Making Aid Effective: An Anti-Corruption Agenda

While aid flows topped US$ 128 billion in 2010, they have not always been good at achieving results due to corruption and mismanagement that arise from low levels of transparency, accountability and integrity on the part of donor and partner countries.

http://www.transparency.org/publications/publications/policy_positions/pp6_making_aid_effective_16_nov_2011

Safeguarding Mitigation Efforts for Sustainability

The objectives of climate change mitigation projects are undermined when they do not meet sustainable development criteria and transparency standards. In such cases, international mitigation mechanisms are weakened, corruption risks are increased and investment is compromised. To avoid such outcomes, institutional safeguards, effective decision-making structures and public oversight mechanisms are needed.

http://www.transparency.org/publications/publications/policy_positions/policy_position_4_2011_safeguarding_mitigation_efforts_for_sustainability

UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics

The UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics provides essential data for analysing and measuring world trade, investment, international financial flows and development. Reliable statistical information is often considered as the first step during the preparation of making recommendations or taking decisions that countries will commit for
many years as they strive to integrate into the world economy and improve the living standards of their citizens. Whether it is for research, consultation or technical cooperation, UNCTAD requires comparable, often detailed economic, demographic and social data, over several decades and for as many countries as possible.

http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/tdstat36_en.pdf

Iran and the Threat to "Close" the Gulf

There is nothing new about Iran’s threat to close the Gulf, but it does need to be put in context. Iran is reshaping its military forces to steadily increase the threat to Gulf shipping and shipping in the Gulf of Oman, It also is gradually increasing its ability to operate in the Indian Ocean. This increase in Iranian capability is almost certainly not designed to take the form of a major war with the US and Southern Gulf states, which could result from any Iranian effort to truly close the Gulf.

http://csis.org/files/publication/121230_IranGulfThreatBrief.pdf

The Full Protection and Security Standard Comes of Age: Yet another challenge for states in investment treaty arbitration?

This paper traces the development of the full protection and security provision in international investment agreements. This provision has emerged as a potent tool for investor protection. The paper first identifies the common formulations of the standard as found in international investment treaties, then discusses the key arbitral rulings in relation to the standard. It concludes by identifying options for states in managing their exposure to liability under this standard.

http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2011/full_protection.pdf

Zipping Finance and Farming in Africa - conference report

This report provides an insight into the lively discussions of the conference, the business cases presented, and the elaboration on the Kampala Principles. The main outcome of the conference is the Kampala Principles, 11 policy guidelines suggesting the actions most urgently required to foster the effective provision of financial services to the agricultural sector in Africa in the context of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP).

http://www.ruralfinance.org/fileadmin/templates/rflc/documents/mfw4a_zipping__finance_conference__documentation_en.pdf 

The Innovative use of Mobile applications in East Africa

The key questions that this report seeks to answer are therefore; what hinders the take off of m-applications for development in East Africa and what role can donors play in this process? Through mobile phones, farmers get access to market prices, young urban citizens can transfer money back to their home villages, health workers can give diagnoses and collect data, family and friends can easily connect and communicate, news can be spread and read in crisis situations, citizens can build opinion and mobilise. In just a few years, mobile phones have transformed East Africa, not just seen from a social and cultural point of view, but access to and use of mobile phones and applications is also shaking up the region’s entire economic system.

The ‘killer’ application in East Africa is still voice. Two other strong candidates are SMS and beeping, i.e. to call someone and hang up before the call is answered with the hope to be called back. Data traffic in East Africa is not yet widespread but is coming strong. The simple mobile applications that do exist are mainly in the financial, health and agriculture sectors with a few in education and governance. This study has identified more than 120 interesting applications (see Appendix 2 for the full list), ranging from many small pilots to a few full- scale implementations. So under which conditions are these applications deployed?
http://213.204.176.205/optimaker//interface/stream/stream.asp  

Internal Audit Pocket Guide

This document is an abbreviated version of the Internal Audit Activity Guide for Boards of Directors of Microfinance Institutions.

The internal audit function is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve the efficiency and security of an MFI’s operations. It helps an MFI improve its operations by bringing a systemic, disciplined approach to evaluating and improving its operations and control process. The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), an international professional association of more than 12,000 members, defines internal auditing as “…independent, objective assurance and consulting services designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of governance, risk management, and control processes.”
http://www.seepnetwork.org/filebin/IA_Pocket_Guide_final_2.pdf  

Uganda City Mayors:Sustainable Cities, UN-DESA

This brief is aimed at providing a basic reference fact sheet relative to international time-bound commitments in the area of cities, with a view to facilitating constructive discussion around sustainable cities in the course of the preparation for UNCSD. It examines existing commitments; briefly reports on the implementation of those; examines proposals that have been made to date in relation to future goals with time-bound targets for the international community to consider. Finally, suggestions are made on how goals for the future in this area could be structured. http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/content/documents/217Issues%20Brief%20No%205%20Sustainable%20Cities%20FINAL.pdf

Media in Africa: twenty years after the Windhoek Declaration on press freedom

The publication begins with an overview of the past two decades and shares assessments on the status of press freedom in Africa. The contributions are organised under four key sections - Freedom, Pluralism, Independence, and Access to Information. Articles cover these issues, as well as journalists' safety, gender sensitive reporting, and the role of the internet. http://www.misa.org/researchandpublication/democracy/MIA.pdf  

HIV/AIDS: Ten big stories in 2011

It's been a roller coaster of a year in HIV and AIDS. AIDS turned 30 in 2011, and with new evidence of the effectiveness of HIV treatment as prevention, experts are increasingly talking about "the end of AIDS". At the same time, however, funding for HIV has become ever more uncertain, jeopardizing efforts to put new, life-saving science into action.

http://www.plusnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=94562

When Should Developing Countries Announce Their Climate Policy?

This paper provides a rationale for developing countries to announce future credible commitments to reduce GHG emissions even if these are not to materialize in the short run, and for domestic reasons only. A simple framework is presented in which it is shown that it may be costly for an economy to transition from high to low emissions; and that, if climate policy eventually will be enacted, then it may be better for countries to commit earlier and therefore eliminate the uncertainty for the private sector to invest appropriately in clean technologies. In particular, conditions are shown under which the private investor prefers a pre-announced climate policy, and how this policy affects investment decisions and the deployment of clean
technologies.

http://www.iadb.org/en/research-and-data/publication-details,3169.html?displaytype=&pub_id=IDB-WP-281

Communication and Information in 2012

A new year is about to begin and the Communication and Information (CI) Sector is redoubling its efforts to promote the free flow of information in every corner of the globe. In this regard, during 2012, the CI Sector will be executing three major events/activities: 20th Anniversary Celebrations of the Memory of the World (MoW) Programme, World Press Freedom Day and the World OER Congress.

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/resources/news-and-in-focus-articles/in-focus-articles/2011/communication-and-information-in-2012/

The Arab Spring of Discontent

Not since the collapse of the Berlin wall and the demise of the Soviet Union has change swept so suddenly across a geographical region.

Written as events unfolded, this collection of articles offers insightful and diverse perspectives on the Arab uprising, and expands to consider related political unrest outside the predominantly Arab world, such as in Iran.

This collection should be of considerable interest to students of international relations, particularly those with an interest in the politics of the Middle East and North Africa. It should also be of intrigue to those with an eagerness to examine the conceptual issues of social change, political protest and humanitarian intervention.
http://www.e-ir.info/wp-content/uploads/arab-spring-collection-e-IR.pdf 

Science Across Virtual Institutes (SAVI)

Science Across Virtual Institutes (SAVI) is an innovative concept to foster interaction among scientists, engineers and educators around the globe. It is based on the knowledge that excellence in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) research and education exists in many parts of the world, and that scientific advances can be accelerated by scientists and engineers working together across international borders. Virtual institutes that connect researchers with common interests and goals will have a great impact on solving important societal challenges.

SAVI is a program initiated by the U.S. National Science Foundation under the Obama administration.
http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/savi/index.jsp