UK Advocacy - Development Monitor
- Issue No 80 June/July 2008
- Issue No 79 April/May 2008
- Issue No 78, February 2008
- Issue No 77, December 2007
- Issue No 76, November 2007
- Issue No 75, October 2007
- Issue No 74, September 2007
- Issue No 73, August 2007
- Issue No 72, July 2007
- Issue No 71, June 2007
- Issue No 70, May 2007
- Issue No 69, April 2007
- Issue No 68, March 2007
- Issue No 67, February 2007
Do your own monitoring - policy related weblinks and e-mail news services
Issue No 80, June/July 2008
UK Politics
DFID: Making It Happen
DFID has released its Annual Report for they year ending March 2008. The report gives account of where public money was spent, and where it has pledged spending in coming years.
DFID estimates that it helps to lift three million people out of poverty every year. It reports that the UK’s development aid will continue to increase over the next three years, and by 2010 will have more than trebled in real terms since 1997. This investment, says the report, will ensure delivery of the promises the UK made at the 2005 G8 summit, and help countries to accelerate their progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals.
Making it Happen
UK Government Business Call to Action
Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the UN Development Programme’s Kemal Dervis welcomed more than 80 CEOs from some of the world’s largest companies to London on 6 May to showcase new business initiatives to reduce poverty in the developing world.
UK Government Business Call to Action
A major role for civil society
New DFID Permanent Secretary, Minouche Shafik, has written to NGOs stating the Government's view that civil society organisations have a major and growing role in tackling global poverty. She outlined several changes to DFID senior management and structure, which will further strengthen the relationship between DFID and civil society organisations in the UK and overseas.
DFID signals greater recognition of major role for civil society organisations in tackling global poverty
EU
Go beyond rhetoric, says Commission
The European Commission urged Member States to go beyond rhetoric and deliver on their commitments. In its communication, EU as a global partner for development, the Commission proposes a number of actions to encourage Member States to increase the volume and the effectiveness of aid, as well as areas where EU policies could be better coordinated.
Go beyond rhetoric
EU-Latin America and Caribbean Summit
60 Heads of State and Government from the EU Member States, Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Lima, Peru, on 16-17 May for the fifth EU-LAC Summit. The leaders debated two key themes for the bi-regional agenda: poverty reduction and social cohesion; and environment, climate change and sustainable development.
The fifth meeting of EU-Latin American and Caribbean civil society organisations that took place in Lima on 16-18 April adopted a series of recommendations to be presented to the 2008 EU-Latin America and Caribbean Summit.
Europe, Africa and China
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on The EU, Africa and China: Towards trilateral dialogue and cooperation on Africa’s peace, stability and sustainable development, with a consultation period running until 13 June 2008.
The purpose of this consultation is to gather information, opinions and possible actions to be taken from all African, Chinese and European stakeholders and to set up a trilateral dialogue and cooperation, notably in the areas of peace and security, infrastructure and sustainable management of natural resources.
OECD
New guidelines to promote sustainable lending
The OECD has published new guidelines to promote sustainable lending practices by export credit agencies in poor countries.
Global Forum on trade and globalisation
The 2008 OECD Global Forum on Trade, Globalisation and Emerging Communities, taking place on 25-26 June, will bring together trade policy-makers from OECD countries and a number of emerging economies to discuss global policy challenges.
UN
Development and Globalisation
The UN Conference on Trade and Development’s second Development and Globalization: Facts and Figures report provides a synopsis of UNCTAD independent research in the areas of trade, development and related issues such as finance, technology, investment and sustainable development.
Countries’ human rights records examined
A new mechanism to examine the human rights record of every United Nations Member State was launched at the Human Rights Council in Geneva in April. The Universal Periodic Review will look at 48 countries each year, so that the UN’s complete membership of 192 countries will be reviewed once every four years.
World Bank
Global Monitoring Report 2008
The World Bank has released its fifth annual Global Monitoring Report on the Millennium Development Goals. Subtitled Environment - Agenda for Inclusive and Sustainable Development, the report stresses the link between environment and development and calls for urgent action on climate change.
Issue No 79, April/May 2008
UK Politics
Prime Minister sets sights on EU key poverty moment in June
Gordon Brown said recently that, "the European Union can do more, and we will work with them to do so as part of the European Union, to fight for an end to global poverty”. The Prime Minister committed, with EU President Jose Manuel Barroso, “to make the European Council in June the moment where the EU sets out its clear plans for the future, how we will achieve our commitment to the Millennium Development Goals”. This included a detailed EU action plan to accelerate progress intended to be agreed by EU Heads of State in June. Ahead of this, the European Development Ministers (GAERC) meeting on 26-27 May becomes pivotal.
Poverty Reduction Budget Support
The recent Poverty Reduction Budget Support policy paper (pdf) reaffirms DFID’s commitment to using budget support – alongside other aid instruments - where it is appropriate to deliver aid to partner governments to reduce poverty.
European Union
Lisbon Treaty
While EU Member States are still in the process of ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, discussions have already started among the Council Secretariat, the European Commission and the Member States on how the Lisbon Treaty is going to be implemented. Discussions focus on the new institutional structures that will be put in place, including the creation of the post of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European External Action Service. BOND is working with CONCORD to put pressure on the institutions and governments so that the decision making process is clear and transparent and that civil society is included in the discussion to ensure the best outcome for development.
Contact Romina Vegro, BOND EU Policy Officer, to get involved.
European Commission presents policy priorities for 2009
The European Commission presented its Annual Policy Strategy setting out its political priorities for 2009 in five priority areas, including climate change and sustainable Europe and Europe as a world partner. Work to develop closer political and economic ties with partners around the world will continue to intensify, and new partnerships with African countries will be implemented in the context of the Africa-EU strategy.
EU - Latin America and Caribbean Summit
The fifth European Union-Latin America and Caribbean Summit will be held in Lima, Peru on 16-17 May. The Lima Summit will focus on poverty, inequality, inclusion and sustainable development.
Civil society organisations from both continents are mobilising around two main initiatives:
- 31 March-1 April - The 4th Euro-Latin-American Caribbean Civil society summit
- 14-17 May - The 3rd Peoples Social Forum "Enlazando Alternativas”
French Presidency 2008
France is already preparing for its EU Presidency – scheduled for July-December 2008 – and has identified a number of key policy areas on which to focus. The three major political priorities for the French Presidency will be energy, the environment and migration. The main actions for the French EU Presidency include preparation for the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, to start discussion on the CAP reform and to hold a Euro-Africa conference on migration and development.
United Nations
For decades, the International Monetary Fund and other International Financial Institutions have promoted a neo-liberal model favouring fiscal policy that is preoccupied with maintaining small deficits, monetary policy that is fixated on low inflation targets and exchange-rate policy that is committed to full flexibility. A recent UNDP policy brief, “Pro-Growth Alternatives for Monetary and Financial Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa (pdf) ”, describes an alternative framework with a more expansionary fiscal policy to foster public investment and increase domestic revenues, breaking the IMF’s grip on financial and monetary policies in Sub-Saharan Africa.
OECD
New OECD Development Cooperation Report 2007 published
The new OECD Development Co-operation Report for 2007 was released on 11 February 2008. This report gives the world’s most comprehensive statistics on development co-operation over the past year and assesses the success of a dozen aid targets, including increasing overall aid volume and assistance to the poorest countries, untying aid and aligning it to meet recipient countries' needs without creating aid dependency.
Issue No 78, February 2008
UK Politics
MDG Call to Action
The Prime Minister’s signal in 2007 for renewed effort around development this year is now framed as the MDG Call to Action.
A public summary is now on the DFID website. The Prime Minister has called for a one-day meeting under the leadership of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in the autumn focused on accelerating action on the MDGs.
The UK Government is preparing for a conference involving the private sector in the spring as part of the initiative. EU meetings throughout the year and the G8 summit in July are also seen as key moments, in addition to the UN meeting likely to be near the end of September.
DFID Millennium Development Goals
United Nations
UN agenda for 2008
Peacekeeping, pre-emptive diplomacy, climate change and improving the lot of poor countries, as well as internal reform, will be high on the United Nations agenda for 2008, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced. 2008 will be a milestone year marking the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Climate ‘Roadmap’ agreed
Political leaders met in Bali in December for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change COP13 – and hammered out a deal which launches formal negotiations on a second phase of the Kyoto Protocol, which needs to be in place by 2012.
UN Statement on Bali agreements
UNCTAD General Assembly
The twelfth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will be held in Accra, Ghana, from 20-25 April 2008. The theme is: Addressing opportunities and challenges of globalisation for development.
Agriculture on the development agenda
In February, for the first time in nearly a decade, the UN will debate the interactions of agriculture and the environment, especially agricultural biodiversity, Terminator technology and GMOs, at meetings of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
In May, the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) will debate agriculture for the first time since the 1990s.
For more information, contact the UK Food Group
Or BOND's working UK Food group
EU
Slovenian Presidency
Slovenia assumed the presidency of the European Union on 1 January 2008. The Slovenian Presidency will focus on Western-Balkans relations, energy and climate change, and the implementation of the new Lisbon cycle for growth and jobs.
Simultaneously the Slovenian NGDO platform SLOGA, has launched its presidency project Difference is our Strength.
EU aid effectiveness
The European Commission is drafting a non-paper (diplomat-speak for an informal discussion document) on EU aid effectiveness. This is the first stage for defining a common EU position for the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness to be held in September 2008 in Accra. The EU’s final position for Accra will be discussed in the May Council meeting and is expected to be approved in July. For information contact Romina Vegro:
Email: rvegro@bond.org.uk
ACP Strategy Papers
The 10th European Development Fund ACP Country and Regional Strategy Papers, for the period 2008-2013, are available in their original languages on the European Commission website.
EU aid policies
In view of the EU commitment to substantially increase official development assistance, the importance of ensuring that these resources are not rendered inefficient or wasted by policy incoherence is even greater.
In September 2007 the EC produced a working paper on Policy Coherence for Development, followed by a recent stocktaking report on the implementation of measures to increase the efficiency, coherence and visibility of EU external policies and future work by the European Council.
EU Reform Treaty
The new EU Reform Treaty presents a series of extremely important opportunities for institutional reform. The implementation of the Treaty will be the only real opportunity between now and the next Financial Perspectives in 2014 to ensure that there is greater coherence between development co-operation and other EU external action policies and to improve effectiveness and impact of EC development co-operation.
Strengthening Europe's aid: Simon Stocker examines the potential impacts of the Lisbon Treaty.
BOND’s position paper on the Treaty’s implications for development
G8
Japan will host this year’s G8 Summit from 7-9 July in Hokkaido. The environment and climate change, as well as development and Africa, should remain on the agenda. The Japanese Government has stated that a focus will be achieving the MDGs, given 2008 is the mid-point.
Ahead of the G8, the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD4) takes place with the theme Towards a Vibrant Africa: Continent of Hope and Opportunity. Discussions at the G8 Summit will build on the outcome of TICAD4.
BOND is helping to support engaged UK NGOs and networks working on the G8. A GCAP public action will be available for all BOND members to promote to their supporters ahead of the summit. On 7 July, the Japanese celebrate Tanabata, hanging paper wishes from bamboo trees. As this coincides with the first day of the G8, the action is linked to this tradition.
Contact the BOND Advocacy Team tel: 020 7520 0257 for more information.
Tokayo Summit (click on ‘English’)
Issue No 77, December 2007
UK Politics
PM outlines foreign policy priorities
Gordon Brown gave his first substantive speech as PM on Britain's foreign policy priorities at the Lord Mayor's Banquet on 12 November.
The 'renewal of the international institutions' was a major theme and development issues featured strongly.
Brown said, "To build not just security but environmental stewardship and prosperity free of global poverty, I want a G8 for the 21st century, a UN for the 21st century, and an IMF and World Bank fit for the 21st century.
"And to achieve this I want to play my part in helping the European Union move away from its past preoccupation with inward looking institutional reform and I will work with others to propose a comprehensive agenda for a Global Europe - a Europe that is outward looking, open, internationalist, able to effectively respond both through internal reform and external action to the economic, security and environmental imperatives of globalisation."
He acknowledged the role of NGOs as a "network of change-makers.which deliver concrete action on the ground" and outlined his vision of "a new coalition of democracies and civic societies joining together as allies for progress, with leaders in politics, economics and civil society all pushing forward reform".
Read the full speech at:
www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page13736.asp
Climate Change Bill
The draft Climate Change Bill, outlined in the Queen's Speech, calls for 60% reductions in UK carbon emissions by 2050. Many development NGOs are now are at the forefront of pushing for cuts of at least 80% by 2050 (over 1990 levels) as the Bill progresses through Parliament.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn and other cabinet members have indicated a larger cut should be explored.
Campaigners are gearing up the pressure including mass supporter lobbying of MPs. The Bill, the world's first legally binding framework to cut carbon emissions, will be a real early test of the UK Government's development and environmental leadership in 2008.
DFID campaign responses now online UK NGOs target DFID in their development campaigning more than any government department. In 2007 DFID received tens of thousands of letters, emails and petition signatures from the public.
Douglas Alexander and ministers often refer to the work of NGOs in inspiring the public to lobby on behalf of developing countries.
The DFID website now includes a valuable listing of responses to some current campaigns.
http://tinyurl.com/2k6bxz
United Nations
Global Environmental Outlook
The United Nations Environment Programme says that major threats to the planet such as climate change, the rate of extinction of species and the challenge of feeding a growing population are among the many that remain unresolved, and all of them put humanity at risk.
The warning comes in UNEP's Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4) report, published on 25 October.
GEO-4, the latest in UNEP's series of flagship reports, assesses the current state of the global atmosphere, land, water and biodiversity, describes the changes since 1987, and identifies priorities for action. GEO-4 is the most comprehensive UN report on the environment, prepared by about 390 experts and reviewed by more than 1,000 others across the world.
www.unep.org/geo/geo4/
European Union
Ministerial Troika endorses Strategy
The 9th Africa-EU Troika Ministerial Meeting on 31 October in Accra, Ghana, endorsed a communiqué for a Joint Strategy and Action Plan for consideration and adoption by Heads of States and Governments for the Lisbon Summit in December.
http://tinyurl.com/2zykvh
European leaders approve Treaty of Lisbon
"The new Treaty of Lisbon was born today. This is a European victory." These were the words of the president of the Council of the European Union, José Sócrates, while announcing the agreement among European leaders on the new reform Treaty.
Now that EU leaders have agreed on the details of a new Treaty, the official signing ceremony in December is a mere formality. Attention is now to turn to ratification of the Treaty before the 2009 elections.
http://tinyurl.com/2hafzr
EU takes action to promote 'fair globalisation' at ILO forum
The EU is stepping up its efforts to promote 'fair globalisation'. The ILO Forum on decent work came two weeks after EU leaders met in Lisbon to discuss globalisation and the external dimension of the EU's strategy for more and better jobs. They agreed to come forward with a declaration on globalisation at the next EU Summit in December and to set up a group of experts to analyse the main challenges of globalisation for Europe over the next 20 years.
http://tinyurl.com/2g7zsz
Final Report on Fragile States
The Directorate General for Development has posted on its website the final report of the consultation on the subject of EU response to situations of fragility in developing countries.
http://tinyurl.com/2drj7l
The communication has taken on board some of the points in the position paper BOND submitted in response to the consultation process.
http://tinyurl.com/yq5hua
Issue No 76, November 2007
UK Politics
PM: MDG slow progress an international emergency
Gordon Brown and Douglas Alexander issued a joint statement on 17 October 2007 stating that the lack of progress made on some areas of the Millennium Development Goals now constitutes an international emergency.
The words to GCAP supporters on White Band Day said: "What we need now is an international effort that harnesses the power of everyone: the private sector, individuals, consumers, faith groups, cities, civil society organisations, as well as governments, north and south, to work together to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
"In the coming year we will work with these different partners to develop concrete action plans. We will aim to make key European Union, G8 and United Nations meetings in 2008 moments of delivery."
Comprehensive Spending Review
The Comprehensive Spending Review announced in October provided for significant increases in aid in the next three years. By 2010/11, UK aid (including debt relief) will be over £9bn a year, with DFID's share of this set at almost £8bn billion. This will allow the UK to meet the EU target to give 0.56% of national income as aid by 2010, and the Government's commitment to give 0.7% by 2013.
These welcome commitments are a testament to all those who have campaigned for more aid. Yet we need to keep up the pressure. The 0.7% target is the bare minimum needed to meet the MDGs. The huge costs of adapting to climate change were not taken into account when the target was set in 1970. More work is also needed to make sure that aid is effective - for example the Government needs to make UK aid more predictable so that poor countries can plan ahead and cover long-term costs like salaries for teachers and health workers.
European Union
EU-Africa Strategy update
The European Commission has published a new communication in the run-up to the EU-Africa Summit in December when the new EU-Africa Strategy will be adopted.
The communication outlines several issues likely to be discussed at the Summit, including, among others: energy, climate change, migration, mobility and employment, democratic governance and a joint EU-Africa political and institutional architecture.
The strategy will be transformed into action through a series of sectoral partnerships such as those presented in the EC communication of June. In particular, a special MDG partnership would be part of the Action Plan. The Action Plan will include a monitoring mechanism where the Commission and the Member States would like to see civil society playing a role.
www.europafrica.org
"Reforming the Budget, Changing Europe"
In May 2006, the European Parliament, Council and Commission agreed that the Commission should undertake a fundamental review of the EU budget. The Commission has now launched a new website on the budget review and presented a consultation paper to open the debate on EU finances and its future. The results of the consultation will form the basis for the Commission's work on the review and its proposal will be presented at the end of 2008/beginning of 2009.
http://tinyurl.com/yvhxo8
Text of the Reform Treaty online
The text of the draft Reform Treaty has been posted on the Council of the European Union website. The Treaty is due to be signed in December by heads of states, so as to allow for sufficient time for ratification before the European Parliament elections in June 2009.
http://tinyurl.com/2gl5pc
Issue No 75, October 2007
UK Politics
International Health Partnership
Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander have launched a new International Health Partnership to improve the way that international agencies, donors and poor countries work together to create and improve health services for poor people. The first group of countries to join the Partnership are Burundi, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nepal and Zambia.
http://tinyurl.com/28y5gu
FCO Minister speech on opportunities in Africa
Lord Malloch-Brown has delivered a speech on Africa: New Partnerships and Opportunities in Beijing. He highlighted the positive developments Africa has experienced in recent years, many of them thanks to support from China, acknowledged that significant challenges remain, and said, "China has the potential to set a very positive example to other investors in highlighting the gains to be made from investing in Africa."
http://tinyurl.com/226kr5
Education in post-conflict countries
A new paper from DFID's Central Research Department, Alternative Basic Education in African Countries Emerging from Conflict; Issues of Policy, Co-ordination and Access, draws on detailed case and country studies and highlights lessons that can be learnt about educational reconstruction in postconflict situations.
http://tinyurl.com/27kv6s
Baroness Vadera launches Investment Climate Programme
DFID, the Government of Nigeria and the World Bank have launched a five year Investment Climate Programme as part of the ongoing Country Partnership Strategy the organisations share. The Programme highlights the importance of private sector investment, employment generation and wealth creation as the key routes to poverty eradication. The Strategy is being pioneered in Nigeria but if successful it is hoped that it will be replicated elsewhere.
http://tinyurl.com/3343qn
United Nations
Public water providers
UN-HABITAT has launched a new Global Water Operators Partnership Alliance, which aims to improve access to clean water and basic sanitation in impoverished communities. It involves the public operators that provide more than 90 per cent of water and sanitation services in developing countries.
http://tinyurl.com/2tqdvp
Poverty and productivity
A new report from the International Labour Organisation highlights the linkage between poverty and labour productivity. One clear conclusion is that limited investment in training and skills is diminishing opportunities for people to escape poverty.
http://tinyurl.com/2ppzhn
Climate change
Civil society will be essential in addressing climate change, according to UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro. At a civil society conference, Migiro said, "civil society can contribute greatly and most effectively if it fosters awareness and [persists] in developing inventive initiatives at the grassroots level which inspire people to work towards a solution".
http://tinyurl.com/2px7bh
Plan to safeguard genetic diversity of livestock adopted
A Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources has been agreed to halt the erosion of livestock diversity and support the sustainable use, development and conservation of animal genetic resources.
http://tinyurl.com/2s5s5q
Economic outlook positive for developing countries
The economic outlook for developing countries is positive for the first time since the early 1970s, according to UNCTAD's Trade and Development Report 2007. Per capita GDP in developing countries has increased nearly 30 per cent between 2003 and 2007, compared to 10 per cent for the Group of Seven highly industrialised countries.
http://tinyurl.com/32omrg
More investment needed in mental health
The World Health Organisation has appealed to countries to increase their investment in and support of services necessary to treat mental disorders.
http://tinyurl.com/2zpchk
Major changes in investment needed
If climate change is to be tackled in the next quarter of a century, major changes in both investment patterns and financial flows will be needed, says a report by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Around US$200 billion worth of additional investment and financial flows will be necessary to return greenhouse gas emissions to current levels.
http://tinyurl.com/25oxyu
European Union
EU Reform Treaty
A new website offers information on developments in EU institutional reform. EU leaders agreed in June on a detailed mandate for a new Intergovernmental Conference to draw up a Reform Treaty by the end of 2007.
http://tinyurl.com/2rfvor
Towards a consensus on humanitarian aid
The European Commission has adopted a Communication that paves the way for greater efficiency and coherence in delivering humanitarian aid. The Commission is calling for the EU to work more closely together on a consensus that would boost its collective response to humanitarian crises. This includes advocating full respect for international humanitarian law, so that aid and aid workers can reach people in need.
http://tinyurl.com/2n22bm
European Parliament looks at NGOs
The European Parliament will produce a report on the work of NGOs this autumn, in response to some MEPs' warnings that environmental groups must be subject to tougher scrutiny. UK MEP Caroline Jackson is likely to be the rapporteur. The Civil Society Contact Group will discuss how to support the MEPs in this work.
http://tinyurl.com/2l2dss
EU Africa Strategy
The revised Joint Strategy and Action Plan will be presented at the Joint Ministerial Troika Meeting in Accra on 31 October, and should be approved at the EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon on 8-9 December. In preparation, several expert and drafting committee meetings will take place in Africa and Europe.
http://europafrica.org/
OECD
Agricultural Outlook
The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook forecasts market trends for the world's main agricultural products for the period 2007- 2016. The market projections cover 39 countries including OECD members and key non-OECD agricultural producers.
http://tinyurl.com/2gbhpn
Cross-border tertiary education
A new publication by the OECD and World Bank looks at the opportunities and challenges, especially for developing countries willing to use and control crossborder higher education as a tool for development.
http://tinyurl.com/2azguz
Issue No 74, September 2007
UK Politics
Fragile states
The International Development Committee has launched an inquiry into the development assistance DFID gives to insecure environments. The main focus of the inquiry will be on Afghanistan and they will examine the challenges of delivering assistance in such an area. The Committee would welcome written submissions by 1 October 2007.
http://tinyurl.com/32azst
Access to land
DFID has launched a new policy entitled Land: Better access and secure rights for poor people. The document sets out what DFID is doing to better connect people to economic opportunities and to help poor men and women to gain secure rights to land and properties. Gareth Thomas's speech: http://tinyurl.com/2frun5
Policy document: http://tinyurl.com/ywyhwj
Brown calls for action on global poverty
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called on world leaders to make a united global effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and alleviate global poverty. Speaking at the UN, Brown stated that if countries do not increase their efforts, and work together, the commitments made in 2000 will not be met in 2015.
http://tinyurl.com/28lsay
Poverty debate
Before Parliament went into summer recess, the House of Commons hosted a lively debate on global poverty. Douglas Alexander took the opportunity to reaffirm DFID's commitment to continuing progress towards meeting the MDGs. Gareth Thomas highlighted that although progress had been made in terms of education and health provision, there was still much to be done to make aid more effective.
http://tinyurl.com/2gftpf
United Nations
Global action needed on climate change
At a recent General Assembly meeting, top UN officials stated that they were optimistic that world leaders were now ready and willing to tackle the threat of climate change. The meeting discussed the need for a more sophisticated agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, which will expire in 2012. Leaders also recognised that a clear and definite timetable for emissions reductions is needed to ensure that countries have enough time to integrate changes or targets into domestic law.
http://tinyurl.com/34drf8
Climate change to increase hunger risk
Speaking at a conference in India, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf stated that climate change is likely to undermine food production in the developing world. Based on current predictions it is believed that industrialised countries may gain in production while developing countries may lose.
http://tinyurl.com/28cgt3
Female genital mutilation
The UN Population Fund, in collaboration with development partners, recently convened a global event to discuss and agree a strategy to eliminate female genital mutilation/cutting. Over 70 experts from across the globe developed a roadmap for bringing an end to this harmful traditional practice.
http://tinyurl.com/333h66
Children at risk from pollution
The World Health Organisation has issued a report that shows that children's susceptibility to pollution is different through different stages of their growth. Over 30% of the global burden of disease in children can be attributed to environmental factors, including water pollution, pesticides on food and lead in soil. Consequently children's vulnerability is increased in degraded and poor environments.
http://tinyurl.com/2hzdd7
Practise what you preach'?
Around 200 children attended a conference in Cameroon to voice their concerns about current global environmental trends. Discussions focused on the environmental challenges facing Africa such as climate change, forest and biodiversity, land degradation and desertification, water resources, waste management and recycling. The theme was 'practise what you preach' and it was hoped that the children would draft letters highlighting the need for lifestyle changes to African leaders and the UN Secretary General.
http://tinyurl.com/2m9aqy
Funding shortfall for humanitarian crises
Six months after the launch of the Humanitarian Appeal 2007, US$2.5 billion is still needed to enable the UN and relevant NGOs to respond to the most severe global crises. By the mid point, the Appeal had raised 43% of the funds needed for 2007.
http://tinyurl.com/2kcdj4
European Union
Millennium Development Goals contract
In line with international commitments and Council conclusions, the European Commission intends to provide more longterm and predictable general budget support whenever deemed possible during the implementation of the 10th EDF. This will be called an 'MDG contract' to highlight the contractual nature of its long term financial commitments and its focus on MDG-related results, notably but not exclusively in health and education.
http://tinyurl.com/2hphqv
EU Reform Treaty
On 23 July, the EU Member States opened the Intergovernmental Conference in conjunction with a meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council. The Portuguese Presidency presented the IGC with a proposal for a new Treaty. The Reform Treaty, which will amend the Maastricht and Rome Treaties, seeks to keep most of the agreements reached in establishing the text of the draft Constitution. The IGC should finalise its work by the end of 2007. The intention is to have the new Treaty enter into force before the next elections to the European Parliament, to be held in June 2009.
http://tinyurl.com/24gskg
African Union / Joint EU-Africa Strategy:
The Executive Council of the African Union, which comprises Ministers of Foreign Affairs of AU Member States, met in Accra in June. The Ministers adopted the Outline for the Joint Africa-EU Strategy as a basis for the elaboration of a fully-fledged Joint Strategy and Action Plan to be adopted at the December 2007 Lisbon Africa-Europe Summit. The Executive Council proposed a joint EU-Africa Council of Ministers to take place in Cairo at the end of November in order to prepare the Lisbon Summit and most likely approve the joint EU-Africa Strategy and examine the political declaration before it is submitted to the Heads of States and Governments. This meeting would take place in November just before the Summit.
http://tinyurl.com/you2ja
OECD
Poverty Impact Assessment approach launched
The OECD Development Assistance Committee has been developing and sharing good practice in advancing the pro-poor growth agenda through its Network on Poverty Reduction since 2003. This Network has now developed an ex ante Poverty Impact Assessment approach which will help donors and partner countries to identify the intended and unintended consequences of their interventions.
http://tinyurl.com/287gc
Aid in support of gender equality
The OECD has published statistics showing how much aid was focused on gender equality and women's empowerment extended by each DAC member for 2004-05. Guidance on interpreting the data is also included in the document.
http://tinyurl.com/28l5oa
Issue No 73, August 2007
UK Politics
DFID: Responsibilities allocated
Following Brown's move to Prime Minister in late June, DFID now has four ministers (see page 12). Shahid Malik MP is expected to be the Minister most focused on the Government's relationship with NGOs as his portfolio includes UK civil society expenditure.
http://tinyurl.com/34bnsl
DFID Secretary of State's first speech
Douglas Alexander delivered his first speech as Secretary of State for International Development on 12 July. The speech, to the Council of Foreign Relations in Washington DC, received wide media attention because it was taken by some as the beginning of the new British Government distancing itself from the Bush administration.
http://tinyurl.com/37elhs
Parliamentary inquiry into DFID and World Bank
The International Development Committee has announced an inquiry into DFID and the World Bank and is calling for submissions of evidence by 12 October 2007. This is the first phase of the Committee's investigation into DFID's relationship with multilateral institutions.
http://tinyurl.com/2k3za5
IDC reports on fair trade
Following a thorough inquiry, the International Development Committee has now launched its report into Fair Trade and Development. The aim of this report was to consider how effective fair trade could be in alleviating poverty and what role, if any, DFID should take in supporting such schemes within their development assistance programmes.
http://tinyurl.com/26epxr
United Nations
MDGs mid-point review
Half way to the 2015 deadline, there has been clear progress towards implementing the Millennium Development Goals, but their overall success is still far from assured, says a progress report by the United Nations.
If current trends continue, Asia will not meet the target of halving the proportion of underweight children. Sub-Saharan Africa is not on track to achieve any of the Goals, despite the proportion of people living in extreme poverty in the region falling from 46.8% in 1990 to 41.1% in 2004.
The report calls on rich countries to fulfil their promises with multi-year aid flows that are "continuous, predictable and assured and are not tied to purchases in the donor country" and for redoubling of efforts to reach an "equitable conclusion to the present trade negotiations".
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
Cities to double in size
The population of African and Asian cities will double by 2030, adding 1.7 billion people, says the UNFPA State of World Population 2007 report. The report recommends that city authorities and urban planners make it a priority to offer secure land tenure to the urban poor along with power, water and sanitation services and access to education and health care.
http://www.unfpa.org/swp
LDCs most vulnerable to climate change
Efforts must be intensified to assist least developed countries and Small Island Developing States to cope with the impact of climate change, according to a new report from the IPCC. The study recommends that these countries be given adequate financial and technical support and that partnerships with international organisations be established.
http://www.ipcc.ch
Coping with desertification
According to a study by the UN University (UNU), one third of the global population is threatened by encroaching desertification. If no action is taken, over the next 10 years roughly 50 million people are in danger of being displaced. UNU experts appeal to governments to take an integrated approach to tackling issues of desertification, climate change and poverty reduction.
http://tinyurl.com/2oyys2
UN Development Cooperation Forum
The UN has launched the Development Cooperation Forum to advance shared antipoverty goals, including by scaling up funds to ensure they are achieved on time. The Forum will be held every other year with the first meeting taking place in New York in 2008.
http://www.un.org
Soaring biofuel demand
Increased demand for biofuels could drive up global prices for many farm products, according to an FAO-OECD report. Higher commodity prices are a particular concern for States which are net food importers as well as for the urban poor. A report from the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues released in May warned that largescale production of biofuels is having devastating impacts on Indigenous Peoples, whose lands are being targeted for oil palm expansion and the expansion of other monocultures.
http://www.fao.org
http://tinyurl.com/2gha76
European Union
EU Africa strategy
The European Commission adopted a proposal presenting key policy initiatives that embody the new approach to EUAfrica relations, to be discussed at the EUAfrica Summit in Lisbon in December.
The European Commission and the African Union have made two related documents available:
http://tinyurl.com/yv6g22
http://tinyurl.com/2vz96o
European Development Fund contributions
The European Council adopted a decision fixing the financial contributions to be paid by EU Member States to the 9th European Development Fund as the second instalment for 2007.
http://tinyurl.com/2mmoco
EC development cooperation reviewed
The OECD Development Assistance Committee has issued a review of the European Commission's aid policies and programmes, including for the first time humanitarian aid. The assessment "commends both the role of the Commission in reshaping co-operation and the progress made since the 2002 Peer Review in delivering Community assistance".
http://tinyurl.com/38a4wy
Europeans support MDGs
On the eve of the mid-term date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, a European Commission survey shows broad public support for the EU's development priorities. Most Europeans (66%) consider reducing extreme poverty and hunger in developing countries as a priority. Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases is the second goal (46%). Sub-Saharan Africa stands out in most people's minds as being in greatest need of aid (64%).
http://tinyurl.com/2x8682
OECD
Access to medicines
The OECD has held a 'High Level Forum on Medicines for Neglected and Emerging Infectious Diseases: Policy Coherence to Enhance their Availability', in collaboration with the Government of the Netherlands and WHO.
http://tinyurl.com/24fg4h
Security sector reform
The OECD DAC has published a 'Handbook on Security System Reform (2007)', an operational manual for those working at both headquarters and field level to support security and justice reform. This is the product of a two-year consultation process aimed at making security and justice service delivery more effective.
http://tinyurl.com/2vtxdf
Issue No 72, July 2007
UK Politics
Aid figures released
DFID has issued provisional figures on their total bilateral aid expenditure for 2006/07. This is estimated at £2.515 billion - an increase of £14 million or 0.6% on 2005/06. 44% of the total went to Africa and 35% to Asia.
http://tinyurl.com/2m8vh2
Maternal health
Reducing Maternal Deaths: Evidence and Action, DFID's second progress report on its Maternal Health Strategy, highlights that levels of maternal deaths are still unacceptably high, and the single largest cause in parts of sub-Saharan Africa is AIDS. The main barrier to improving maternal health remains poor access to good quality, comprehensive health services.
http://tinyurl.com/36rsoq
Putting research into action
Ministers from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Sierra Leone jointly launched a £37.5 million programme that aims to put the best agricultural and natural research into widespread use across Africa and South Asia.
http://tinyurl.com/2mho4d
'Governance, Development and Democratic States'
DFID's recent policy paper Governance, Development and Democratic States - DFID's work in building more effective states follows on from the 2006 White Paper and expands on what is meant by 'governance' and how the department has put their approach into practice.
http://tinyurl.com/2pdzg8
New fund for African businesses
The UK will provide US$20 million over three years to the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund. The Fund, to become operational in early 2008, will provide match-funding for business innovations that improve the economic prospects of Africa's most excluded people.
http://tinyurl.com/342bff
DFID Health Strategy 2007
DFID's new strategy on health, Working Together for Better Health, sets out their principles and priorities for the coming years. Progress on improving the health of the world's population has slowed in recent years; this must be addressed if we are to deliver the Millennium Development Goals.
http://tinyurl.com/ys9md9
United Nations
Melting ice will affect millions
Millions of people worldwide will be affected by melting snow, ice and glaciers, according to a report released by the UN Environment Programme. The report, Global Outlook for Ice and Snow, warns that the availability of water for both drinking and agriculture will be affected and rising sea levels will affect low-lying coastal areas and islands. An estimated 40 per cent of the world's population could be affected by loss of snow and glaciers on the mountains of Asia.
www.unep.org
Tackling malnutrition
An innovative approach combining community-based care with traditional hospital treatment is helping to tackle severe acute malnutrition and boosting survival rates, say WHO, WFP, UNICEF and the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition.
Three quarters of children with severe acute malnutrition who have good appetites and no medical complications can receive home treatment through ready-to-eat therapeutic foods, known as RUTFs. RUTFs can be eaten without adding water, thus reducing the risk of bacterial infection.
www.unicef.org
Commitment to Fight AIDS
The UN Secretary-General and other business leaders have reaffirmed the need for public-private partnerships to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the work of the Global Business Coalition, an alliance of 220 companies leading the corporate world's work to eliminate these diseases.
http://tinyurl.com/24dqkh
New Guidelines to Boost HIV/AIDS Testing
Aiming to boost access to HIV treatment, care and prevention services, WHO and UNAIDS have jointly issued new guidance calling for increased health care provider-initiated testing and counselling. The prevailing model now is voluntary testing and counselling, where individuals actively seek diagnosis, but experts say this system is impeded by fear of stigma and discrimination, limited accessibility to services and the perception of many that they are not at risk.
www.unaids.org
UNICEF Annual Report 2006
UNICEF's annual report is now online.
http://tinyurl.com/ywk4vq
European Union
New working party on EU-Africa Strategy
An ad hoc working group has been set up within the Council of the European Union to coordinate EU member states' positions on the wide range of issues covered by the Joint EU-Africa Strategy. The group consists of experts from interested member states and will meet regularly, probably before each EU-Africa expert troika meeting. Its first meeting took place on 6 June.
http://tinyurl.com/2fqkd6
Call to boost aid impact
The European Commission has adopted a Communication paving the way for greater efficiency and coherence in delivering humanitarian aid. The Commission is calling for the European Union to work more closely together on a consensus that would boost its collective response to humanitarian crises.
http://tinyurl.com/2x3n9d
Anti-terrorism Convention comes into force
The Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism came into force on 1 June.
http://tinyurl.com/2ejgeh
EC pledges 400m euros to the Global Fund
President Barroso has pledged 100 million euros for the Global Fund for 2007 and proposed a further 300 million euros over the following three years.
http://tinyurl.com/252rfv
OECD
Aid Effectiveness Survey
The OECD/DAC has published its overview of findings from the 2006 Survey on Monitoring the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness. 34 developing countries and 55 donors participated in the survey.
http://tinyurl.com/2cqwwa
Financing Development: Aid and Beyond
A new book from the OECD assesses the changing landscape of international development finance from a global and a developing-country perspective. Financing Development: Aid and Beyond presents a range of policy implications for donors and recipients and makes recommendations on the use of both grants and loans in development finance.
http://tinyurl.com/2e8dlo
Issue No 71, June 2007
UK Politics
DFID Annual Report 2007
On 15 May DFID launched its 2007 annual report, 'Development on the Record'. The report gives a full account of where and how DFID's money has been spent over the last year and how they have pledged to spend it in the coming years. This is intended as a new type of annual departmental report, giving more attention to how effectively and transparently aid has been delivered.
http://tinyurl.com/yvghed
Evaluating UK Aid
DFID has set up a new independent committee to assist in evaluating the impact of UK aid. The Independent Advisory Committee on Development Impact (IACDI) will determine which programmes and areas of UK ODA will be evaluated and when and, in collaboration with DFID's Evaluation Department will: identify gaps in the planned programme of evaluations and make proposals for new areas or other priorities; determine whether relevant standards are being applied and comment on the overall quality of the programme of evaluation work carried out against these.
http://tinyurl.com/2hqtb7
Tackling Avian Flu
DFID has launched a £3.9 million study aimed at helping some of the world's poorest farmers to tackle avian flu and safeguard their livelihoods in the face of further outbreaks. The DFID-funded research focuses on Africa and Southeast Asia. It will examine how best to control avian flu and how to reduce the impact of the disease on poor people's livelihoods, for example, through farmer compensation schemes.
http://tinyurl.com/2suehy
IDSC Report on Water and Sanitation
The International Development Select Committee has published its report on Water and Sanitation.
http://tinyurl.com/ys7ldm
Role of Parliaments
ODI and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Africa have held a series of meetings to discuss the role of parliaments in developing countries and their contribution to poverty reduction.
http://tinyurl.com/26dxpe
United Nations
Climate Change Envoys
The UN Secretary General has appointed three special envoys on climate change - pledging to use their experience from previous posts and their contacts with national leaders to galvanise more international action on the issue. They are: former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Republic of Korea Foreign Minister and General Assembly President Han Seung-soo and former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos Escobar. The UN Secretary General has said that tackling climate change is one of his priorities.
The envoys are tasked with discussing climate change with the world's major political figures and formulating proposals ahead of the next high-level international meeting on climate change, scheduled for September, and the follow-up conference in Bali in December. Mr. Lagos said the envoys would concentrate on convincing national leaders, in both developed and developing countries, of the environmental and economic value of seeking alternative fuels to meet their energy needs. He noted that many of the proposals for dealing with climate change were emerging from civil society, and the envoys would try to build on them.
http://tinyurl.com/3x33mt
Action on Sanitation
The UN Secretary-General has called for concrete measures from UN members, civil society and others to tackle the chronic shortage of sanitation. Mr. Ban told the first preparatory meeting for the International Year of Sanitation, which will be marked in 2008, that "access to sanitation is a fundamental issue of human dignity and human rights, and also of economic development and environmental protection." An estimated 2.6 billion people, including about 980 million children, worldwide do not have access to basic sanitation services.
http://tinyurl.com/22n3n7
Handbook to Combat Violence Against Children
UNICEF and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) have launched a joint handbook for lawmakers to help them devise the necessary strategies, from introducing legislation to allocating public funds, to protecting children from violence. UNICEF has allocated more than US$240 million over the past two years to its programmes on child protection.
www.unicef.org
Price Cuts of AIDS Medicines
UNICEF has hailed a joint new initiative by a UN-backed drug purchasing consortium and the Clinton Foundation which will cut the price of 16 AIDS treatments in developing countries, opening the door to improving children's access to much needed medicines. The price cuts were made possible by UNITAID, an international drug purchasing facility launched in 2006, which will provide the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative with over US$100 million over 18 months to buy these second-line medications for 27 countries. UNITAID, which is funded by 34 countries as of now, relies on innovative mechanisms to raise money, including a levy on airline tickets. This year, it will provide US$300 million, and financing is expected to exceed US$500 million in 2009.
http://tinyurl.com/2khn6o
OECD
African Economic Outlook 2007
The OECD has published the African Economic Outlook which reviews the continent's recent economic situation and the likely short-term evolution of selected African countries. The 2007 focus is on Access to Drinking Water and Sanitation.
www.oecd.org
Statement to the Development Committee
The OECD Secretary-General and the Chair of the DAC have made a statement to the Development Committee examining the challenges related to commitments on aid volume, effectiveness, aid architecture and gender.
http://tinyurl.com/yvkqfv
European Union
European Commission Presents Preliminary Draft EU Budget for 2008
The European Commission has put forward the preliminary draft of the EU budget for 2008. The draft budget for 2008 amounts to 129.1 billion which corresponds to 1.03% of the GNI of the 27 EU member states.
http://tinyurl.com/2bfjb2
European Parliament Calls on EU Member States to Recognise Poverty as a Security Issue
The European Parliament has urged that the EU's security strategy should be updated so that climate change and preventing the spread of poverty are treated as major challenges for EU security. The Parliament recommends that the UN's Millennium Development Goals should be one of the EU's priorities this year, alongside the fight against terrorism. It suggests that development aid should address the root causes of migration to the EU from poor countries and that it should encourage a stronger engagement by the EU in conflict resolution. It also calls for the appointment of a European foreign minister, who would simultaneously hold a post in the European Commission and chair the foreign affairs grouping at the Council of Ministers, to ensure continuity and coherence.
http://tinyurl.com/2jsl3j
DG External Relations Publishes Country Strategy Papers 2007-2013
Country Strategy Papers 2007-2013 for a number of Latin-America countries have been published by DG External Relations.
http://tinyurl.com/2nn9md
Commissioner Louis Michel to Stand in the Belgian Parliamentary Elections
José Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, has agreed to Commissioner for Development Louis Michel's request for leave to stand as a candidate for his party in the Belgian parliamentary elections. The commissioner will be on unpaid leave from 12 May, until 10 June 2007, the date of the elections.
http://tinyurl.com/2s462z
Issue No 70, May 2007
UK Politics
UK Aid Rises
DFID has released its preliminary figures for UK ODA in 2006. These show that UK aid in 2006 is estimated at £6,851 million, representing an increase of £928 million on the 2005 figure of £5,923 million. UK ODA represents 0.52% of GNI in 2006, up from 0.47% in 2005. UK ODA excluding debt relief in 2006 is estimated at £4.96 billion. UK ODA excluding debt relief as a proportion of GNI is 0.38% in 2006 compared to 0.32% in 2005.
www.dfid.gov.uk
Supporting Education in Fragile States
DFID and the Treasury have announced increased support for delivering education for children affected by conflict or living in fragile states. This will include a £20 million grant to UNICEF, and financial support for education in conflict and post-conflict states such as Nepal, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Liberia and Afghanistan.
www.dfid.gov.uk
UK Humanitarian Aid for Iraq
DFID has more than doubled support for Iraqis who have fled their homes, with a further £6 million for emergency relief. This brings the UK's annual support for internally displaced Iraqis and refugees to £10 million and the UK's total humanitarian contribution for Iraq to over £125 million since 2003.
www.dfid.gov.uk
United Nations
OECD
European Union
Issue No 69, April 2007
UK Politics
Tackling Gender Inequality
To mark International Women's Day on 8 March, DFID launched a new publication, 'Gender Equality - at the heart of development', which sets out what DFID is doing to tackle discrimination and to promote free, fair and equal treatment for women and girls in developing countries. This is accompanied by a 'Gender Equality Action Plan 2007-2009' which explains what is needed now to prioritise DFID's work on gender equality and women's rights.
www.dfid.gov.uk
United Nations
OECD
European Union
Issue No 68, March 2007
UK Politics
Showing that Aid Works
DFID have produced a DVD about UK aid. The films, 'Aid Works' and 'Making Aid Work' are intended to explain aid's role in tackling global poverty and how UK taxpayers' money gets to those in need. Copies of the DVD can be obtained from the DFID Public Enquiry Point:
Tel: 0845 300 4100
Email: enquiry@dfid.gov.uk
United Nations
European Union
Issue No 67, February 2007
UK Politics
Developing Global Partnerships in Education: The World Classroom
In January, Chancellor Gordon Brown and International Development Secretary Hilary Benn launched 'The World Classroom' a new publication showcasing how UK schools build links with schools in the developing world. The UK will spend £8.5 billion over the next decade to help the developing world realise the aim of Education for All. The Department for International Development (DFID) runs a school linking programme designed to encourage and increase understanding of the challenges and opportunities that face school children across the world.
To view a copy of the new publication:
www.dfid.gov.uk
DFID's Global School Partnerships:
www.dfid.gov.uk
United Nations
OECD