the president of the Royal Advisory Council on Human Rights, and Fatiha Layadi, a member of the Moroccan parliament. The speakers provided insights gleaned from their efforts to advance civil and political rights in Morocco, and debated the next steps in the process of political reform.
-
Thu, 29 May 2008 13:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 29, 2008, 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- May 30, 2008, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Bill Easterly and Jessica Cohen of Brookings recently convened a conference with leading development experts to explore one of the most vexing issues of global development: what do we really know about what works and what doesn’t when fighting global poverty?
-
Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The recent report by the Growth Commission addresses critical questions about how developing countries might achieve and sustain high growth rates. In a recent op-ed, Visiting Fellow Bill Easterly discusses why the report represents the final collapse of the “development expert” paradigm while outlining reasons why there is still hope for development.
-
Tue, 27 May 2008 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 27, 2008, 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
On May 27, Brookings’s 21st Century Defense Initiative hosted Vice Admiral Robert T. Moeller, deputy to the commander for military operations, United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), for a discussion on the aims, status and future mission for AFRICOM as it approaches its first anniversary this fall.
-
Tue, 27 May 2008 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 27, 2008, 12:30 PM to 2:00pm
The Transparency and Accountability Project hosted Michael Bratton, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and African Studies at Michigan State University, to discuss the popular demand for good governance in Africa.
-
Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Khalil Al-Anani discusses the need for new leadership in the Muslim Brotherhood. He argues that the Brotherhood lacks genuine leaders who can deal with the crises and internal problems the group currently faces.
-
Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Following the recent U.S. air strike targeting a Somali militant, Vicki Huddleston warns that in order for the U.S. not to lose support of the African and international community "we must consider the costs and the benefits of our actions."
-
Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Darfur has been on the international agenda for the past four years despite the advocacy campaigns, the growing public awareness, the large and expensive relief operations, and (eventual) Security Council action. Despite these efforts, as Elizabeth Ferris points out, the war is far from over.
-
Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
President Bush recently called on Congress to increase U.S. food aid and development programs by $770 million. In a recent op-ed, Noam Unger, senior manager of Brookings’ Foreign Aid Reform Project, discusses how U.S. assistance programs should be strengthened in order to improve the effectiveness of America’s aid during the global food crisis and beyond.
-
Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Rising food prices partly reflect the spillover from high energy costs, and are causing major problems for poor people. Homi Kharas argues for more development assistance for agriculture production to increase food supplies in the long run as well as for more assistance for sustainable development projects to create jobs and higher wages so that poor people can afford the rising costs of food.
-
Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
William Easterly and Yaw Nyarko discuss the costs and benefits of brain drain for African countries.
-
Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The post-election outbreak of violence in Kenya displaced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. Any effort at moving forward in Kenya needs to account for those displaced by the violence and help them find durable solutions if lasting peace and stability are to be found.
-
Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 14, 2008, 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM
Though a power sharing agreement signed between Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga was a step towards the end of the political impasse in Kenya, much remains to be done to address the many social and economic problems that have come to the fore in Kenya since the December 2007 election. On March 14, the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement hosted a luncheon seminar on these issues.
-
Mon, 10 Mar 2008 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 10, 2008, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
In many countries, internally displaced persons (IDPs) do not live in camps established by humanitarian organizations, but rather in cities where they are dispersed among the urban population. On March 10, the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement hosted a round-table seminar on urban displacment and the issues facing urban IDPs.
-
Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The entry of passionate, media-savvy advocates, “megaphilanthropists,” social entrepreneurs and super-foundations has heightened awareness of the struggles facing the world’s poorest. Outpourings of financial resources, on-the-ground assistance, and a commitment to finding creative solutions to disease, hunger, and education hold out hopes for a new era in the quest for global development. The fourth annual Brookings Blum Roundtable, convened in August 2007, evaluated both the immense potential of these new players and the challenges they face in achieving sustained and effective solutions to poverty and fundamental insecurity.
-
Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT
President Bush recently concluded a trip to Africa, where he was received warmly throughout the five-nations he visited. During his administration, U.S. economic assistance to African nations has more than doubled and has been targeted, with some success, toward HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention—diseases that take a terrible toll on Africa's people. Homi Kharas analyzes U.S. prioritization and allocation of the pledged aid to put these accomplishments into perspective.
-
Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Despite the UN resolution creating an international peacekeeping force for Darfur with 26,000 troops, the force has been unable to fully deploy into the region. Brookings expert Roberta Cohen discusses the difficulties surrounding the deployment with Stephanie Hanson of the Council on Foreign Relations.
-
Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- February 06, 2008, 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM
Brookings and the Center for Global Development hosted William Easterly for a presentation of his recent paper, “How the Millennium Development Goals Are Unfair to Africa.” Easterly discussed his analysis that most African countries’ predicted failure will result more from the design of the goals and how they are measured than from unique deficiencies in Africa’s development process.
-
Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- February 05, 2008, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Gonzalo Vargas-Llosa, a senior policy adviser from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, participated in a discussion on the current realities in Darfur. He was joined by experts Colin Thomas-Jensen, a policy adviser with the ENOUGH Project, and Paul Miller, Africa adviser with Catholic Relief Services. Elizabeth Ferris, senior fellow and co-director of the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, moderated the discussion.
-
Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT
In a world facing 21st century threats from global poverty, pandemics, and terrorism, foreign aid has assumed renewed importance as a critical instrument for advancing American values, interests, and national security. Lael Brainard offers Congress recommendations for urgent reform since U.S. foreign aid policy has become incoherent and its implementation fragmented.
-
Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The humanitarian crisis resulting from ongoing violence in Kenya greatly concerns the UN special mandate holders. The violence has caused massive displacement, which is putting large numbers of people at risk and threatens their enjoyment of their human rights.
-
Fri, 21 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT
In a new Global working paper, Jessica Cohen studies malaria prevention efforts in detail, analyzing whether free distribution or cost-sharing of anti-malarial insecticide-treated nets in Kenya affects prevention of the disease.
-
Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- December 13, 2007, 12:00 PM to 12:00
The Transparency and Accountability Project hosted Bob Beschel and Nadir Mohammed from the World Bank’s Middle East and North Africa team to examine the major governance issues, successful reforms and fiduciary challenges facing governments in the region from the perspective of World Bank staff who work closely with developing country leaders.
-
Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Debates within the human rights and humanitarian communities have centered on the numbers who have died in Darfur, the use of the term genocide, the efficacy of military versus political solutions and the extent to which human rights advocacy can undermine humanitarian programs on the ground.
-
Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
In a new Brookings Global working paper, William Easterly analyzes the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and argues that the initial definitions of “success” or “failure” have made attainment of the MGDs less likely in Africa than in other regions.
-
Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
The continuity and sustainability of global health financing continues to be a major challenge in the fight to stem HIV/AIDS, particularly in developing countries. Brookings Global Health expert Amanda Glassman examines country-based endowment funds as one innovative financing mechanism that could help alleviate this ongoing problem.
-
Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Reflecting on World AIDS Day, Brookings Global Health Financing scholars discuss the importance of providing low-cost health insurance to low-income households to help guarantee HIV/AIDS treatment.