Tag Archives: Friday wrap-up

Recently on the blog:

• The 2012 Olympic Games are underway in London. Record participation from female athletes, including the first ever female Olympians from Saudi Arabia, show how far women have come — and how far they still have to go, wrote Global Program Assistant Molly Brister.
• There is a growing recognition of the private sector’s role in international development. But effective public-private dialogue is vital if the private sector’s voice is going to have an impact. Eastern Europe and Eurasia Regional Director Andrew Wilson discussed some ways in which the private sector can effectively weigh in on national policy in developing countries. Also see the USAID Frontlines publication which mentions CIPE’s success in supporting this process.
• Do we have to choose between the state and the market? While this dichotomy may shape political debates in the US and Europe, Global Program Officer Anna Nadgrodkiewicz explained the importance of distinguishing between the scope of a state and the effectiveness of how it’s governed, and why a well-governed state is essential for markets to thrive.
• When Malawi’s president died suddenly in April, there were worries that supporters of the increasingly authoritarian ruler would stage a constitutional coup. Fortunately, as recently-departed Global Intern Matt Williger discussed, Vice President Joyce Banda assumed the role as intended. But will she continue to live up to democratic expectations, or succumb to the temptations of power like her predecessor?
• Young researchers: there is still time to apply for Think Tank LINKS fellowship, a partnership between CIPE and Atlas Corps, which will allow you to come and work at a think tank in Washington, DC.
• Finally, don’t forget to submit your cartoons to the 2012 Global Editorial Cartoon Competition. Winners, who will be chosen by online vote, will receive a $500 honorarium. The deadline is September 1, 2012.

Recently on the blog:

• Stephenie Foster answered questions about the importance of women’s leadership in economics and politics, and about how to increase women’s participation especially at the highest levels of government and business.
• Protests are heating up in Sudan. CIPE Grants Assistant Shaza Bala Elmahdi writes about the issues behind the protests and how social media is shaping the debate and helping activists to share information and organize.
• Meanwhile, in Pakistan, a CIPE training for bloggers has helped unleash the voice of citizen journalists, and you can read some of their work.
• While governments failed to reach major agreements at the recent Rio+20 summit, the private sector, which turned out to the summit at an unprecedented level, has begun to discover the business case for green growth. And despite the lack of major new agreements, the idea of measuring a country’s natural resources as economic assets is gaining favor with many governments, international bodies, and private companies.
• Should corruption be a human rights issue? What is the “God Particle” of development? Let’s hear your thoughts!

Recently on the blog:

• CIPE and the other core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy celebrated the 30th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s famous speech to the British Parliament at Westminster. In it, Reagan laid out a strategy for fostering the “infrastructure of democracy” that CIPE and the other core institutes continue to follow around the world.
• In Libya, returning rebel fighters to civilian life is just the first step towards the economic reforms the country needs to maintain peace and stability in the longer term. Pamela Beecroft, CIPE Program Officer for the Middle East and North Africa, wrote about the challenges of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programs and what Libya needs to do to move forward.
• At the recent G20 meeting in Rio de Janiero, much of the focus was on how economic growth can be sustained without destroyed the ecological fundamentals it is built on. CIPE Global Programs Assistant Molly Brister described some innovative ways that developing countries have begun investing in “green growth.”
• With Mexico’s presidential elections just a week away, CIPE Program Assistant for Latin America Stephanie Buck launched a 3-part series analyzing the key issues affecting America’s important but often-overlooked neighbor.
• In Malaysia, a bold experiment in economic reform is underway, with the private and public sectors working as partners rather than adversaries. CIPE Board Member Michael Hershman discussed Malaysia’s “Third Way” in an article for Forbes magazine.

This week on the blog:

• Africa Program Officer Yana Hongla continued his conversation with Frank the taxi driver, discussing Ghana’s gender problems.
• Global Program Officer Anna Nadgrodkiewicz wrote about the important, but infrequently discussed, role that local institutions play in supporting (or undermining) property rights.
• MENA Program Assistant Brandon Nickerson discussed the recent Arab League summit and what it means in the context of the post-Arab Spring Middle East.