economic crisis « GDNet Blog

The Future of Aid

December 15, 2010 by bettyallen Leave a comment

As 2010 comes to an end, the effectiveness of the fundamental mechanisms of the current foreign aid system has become a much discussed and ever more pertinent issue. Robert Riddle in his 2007 book Does Aid Really Work? highlights the traditional principle that underpins all foreign aid as:

Those who can should help those who are in extreme need…What could be simpler?

However, as Riddle elaborates, the realities of foreign aid are far from simple. Indeed, the current global financial crises, climate change challenges, natural disasters and political volatility are all contributing factors in an increasingly complex international concern.

These issues have resulted in an extensive diversity in both the attitude and approach to aid. Some, such as William Easterly and Dambisa Moyo, argue that foreign aid has stunted the growth of countries in Africa and instead created a circle of aid dependency, corruption and further poverty.

Other aid practitioners believe that aid can be successful, but only if delivered correctly.

GDN 12th Annual Conference Plenary Speaker: Professor Helen Milner

December 14, 2010 by bettyallen 1 Comment

Plenty of leading scholars will address the key issues relating to this year’s conference theme, Financing Development in a Post-Crisis World. Five plenaries top and tail each of the three day’s proceedings, with one of the most exciting taking a particularly topical theme of Development Aid: The Emerging New Landscape.

The international context of foreign aid has changed profoundly in the last few years due to multiple, interrelated global crises and challenges. Food insecurity, volatile energy and commodity prices, climate change, and above all, the global financial crisis, have recently left many fragile countries struggling to cope. This session asks the demanding question of what the next decade might hold for aid effectiveness; explores how ‘aid’ is defined; and promises to look at the macroeconomic impact of aid and the recent emergence of new donors from the South.

What Future Globalisation?

January 7, 2010 by Pier Andrea Pirani Leave a comment

The 11th Annual Global Development Network Conference will take place over three days between 16-18th January 2010 in Prague, Czech Republic.

The conference will focus on globalization and regional integration in the context of the recent economic crisis. It brings together more than 500 leading thinkers from developing and emerging economies to stimulate discussion based on cutting-edge research and evidenced opinion.

There will be five main sessions focusing on the key themes looking at threats to globalization; lessons of regional integration; responses to the crisis and reforming global financial governance. Prominent speakers from the widest range of institutions including donors, multilaterals, southern governments and western and eastern academic organisations, will contribute global perspectives during plenaries and the range of parallel sessions and at workshops held for the two days prior to the conference. Read more of this post

Filed under 11th Annual Conference, Conferences and Events, GDN Annual Conference Tagged with economic crisis, gdn2010, global integration, regional integration