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Policy News Roundup

Yemen :  Following a failed attempt to blow up Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day, government officials from around the world met in London to coordinate international efforts to provide assistance to Yemen. Yemen is considered a terrorist hot spot, and is now in the global spotlight.  Officials are concerned about the growing Al Qaeda presence, and are considering using development assistance to thwart its efforts.

Hillary Clinton urges Yemen to ‘take ownership’ of its problems

Yemen Vows Better Use of Aid as Donors Focus on Al-Qaeda Fight

Yemen clashes continue, ceasefire offer rejected

House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs holds hearing– Yemen on the Brink: Implications for U.S. Policy

World Economic Forum:  The World Economic Forum (WEF) is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and was incorporated as a foundation in 1971 under the supervision of the Swiss Federal Government. It is best known for its annual meeting in Davos and gathers intellectuals in addition to top leaders in business and international politics to discuss the most critical issues facing the world including health and the environment. The WEF is not-for-profit, non-partisan, and tied to no national interests.

Surprisingly both the bankers and politicians, who agree on pretty well nothing else, are all thinking globally for the future.

“There will be no return to ‘business as usual.’ . . . More intrusive regulation of the financial system is now inevitable.”

Leaders in Davos Admit Drop in Trust.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced at World Economic Forum in Switzerland that they will donate $10 billion over the next 10 years in the field of vaccine research and distribution.

Brazil’s Silva chastised wealthy nations for triggering the global financial crisis, for not doing enough to help the globe’s poor and for failing to redress historic wrongs.

For more World Economic Forum updates refer to their web site at:

http://www.weforum.org/en/index.htm

Haiti:

High-Level Haiti Commentary Touches on Foreign Assistance Reform Themes

Our foreign aid system is broken with our assistance programs fragmented across roughly 25 government departments and agencies.

The president will call for a three-year freeze on some categories of federal spending, excluding the military and homeland security, foreign aid, Social Security and more.

Americans detained in Haiti were ‘trying to rescue children’

Other News from Around the World:

States renew vows to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Senators Kerry and Lugar introduced a bill to authorize the State Department and make changes in U.S. foreign relations policy- including to increase the capacity of USAID and improve on its accountability.  This would be the first authorization of the State Department in many years.

African summit hears world ignoring Somalia crisis

US Arms Sales to Taiwan Latest Hit to Sino-American Ties

Land reform in Africa is not simple- many people have benefited from it, but it has also stirred up more conflict in some cases.

Thanks to Global Washington intern Luke Mohr for compiling this Policy News Roundup.

Global Development in the State of the Union Address – We Do it Because it is Right

Last night, President Barack Obama delivered his first State of the Union address, after one year in office.  As expected, he discussed healthcare reform, the economic recovery, and national security.  He also went into great detail on the need to create more jobs in this country, and how we can do that through investing in green technology innovations, and expanding trade.

International development does not typically get much attention in a state of the union address.   President Obama did not give significantly more space to development than usual, but he did a nice job of articulating why the United States must continue to help people in faraway lands.  It’s not just about security, or preventing the spread of disease- we do it because it is right. 

We do it because it is right.  This sentiment could be the opening paragraph to a national development strategy, which could improve U.S. foreign assistance greatly.  We need a national development strategy that strongly articulates the U.S. vision and goals for foreign assistance – without it, we’re just shooting out money and programs and ideas from different U.S. government agencies to countries around the world, without any idea to bind it all together, without any way to even check that they meet U.S. goals.  Many of these programs and policies work, but sometimes they are in conflict with each other, and some of them really are just shots in the dark.  We need more coordination, and it has to start with a national strategy.

Here is the excerpt from President Obama’s speech that addresses global engagement:

“That’s the leadership that we are providing –- engagement that advances the common security and prosperity of all people. We’re working through the G20 to sustain a lasting global recovery.  We’re working with Muslim communities around the world to promote science and education and innovation.  We have gone from a bystander to a leader in the fight against climate change. We’re helping developing countries to feed themselves, and continuing the fight against HIV/AIDS.  And we are launching a new initiative that will give us the capacity to respond faster and more effectively to bioterrorism or an infectious disease -– a plan that will counter threats at home and strengthen public health abroad.

As we have for over 60 years, America takes these actions because our destiny is connected to those beyond our shores.  But we also do it because it is right.  That’s why, as we meet here tonight, over 10,000 Americans are working with many nations to help the people of Haiti recover and rebuild.  That’s why we stand with the girl who yearns to go to school in Afghanistan; why we support the human rights of the women marching through the streets of Iran; why we advocate for the young man denied a job by corruption in Guinea.  For America must always stand on the side of freedom and human dignity.” 

Policy News Roundup

President Barack Obama intends to propose a three-year freeze in spending that accounts for one-sixth of the federal budget – however, military, veterans, homeland security and international affairs budgets (including foreign aid) are safe from the freeze.

The British development agency, DFID, launched a new fund for small non profits

Bill Gates writes about achieving productivity and sustainability in global agriculture in his new blog.

Are African women having too many babies?  See the World Bank blog on Africa and the feisty debate in the comments.

“It is all decided by a professor in New York,” said a shopkeeper in a Millennium Village in Ethiopia, when asked who decides on project priorities in the village.

Google has threatened to pull its business out of China, ending a 2006 compromise in which the company agreed to allow the government to filter taboo topics on searches done inside the populous Communist Party-run country.

And more on Haiti

Global Washington member Agros International blog on relief vs development work in Haiti

Haiti has problems because it wasn’t colonized long enough?    Let’s nip this one in the bud.

Should cruise ships stop in Haiti?

Who is in charge of US relief efforts in Haiti- defense or development?

Beware of sham organizations seeking money for Haiti