Rogue Economics

Loretta Napoleoni’s quest to identify the failures of capitalism and explore the essence of globalization is presented in her most recent book, Rogue Economics: Capitalism’s New Reality.

Napoleoni discussed her book at the Center for Strategic International Studies and spoke about the different issues that the novel examines. To delve into the heart of her novel, Napoleoni organized a discussion based on distinguishable traits that she uses to define rogue economics.

One component of rogue economics concerns a proliferation of a “grey area” in the global economy. This allows individuals to take advantage of economic change and move toward clandestine markets laden with impropriety. To illustrate this component of rogue economics, Napoleoni began by discussing the Youth Communist Club in Russia and how they used pop-culture to manipulate the economy with different types of currency. The illicit activities allowed changes in power distribution, both economic and political power, to occur. This shifting of power distribution allows the economy to move faster than politics as unregulated economic activity moved on the grounds of society, unbeknownst to political officials or unseen by official political radars.

Rogue economics also involves slavery and unregulated sex worker industries. In regards to inhumane businesses and forced labor, Napoleoni examines the context in which these illegal forms of business change. She finds that major transition stages, particularly eras of political change, often accompany a growth in slavery and other immoral, illicit markets. The growth, she notes, is surprisingly immense. To illustrate this point, Napoleoni mentions the growth in the slave industry in Africa and Asia in the immediate post-colonization period. She also notes how the decolonization, democratization and increasing globalization accompany and even catalyze illicit activities.

Napoleoni’s thought provoking book examines the strength of the black market and explores the context that fosters it. To mitigate the problems caused by illicit economic activity, Napoleoni hints to new forms of regulation. With oversight and the ability to conduct legal, business transactions in a structured system, rogue economics would not be as harmful to society and to the people that often fall victim to its force.

Sponsor: Center for Strategic and International Studies
Location: 1400 16^th St. NW
Date: April 3, 2008
Time: 10:30am-12:00pm
Approximate Number of Attendees: 20
Representative Attending: Saphonia Foster

New Study Sheds Light on the IDP Situation in Colombia

Christine Oberli spoke on April 7, 2008 at Interaction in Washington DC about the International Committee for Red Cross’s (ICRC) operations in Colombia. As head of assistance programs in Colombia, Ms. Oberli highlighted a new study that the ICRC commissioned in conjunction with the World Food Program. The research study examines internally displaced persons in Colombia and the effectiveness and necessity of humanitarian aid.

In Colombia, internally displaced persons (IDP) are a huge problem. People leave their land because of fighting between paramilitary troops, rebel groups, and even because of their own military. Many leave to escape death threats or forced recruitment into rebel groups. There are over two million people who are classified as IDPs within Colombia. ICRC is a group which provides humanitarian aid to IDPs throughout the country in the form of food and hygiene kits and with emergency services.

From the study, priority recommendations have been created for future humanitarian aid to IDPs. They are:

1. The need for literacy and adult education access- In Colombia, many adults, especially IDPs have only 2-3 years of education. It is statistically shown that to overcome poverty, one must have, on average, 10 years of education.
2. Social responsibility programs- The private sector must begin taking some of the responsibility in providing for IDPs.
3. Improvement of living conditions- There is a need to provide housing subsidies to those who are poorly ranked on the living conditions index.
4. Sexual and reproductive health education programs- One of the main reasons for girls dropping out of high school is pregnancy. There is a need to educate children and young adults on sexual and reproductive health issues.
5. Emphasis on psycho and social problems- There is a need for programs to provide psychological support programs for IDPs and those who work with IDPs daily.
6. Effective mechanism for protecting assets and land- Many in Colombia are internally displaced because they are kicked off of their land. There needs to be measures to ensure the preservation of property to owners.

The study provides international organizations with the information to more effectively distribute humanitarian aid in ways which will be most beneficial to the recipients. In doing so, ICRC moves closer to finding a solution to this crisis.

For more information visit the ICRC website on Colombia:

http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/colombia?OpenDocument

Sponsor: Interaction
Location: 1400 16^th St. NW
Date: April 7, 2008
Time: 3:30-5pm
Approximate Number of Attendees: 12
Representative Attending: Ellen Rolfes

MINUSTAH at Four Years

Thursday, April 3, 2008
MINUSTAH AT FOUR YEARS

Panelists: Joel Boutroue, Deputy Special Representative of MINUSTAH and Humanitarian/Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in charge of humanitarian and development issues

In 2004, the United Nations Security Council determined that the situation in Haiti continued to threaten international peace and security in the region. As a result, it established a United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Since the implementation of MINUSTAH, slight progress has been made in security, governance, and economic recovery. Mr. Joel Boutroue, Deputy Special Representative of MINUSTAH, says there has been progress over the last two years. Haiti has seen a poverty reduction of 4% and a stabilized GDP over the past two years.
Mr. Boutroue did address the challenges MINUSTAH faces in the future. The creation of consistent job opportunities is necessary to increase micro economic stability. This progress will increase government revenue so that the government can continue to provide programs to its citizens. Because Haiti has seen progress in the last two years and shows signs of continuing stability, Boutroue thinks that leaving prematurely will set Haiti back and progress will cease. A continued establishment of benchmarks for future progress should be met by Parliament and the UN to continue security, governance, and economic progress.

Are the Millennium Development Goals Unfair to Africa?

William Easterly, an economic professor at New York University, presented a provocative discussion concerning the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and how they affect perception concerning developmental progress in Africa. During the event, he presented his findings in the report “How the Millennium Development Goals Are Unfair to Africa.” In the report, he examined the indicators used to measure national progress in relation to the established MDG aims.

To assess what he deemed “arbitrary” indicators, he examined each of the goals, their measurement indicators, and alternative indicators. This course of action fostered the ongoing theme presented by Easterly which claimed that the MDGs created a negative view of Africa and perpetuated stereotypes concerning African dependence on the West. This negative view of Africa was built on a foundation of indicators, which Easterly believed undermined progress in Africa as they, unlike the alternative indicators he presented, made Africa seem like a failed continent in regards to the MDGs.

Easterly urged the audience to realize that the progress made in Africa concerning the percentage of people living on less than $1 a day, the part of the populations without clean water access, the proportion of people who complete formal primary education, and other factors of development have all been improving since before the creation of the MDGs. This argument, coupled by what he saw to be ill-founded approaches to measuring goal successes and failures, made the MDGs seem arbitrary as he challenged their legitimacy.

But many, including the Vice President of Poverty Reduction and Economic Management at the World Bank, Danny Leipziger, believed that Easterly’s claims were unproductive and failed to recognize the value of internationally established goals. He mentioned how the goals were created with the input of a wide range of nations that hoped to challenge the status quo by making great strides in living condition standards.

The majority of researchers and policy makers in the development community realize that widespread collaboration between international development agencies is both necessary and crucial for improving living standards worldwide. As the first and only internationally recognized set of goals that places diverse elements effecting developmental progress under the same framework, the MDGs are laden with significant factors that Easterly did not address. While realizing that the point of his work was to focus on the how the MDGs have created an unjust perception concerning African development, on must consider that they have also helped African development rise to the fore of minds who may not have otherwise considered this subject matter without the well established MDGs.

The MDGs have galvanized worldwide support on the ground and in governmental/non-governmental offices. The have created a field where Africans and non-Africans can approach regional development projects from a common starting point, where human progress is the focus.

Easterly, is one of many, who rightfully noted the need to reform or rethink the MDGs and their structure. However, this criticism should not, for the sake of raising living standards worldwide, encourage the devaluing such an important element of developmental thought and policy. The development community should not discredit the MDGs. It is a useful, altruistic model for approaching development with an interdisciplinary lens and is a starting point where all nations can work toward a common good.

Sponsor: The Brookings Institution and the Center for Global Development
Location: Brookings
Date: February 6, 2008
Time: 11:30 am-1:30pm
Approximate Number of Attendees: 350
Representative Attending: Saphonia Foster

Prospects for Iraqi Reconciliation

Prospects for Iraqi National Reconciliation: Searching for a Plan

Thursday February 7, 2008
Featured Speakers: Mustafa Safwat Rashid Sidqi (Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow), and Michael Rubin (American Enterprise Institute)

Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraqi reconciliation has been a volatile issue plaguing the United States and the world. A Parliament, a Constitution, and elections have been implemented in Iraq, however, not without serious flaw. President Bush declared, “[all] Iraqis must have a voice in the new government, and all citizens must have their rights protected,” an idealistic vision for a currently unstable democracy. The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) was established to strengthen democratic institutions around the world through nongovernmental efforts. On Thursday, NED welcomed panelists Sidqi and Rubin to discuss the issue of Iraqi reconciliation and the problems the new democratic government is facing.
Sidqi, an Iraqi born citizen, discussed three major actors in the Iraqi reconciliation movement. Iraqi groups (tribes), regional players, and the international community all play role in solving humanitarian, economic, and democratic issues in Iraq. Sidqi believes that if the U.S. and the rest of the international community pools their efforts into helping the Iraqi government implement a more successful election process, assists the Iraqi government in abiding by the newly written constitution, and continues to minimize the tension between Iraqi tribes, a successful democracy is possible for Iraq. Rubin has spent years traveling to various countries helping democracy through elections take place. As a friend and colleague of Sidqi’s, Rubin agrees that a successful election process, where all Iraqi’s have a voice through their vote will strongly increase the success of the newly democratic Iraq.
Neither Sidqi nor Rubin claimed a successful election process will solve Iraq’s problems, but they did emphasize the importance of giving Iraqi’s power through voting as a leap towards a successful democracy. Attendees from various democratic and international organizations posed challenging questions to both Sidqi and Rubin about Iraq’s oil reserves, neighbors, and civil unrest. A successful Iraqi democracy as a long way to go, but Sidqi remains optimistic and continues to push for more international assistance in order to implement a more stable Iraqi government.

Girls Count

Girls Count: A Global Investment and Action Agenda

Featured Speakers: Kathy Calvin, Margaret Greene, Caren Grown, Laura Laski, Ruth Levine, Joan Libby-Hawk, Cynthia Lloyd, Caroline Ryan

The importance of investing time, energy, and funding into the world’s young female population is clear and undisputed. Young females across the globe are undoubtedly crucial to developmental progress and to the success of the Millennium Development Goals. Despite the noticeably important role of this specific group, support systems that aim to promote good health, the ability to advance, safety, and favorable living conditions for young women are unreliable. Girls are not protected even though they should be. Their vulnerability is exacerbated by the lack of consistent support. So they have only reaped the benefits of lip service, not reliable support over time.

In recognition of this unfortunate reality, the Center for Global Development, the International Center for Research on Women and the Population Council have reported on issues concerning this underserved segment of humanity with hopes to bring awareness to the fore and action to the ground.

The speakers first addressed why girls matter and why investing in their well-being is an economically sound decision. They mentioned that in this era of common interconnectedness of nations, young women comprise the workforce base that light textiles and other global industries requiring cheap labor rely on. As a result of their utility, young women are often subject to unfair work conditions and the unfortunate cyclic factors that accompany such exploitation.

One factor that accompanies exploitative practices is the absence of a formal mechanism that recognizes the existence of young females. As a result, young women lack citizenship and access to the rights that rely on formal documentation and identity records. Thus, many girls are restricted physically by their inability to travel legally. They are also they are limited financially as official ownership of land titles, assets, and homes requires documentation, as well as the approval and/or sponsorship of a male, usually a husband or father.

With hopes to help combat the gender inequalities recognized world-wide, the speakers gave a series of recommendations and encouraged attendees to realize how girls effect development. They framed part of this discussion around the Millennium Development Goals and by focusing on what individuals, non-governmental organizations/private actors, and governments can do to mitigate the problems related to gender equality and insufficient support for young females.

Some of the proactive steps you can take include encouraging males to respect and care for women of all ages. Parents can (re)introduce psychological commitment to ensure feminist ideals are respected and viewed with legitimacy. Also, you can support specific programs that directly support democratic governance and improve the conditions of civil society such as the Somali Women’s Scholarship Fund supported by UNDP-USA.

If you would like more information concerning issues of development related to women around the globe or would like to know how you can take a role in improving gender inequality, contact the U.S. Committee for UNDP.



Sponsor: Center for Global Development, International Center for Research on Women, Population Council
Location: Hilton Washington Embassy Row
Date: January 30, 2008
Time: 10:00 am-12:00pm
Approximate Number of Attendees: 300
Representative Attending: Saphonia Foster

UNGO Briefing on U.S. Foreign Aid

Thursday, January 31, 2008
State Department
UNGO Briefing on U.S. Foreign Aid: Past, Present, and Future
Sponsored by: Women’s Foreign Policy Group

Speakers:
Nazanin Ash (The Secretary’s Policy Planning Department, responsible for foreign assistance and aid effectiveness issues).

Daniel Rosenblum (Deputy Coordinator in the State Department’s Office of the Coordinator for U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia EUR/ACE, and Senior Coordinator for Europe and Eurasia in the Office of the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance F)

The U.S. Department of State is the leading foreign affairs agency and has the primary role in coordinating and implementing international affairs. Although the Department of State is the leading foreign affairs agency the success and implementation of its U.S. foreign is not without flaw. Nazanin Ash and Daniel Rosenblum discussed the past, present, and future of U.S. foreign aid and the complexities that go along with reorganizing the distribution of humanitarian and diplomatic aid.

Ash discussed the strategic intent of the U.S. Department of State in implementing the 2008 reorganization and what improvements have been made to the distribution and accountability of U.S. foreign aid. Three key issues have been implemented in order to insure a U.S. foreign aid policy that is more accountable to our government, NGO’s, U.S. citizens, and to those it’s helping. These issues include, but are not limited to: aligning foreign policy to that of other UN countries, increasing coordination and coherence within the process, and increasing performance and accountability on the domestic and international levels. Most of the issues plaguing the Department of State in previous years spawned from the lack of common systems and oversight on foreign aid projects.

Rosenblum remains very optimistic about the future of U.S. foreign aid as seen through the eyes of the Department of State and USAID. Previously, the Department of State had problems with the way assistance was carried out, especially when it came to short-term versus long-term goals. The reorganization has implemented a more streamlined process, especially in regards to how to approach budget requests to the President and Congress. In addition, the Department of State has provided the public with a much more simplistic way of how U.S. foreign aid is spent and has separated democratic and humanitarian aid for further clarity.

Climate Change: The Next Global Security Threat

Speaker: Johan Eliasch (The UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Deforestation and Clean Energy)

Although national security is the very top priority for nations across the globe, not enough emphasis is being put on climate change; what Johan Eliasch calls “the next global security threat”. In his lecture, he discussed our options the first of which was: do nothing.

If we do nothing, he said, temperature will see a global increase of four degrees, we will see an increase in the frequency of hurricanes and in rainfall at high latitudes, and there will be a drying of the subtropics. In addition, he stressed the human tragedy that would result: First, as the Himalayan glaciers melt, 1.3 billion people will lose access to fresh water, which will have a detrimental affect on their food supply. Secondly, we have already seen a spread of diseases including Malaria and the Chikungunya Fever (which although previously present only in Africa has shown up in Italy). Furthermore, he emphasized the threat that the unemployment, widespread poverty, competition for resources and displacement, caused by the effects of climate change, pose to global peace. He pointed to the crisis in Darfur as an example of a conflict that has, at its core, competition for fleeting resources.

If we were to take action, however, we would be able to prevent some of these adverse effects. In addition, stabilizing carbon dioxide emission would have only a 1% impact on global GDP as opposed to the 5-20% loss of GDP that would result if we do nothing. According to Eliasch, the way forward is unilateral leadership and multilateral agreements that offer global consensus on the issue.

To Eliasch, action will come in the form of an anti-deforestation campaign, deforestation being the most unnecessary cause of carbon emission. He believes that “Avoided Deforestation” is deliverable and affordable and has to involve indigenous people, many of whom are responsible for deforestation in the Amazon. According to him, part of the solution is creating a global carbon market that will attract investors to invest capital into buying and monitoring different areas of the rainforest. With the help of his non-governmental organization, CoolEarth, Eliasch hopes to save the rainforest and prevent carbon emissions by making trees more valuable standing than logged.

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For more information on Johan Eliasch and his NGO, check out: http://www.coolearth.org/
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Sponsor: The Brookings Institute
Location: Brookings
Date: January 31, 2008
Time: 10:30 am-12:00 pm
Approximate Number of Attendees: 150
Intern Attending: Micaela Klein

Indonesia Today and its US Relations

Featured Speakers: Former President Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie

On January 29, the US-Indonesia Society hosted many distinguished members of the international community for a breakfast with former President B.J Habibie of Indonesia. President Habibie is the President credited with bringing democracy to the country by opening the media, increasing human liberties, and introducing the largest decentralization initiative in history. Indonesia is now the third largest democracy in the world and the largest Muslim country.

Habibie’s speech emphasized the need for a stronger relationship between Indonesia and the United States. He began by citing the commonalities between the preambles to both constitutions. Using the preambles as a template he discussed how the common values that the countries possess (including pluralism, democracy and maintaining peace throughout the world) provide capital for future cooperation between the two countries.

Later in his speech, he discussed why Indonesia is important to US interest. He referred to Indonesia as “a cornerstone of regional security” and an economic role model for other developing nations. He also pointed out his country’s strategic importance on the Malacca Strait, which is the main shipping channel between the Indian and the Pacific Ocean.

Because Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, Habibie explained how it proves that democracy is compatible with Islam, contrary to some political theory, and how it serves as a good partner in the US’s war on terror. He said that Indonesia’s success as a modern, prosperous and democratic nation will benefit the image of Islam and in pursuit of democracy worldwide.

Sponsor: US-Indonesia Society (USINDO)
Location: Cosmos Club
Date: January 29, 2008
Time: 8:30 am-10:00
Approximate Number of Attendees: 50
Intern Attending: Micaela Klein

Health Systems and the Emerging International Health Architecture

Host: Center for Global Development
Date: January 23, 2008
Speaker: Julian Schweitzer
UNDP-USA Representative: Saphonia Foster

In a discussion concerning health systems and collaborative efforts to improve international health initiatives, the World Bank’s Director of Health, Nutrition and Population, Julian Schweitzer, emphasized the need for horizontal integration. He stated that stakeholders in worldwide healthcare projects including the Gates Foundation, the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and other major global actors would be more effective if they fused their efforts into a simpler, joint system. Major actors such as the World Health Organization, the African Development Bank, and UNICEF, have signed this new inter-agency agreement called the International Health Partnership (IHP).

He stated that the too many fragmented global health organizations undermines the ability actors to relieve some of the world’s most ailing problems. IHP is a step forward to combating this stark reality.

The discussion was framed around, arguably, the most prominent driving force in international development today: the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). With under-five death rates as a proxy measurement, Schweitzer illustrated that if progress toward the MDGs were to continue at the trends trailing back from 1960, then the world’s poor, including those in Asia, Africa, and other less developed regions, would still be plagued by preventable problems. This travesty calls for change.

In addition to convoluted programs that inhibit efficiency and lack of commitment to the MDGs, unpredictable funding flows also greatly undermine health care program success. To mitigate these setbacks, Schweitzer proposed a re-emphasis to the principles of the Paris Declaration. He noted that a clear shift in mentality where partnership, stable investment, and harmony between the different actors involved in international health issues should approach these problems from a similar mindset where achieving better health systems is the objective. This must include paying service to the priority of strengthening on the ground actors with grants, the potential for growth and innovation, the capacity to improve practices, and increased knowledge. This optimistic plan, the IHP, is possible only with support from a global alliance. This means calls for a commitment in civil society to work toward a stronger collaborative approach in improving health care worldwide.

Pakistan's Upcoming Election: A View from the Late Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party

Featured Speakers:
Javaid Laghari (Senator of Pakistan, Pakistan’s People’s Party-PPP)
Sherry Rehman (Member of Parliament- National Assembly of Pakistan, President of Central Policy Planning and Central Information, Secretary of PPP)
Bruce Reidel (Senior Fellow, Brooking Institution)

On December 27, 2007 Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister and leader of Pakistan’s People’s Party (PPP), was assassinated after delivering an impassioned speech about the future for democracy in Pakistan to hundreds of her followers. The event has polarized the country causing an increased rate of political violence. Many are concerned about what this means for the future of democracy in the country. President Musharraf has already suspended the elections (which were supposed to be held in January) until February, though many are doubtful that even if the elections are held that they will be run freely and fairly.

On January 22, 2008 the Brookings Institute hosted two members of the PPP to discuss the upcoming elections and the future of the PPP after Bhutto’s assassination. Before beginning his or her comments, each speaker took a moment to pay tribute to Bhutto, a brave woman who knowingly gave her life in the fight for democracy.

The speakers briefly discussed the assassination itself and the controversy surrounding the investigation. Senator Laghari pointed out many problematic areas in the investigation including failure to hear all of the witness testimonials and the failure to keep the crime scene intact for more than a few hours. He says that this controversy has caused a major decline in public support for the current regime, which appears it has something to hide. Laghari called for a larger political investigation, conducted by the UN, to find out who was responsible.

The attack has been identified as an attempt to break the PPP and destabilize the country. Rehman called this attempt a failure, identifying the smooth leadership transition within seventy-two hours of Bhutto’s death as evidence. According to a Gallup poll, 63% of Pakistanis believe that the party handled the situation well. Due to this support combined with the PPP’s strong social platform (which addresses economic fundamentals, education, and water access), the PPP is confident it can win the next election.

In terms of the future of democracy for Pakistan, all three speakers identified the United States as part of the problem. Bruce Reidel noted that over the past fifty years, US foreign policy has not been to back democracy but instead to support dictatorship. Currently, there is over 11 billion dollars of US aid to Pakistan that cannot be accounted for, the US approval rating is the lowest among Pakistanis it has ever been, and terrorism has increased throughout the country.

Every speaker emphasized how important it is to Pakistani democracy that the US hold the Musharraf government to a higher standard and provide them with the oversight needed for free and fair elections. Reidel added that the stakes for the US are incredibly high- specifically noting how the US’s greatest fears play out in Pakistan: the potential for nuclear war and suicide bombings. He said that the worst thing the US could do is take military action in an attempt to secure Pakistan’s nuclear arms- “to even talk about that,” said Reidel, “is to make a bad situation worse.”

Sponsor: The Brookings Institution
Location: The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium
Date: January 14, 2008
Time: 11:00 am- 12:30 pm
Approximate Number of Attendees: 50
Intern Attending: Micaela Klein

INFRASTRUCTURE INTEGRATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION IN THE AMAZON

Time and Date: Wednesday, January 16 2008, 12:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Location: The Wilson Institute
UNDP-USA Representative: Saphonia Foster

Thomas E. Lovejoy, President, The Heinz Center Timothy J. Killeen, Senior Research Scientist, Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International and author of the CI report on IIRSA Gustavo Fonseca, Head of the Natural Resources Management Team of the Global Environment Facility and Vice President of Conservation InternationalMauro Marcondes-Rodrigues, IIRSA Coordinator at the Inter-American Development Bank Carlos Nobre, Director of the Center for Climate Studies and Weather Forecasting and Senior Scientist at the National Institute for Space Research of the Brazilian Government Pedro Bara-Neto, Director, Amazon Project of the World Wildlife Federation Felipe Cruz, Coordinator of Strategies and Programs in Sustainable Development, Construtora Norberto Odebrecht Marcelo Lessa, Senior Investment Officer, International Finance Corporation Francisco J. Wulff, Principal Executive of Analysis and Sectoral Policies, Andean Development Corporation

In an era when the importance of sustainable development is increasingly recognized, Brazil continues facing difficult policy questions concerning how to conduct ecologically friendly infrastructure projects without contributing to irreversible damages to the Amazon.

At Wednesday’s event, both Lovejoy and Fonseca mentioned past failures of former development projects, such as road construction, that began in the 1960’s. Many drastic and unintended consequences, such as deforestation and irregular migration flows, resulted from these projects which were conducted by World Bank and many private investors. They threatened regional stability and the rainforest’s exceptional biodiversity. The effects of these past efforts to build infrastructure left visible reminders of the damaging effects of poor development.

In addition to directly affecting the environment, biodiversity, and natural resources, infrastructure and development in the Amazon affects local economies and employment opportunities.
The event speakers noted that farming production in Argentina, Uruguay, and other nearby nations will be threatened if poor development continues. Local farmers might be forced to either shift their focus to alternative crop production or leave agribusiness altogether.

The Amazon is a prime example of the chain effect that careless development can have on the lives of local peoples and their economies. To learn more about this topic and to gain a more in-depth insight on what the speakers of this event presented, see the event summary and the resources offered.

Kenya: Assessing the Political and Humanitarian Crisis

January 16, 2008

Opening Remarks by: Michael Ranneberger (U.S. Ambassador to Kenya)

Featured Speakers: Bukard Oberle (World Food Program Country Director, Kenya), Sam Kona (Center for Conflict Resolution, University of Cape Town, South Africa) David Throup (Senior Associate, CSIS), Mark Bellamy (Visiting Fellow, CSIS Africa Program, Former U.S. Ambassador to Kenya)

Moderated by: Jennifer Cooke (Co-Director, CSIS Africa Program)

The political and humanitarian crisis in Kenya continues since a resolution has not been made between the recently elected president, Mwai Kibaki, and his opponent in the recent elections, Raila Odinga. Today, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and Woodrow Wilson International Center (WWIC) came together to discuss and clarify the current situation in Kenya. They made projections concerning the country’s humanitarian efforts and political stability.

Kenya has been in a state of crisis since the presidential election results were released on December 30^th when Kibaki was named winner. Supporters of Odinga and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) protested these results claiming that the election was rigged to favor Kibaki and his party, Party of National Unity (PNU). Since the election, violent protests all over the country have occurred including the deaths of at least 500 Kenyans and the displacement of 250,000 people. Kibaki was formally sworn in as President of Kenya, but tension still remains. Sam Kona said that the violence and strife caused by the election reveal many other underlying problems related to the high ethnic tension among Kenyans specifically with the Kikuyus, who have disproportionately controlled much of the wealth, land, and elite positions in government in comparison to other ethnic groups.

U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger discussed the strategies of both leaders during this time of crisis. Kibaki has chosen to stand strong and hopefully by doing so, the violence will die down and he will retain his presidency for the next five years. Odinga hopes that the international community will pressure the Kenyan government to recount the vote. Both of these strategies, he said, were unconstructive. Kibaki cannot use oppression to retain his position if he wishes to be viewed as a democratic leader. In regards to finding a solution in this matter, Amb. Ranneberger emphasized that the international community would “facilitate, not mediate” dialogue between the two officials. The most accepted resolution is a power-sharing agreement between the two men with a number of possible reforms. A prime minister position or other executive position could create a more fair solution for both Odinga and Kibaki supporters Another solution might be through collaborative efforts between the two men, who could work together for constitutional and institutional reform.

Sam Zona and Amb. Bellany spoke of the situation in Kenya as hopeful. Enormous amount of pressure from outside and inside Kenya encourages the government to begin dialogue between Odinga and Kibaki. The United States sent Secretary of State Frazier early last week to meet with Kibaki to discuss power-sharing possibilities. The African Union and Ghanaian president John Kufour will also encourage dialogue to begin between the two contenders. Within Kenya, business elite, civil service organizations, and religious leaders also are stressing the importance of resolution because of the economic strain the political unrest has created. With ten billion shillings lost every day, the growth rate of Kenya’s GDP has already decreased from 6-7% percent to only 2-3%. The people of Kenya are very interested in seeing the country restored to a sense of normalcy.

Bukard Oberle and Sam Kona spoke on the humanitarian efforts going on currently in Kenya. Efforts to supply food and water to the 250,000 displaced and affected have been very successful largely because of the tremendous job of the Kenya Red Cross (KRC) and the WFP. Just today, the WFP, in conjunction with KRC and the Kenya government have distributed food to 77,000 people in the slums of Nairobi, an area where many people are unable to find work due to the political unrest. Since the election, 227,000 beneficiaries have received food rations, 126,000 of which live in the Nairobi slums. Mobil health facilities have been set up and health concerns overall are under control. The main problems which humanitarians face currently are access to many areas because of the violence occurring throughout the country.

Many of the speakers emphasized, it will be a slow process to restore Kenya’s government and economy from this election. It is in restoring Kenyans’ confidence in the democracy that lasting change will occur. The crisis in Kenya signifies a turning point in the country’s history. In the coming years, hopefully there will be institutional and constitutional reform that solidifies democratic ideals. The government must aim high in order to remove the divisions of ethnic groups from politics and to reestablish legitimate democracy. Through the work of the Kenyan government, the UN community, NGO’s and the citizens of Kenya, peace can be restored.

Read the transcript or listen to a recording of this event

For more information:

"Breaking the Stalemate in Kenya"
By Joel D. Barkan, Senior Associate (Non-resident), CSIS Africa Program


The United Nations Development Program Website also has more information on development issues in Africa including democratic governance and crisis prevention and recovery.

http://www.undp.org/africa/

Here is the website for the Kenya UNDP office:

http://www.ke.undp.org/

Sponsor: Center for Strategic and International Studies, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, World Food Program

Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies

Date: January 16, 2008

Time: 10:00-12:00

Approximate Number of Attendees: 200

Intern Attending: Ellen Rolfes

How PEPFAR is adapting to the Aid Effectiveness Challenge

Featured Speaker: Ambassador Mark R. Dybul, US Global AIDS Coordinator

Date:Monday January 14, 2008

Time:12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Location:The German Marshall Fund of the United States

UNDP-USA Representative: Saphonia Foster

The German Marshall Fund of the United States hosted an engaging discussion concerning the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Ambassador Mark Dybul, the U.S. Global Coordinator for PEPFAR, presented his thoughts concerning the ideological foundations that this humanitarian program rests on and addressed various issues related to its effectiveness.

Before sparking a discussion on how PEPFAR and other HIV/AIDS prevention programs can be more efficient, Dybul provided a theoretical framework guided by the philosophical principles of the Monetary Consensus and of the Paris Declaration. These documents, he stated, launched principals that direct PEPFAR’s view of how to make humanitarian programs more effective. He touted the new plan and its reflection of these documents ideals which include maintaining good governance in beneficiary nations, having result based program evaluations, encouraging multi-sector cooperation, and ensuring reliable financial support.

During the discussion, the Coordinator encouraged development and health organizations to veer from semantic arguments which often stunt program progress and cost lives as cumbersome debates undermine success. Ironically, this sparked somewhat heated questions about development jargon. Yet despite the contentious definitions, Dybul’s goal of shifting the focus to increasing program efficiency was well received.

Before his audience, which included many ambassadors and embassy delegates from Africa, as well as various representatives from Washington non-profit organizations and think tanks, Dybul made clear the need to change approaches to AIDS relief programs. He encouraged those of PEPFAR and others to pursue relationships of mutual respect with those that health projects target. He suggested that public health officials take a more team-oriented approach to aid programs and to drop the assumption that binary divisions exist in the relationship between the "helpers" and the "helped." This change of perception and a clear vision of what successful progress entails, he claims, are pivotal steps in making AIDS prevention programs more effective.

Date: Monday January 14, 2008

Time: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Location: The German Marshall Fund of the United States, 1744 R St., NW

UNDP-USA Representative: Saphonia Foster

A FAREWELL TO ALMS

Featured Speaker: George Clark

In a provocative lecture George Clark, professor at the University of California, Davis, presented his theories concerning the developmental history of the world. He exposed his findings in the new book “A Farewell to Alms” and shared his thoughts on conventional wisdom concerning economic growth and development.

The lecture was held at the University of California Washington Center and drew a broad audience including researchers, economists, graduate students, former diplomats, ambassadors, and various representatives from think tanks and developmental organizations.

In his talk, Clark veered from focusing on exploitation, geography, and the colonial legacy and engaged his diverse audience by challenging basic assumptions concerning development such as the belief that liberal markets spark growth. He confronted the ineptness of resource based explanations of development. He also challenged the idea that exposure to advances in technology engenders economic growth, progress, and improves living standards. These ideological foundations often guide academics and more importantly determine how policymakers frame solutions to combat the ills that accompany poverty and underdevelopment.

Clark continued to challenge these foundations by presenting a binary list of traits and factors that are generally presumed to catalyze economic growth and better living standards. While tracing historical data of England’s living standards, the professor drew a particular focus on the industrial revolution and on 16^th and17^th century sanitation practices, or lack there of. He juxtaposed this broad historical English context with various indigenous societies in Central America, South American, Africa, and India to support his claim that those who rested at the pinnacle of England’s social hierarchy did not necessarily bear the best standards of living based on his definition of high quality living standards.

The crowd was stimulated by Clark’s interesting presentation, which left spectators with more questions than answers. With this new approach to developmental thought, policy makers and humanitarian organizations can re-evaluate their approaches to development programs and question the primary premises that guide them. While doing so, development organizations can improve the impact they have on those abroad.

Date: Thursday January 10, 2008

Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Location: 1608 Rhode Island Ave. NW- Washington, D.C. 20036

UNDP-USA Representative: Saphonia Foster