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Reinvigorating Egypt’s Economy

Mohamed A. El-Erian — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:30:17 +0000

While blaming the revolution is not a persuasive explanation for Egypt’s current economic woes, its appeal to many Egyptians is understandable. Over the last few months, their economic situation has gone from bad to worse.

Harnessing the Remittance Boom

Kanayo F. Nwanze — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:00:21 +0000

In Asia’s developing countries, the importance of remittances – the money that migrant workers send home to their families (many of whom live in poor and remote areas) – is immense. But, while remittances to these countries are five times higher than official aid, their potential economic-development benefits have not been realized.

A New Deal for Fragile States

Erik Solheim — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:50:12 +0000

Today, roughly one-fifth of the world’s population lives in conflict-affected and fragile states, despite vast sums of money spent aiding such states over the last 50 years. Obviously, the way that international and national partners engage such states must change radically.

The Problem with Poor Countries’ GDP

Bill Gates — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Traditionally, one of the guiding factors for development aid has been per capita GDP – the value of goods and services produced by a country in a year divided by the country’s population. Yet GDP may be a very inaccurate indicator in the poorest countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Nigeria’s Poverty-Powered Insurgency

Ike Okonta — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

The radical Islamist sect Boko Haram has proved surprisingly resilient since declaring war on Nigeria's government in 2009. And, with rising unemployment and endemic corruption driving frustrated young people to Boko Haram recruitment centers in droves, the sect is in a strong position to continue its war of attrition.

Vaccination’s Lifetime of Blessings

Desmond Tutu — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

This week marks the world’s first global summit dedicated to ensuring that children everywhere have access to the full benefits of vaccines. The summit builds on a commitment made last year by nearly 200 countries to eradicate polio, develop new and improved vaccines at affordable prices, and immunize every child by 2020.

Pakistan’s Winnable War on Polio

Suniya Qureshi — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

In 1994, Pakistan had roughly 25,000 cases of polio, many resulting in death or permanent disability. But, thanks to intensive vaccination campaigns, Pakistan had only 58 cases of polio last year, and the government and international health officials have set a plan to stop polio transmission completely by the end of 2014.

Cartography’s New Golden Age

Brian McClendon — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

A growing community of "citizen cartographers" is using online tools to create maps of remote areas – and transforming people’s lives in the process. Accurate maps create opportunities for economic growth, improve access to health care and other services, contribute to social development, and broaden people’s horizons.

Beating the Child Killers

Seth Berkley — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Pneumonia and diarrhea account for 29% of deaths of children under five years old – more than twice the total for HIV and malaria combined, and nearly as many as all other infectious diseases, injuries, and other post-neonatal conditions put together. But both diseases are easily prevented, creating an imperative for global action.

What the World Needs from the BRICS

Dani Rodrik — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

It can be cause only for celebration that the world’s largest developing economies are holding regularly meetings and establishing common initiatives. Nonetheless, it is disappointing that Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa have chosen to focus on infrastructure finance as their first major area of collaboration.

Can We Feed the World?

Gordon Conway — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Despite recent agricultural advancements, chronic hunger remains pervasive, particularly in developing countries. Only by taking concerted action to bolster innovation, strengthen market linkages, support smallholder farmers, and encourage visionary political leadership, can we guarantee food security for all.

Crumbling BRICS

Jaswant Singh — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:20:06 +0000

At this month's BRICS summit in Durban, the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa will set ambitious goals. But, given the obstacles to cooperation – from mutual distrust to disparate interests – that exist among them, they are more likely to achieve their goals individually.

Mali and the Islamic Reformation

Michel Rocard — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:30:12 +0000

After a highly successful intervention in Mali, French troops are set to return home. But, with thousands of fundamentalist killers in the desert, now poorly motorized but still armed, should they do so?

The Food Threat to Human Civilization

Paul R. Ehrlich, et al. — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:30:10 +0000

Humanity faces a growing complex of serious, highly interconnected environmental problems, including much-discussed challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and epidemics. But the most serious threat to global sustainability in the next few decades will be the growing difficulty of avoiding large-scale famines.

Impatient South Africa

Ian Bremmer, et al. — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:30:09 +0000

The African National Congress, which has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid, is in serious trouble. Unfortunately, the country may not be far behind.

Egypt’s Economic Siren

Mohamed A. El-Erian — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:50:03 +0000

Egypt’s political elite would be well advised to focus on the economic implications of the country's current turmoil. Doing so would lead them to recognize seven compelling reasons why a more collaborative approach to solving Egypt’s problems is in the country’s collective interest, as well as in their own individual interests.

A Peace Agenda for Global Development

Graca Machel — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Next week, Liberia will host a meeting to help establish a bold yet practical vision for global development cooperation after 2015. The world must seize the opportunity to embrace an agenda that addresses the vicious cycle of conflict and poverty that undermines economic and social development.

The Algerian Tragedy

Omar Ashour — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:30:08 +0000

The origins of the recent attack on a remote gas installation in Algeria lie in the military coup that ended the “Algerian Spring” two decades ago. Indeed, as that episode has shown, the civil war that followed, in which more than 150,000 people were killed, never really ended.

Hollande in Mali

Dominique Moisi — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:40:13 +0000

For the moment, the French are standing, overwhelmingly, behind President François Hollande's decision to intervene in Mali. But this support may be fragile, and could collapse if something goes wrong on the ground – or, worse, in France.

Ethics and Agriculture

Peter Singer — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:20:12 +0000

Should rich countries – or investors based there – be buying agricultural land in developing countries? While it has been claimed that foreign investors bring idle land into production, thereby increasing food production, much of this land was rich in biodiversity, and the output is typically exported to investors' home countries.