SurfWax News Index  |  Track News  |  Save/Exchange Information |  About Us News and Articles on Official Development Assistance Atomic Watchdog: No Bark, No Bite  Nov 20, 2009 Instead, the chief of the international agency charged with sounding the alarm to prevent a nuclear 9/11 complained that "the nations of the world spent over $1 trillion on armaments. But we contributed less than 10% of that amount a mere $80 billion as official development assistance to the developing parts of the world, where 850 million people suffer from hunger.". Channeling John Lennon, ElBaradei asked the Norwegian Nobel Committee to "imagine a world where we would settle our differences... (Investors Business Daily) 2010 WC: Antar Yahia sends Algeria to the World CupSudanese women seek int'l support over repressive laws against themUN envoy visits Sudan to assess status of child soldiersBADEA DG arrives Congo EU to train 2,000 Somali soldiersIMO pledges support to avert piracy off Somali coastSomalian prime minister to visit BrusselsLibya, Somalia review cooperation 7 journalists killed in three years in DR CongoUNDP, France to build hostels for trainee police officers in DRCWorld Club: TP Mazembe starts against Pohang SteelersNigerian club fails in bid to lift African champions league title Ivorian Prime Minister urges mutinous soldiers to remain calmGbagbo: "Whoever delays Ivorian elections is a criminal"Gbagbo reaffirms his desire for Ivorian peaceGbagbo signs Ivorian amnesty law ON THE WIRE FAO Summit boosts agriculture to end hungerNairobi, Kenya (PANA) - The three-day World Summit on Food Securityended in Rome late Wednesday after committing the internationalcommunity to investing more in agriculture and to eradicating hungerat the earliest date.    19/11/2009   Full Text...  Nov 19, 2009 FAO had proposed setting a target of 2025 for the total eradication of hunger from the face of the earth and increasing Official Development Assistance to agriculture to US$44 billion per year for investment in developing-country agriculture and rural infrastructure. At the same time, however, the Summit produced four important commitments, Diouf said. (Panapress.com) UN envoy visits Sudan to assess status of child soldiersBADEA DG arrives CongoUNAMID worried over harassment of peacekeepers in Darfur2010 WC/CAN: Benin names 18-man squad against Sudan IMO pledges support to avert piracy off Somali coastSomalian prime minister to visit BrusselsLibya, Somalia review cooperationBurundi sets conditions for keeping soldiers in Somalia UNDP, France to build hostels for trainee police officers in DRCWorld Club: TP Mazembe starts against Pohang SteelersNigerian club fails in bid to lift African champions league titleKenya Airways launches flights to Kisangani, DRC Ivorian Prime Minister urges mutinous soldiers to remain calmGbagbo: "Whoever delays Ivorian elections is a criminal"Gbagbo reaffirms his desire for Ivorian peaceGbagbo signs Ivorian amnesty law ON THE WIRE World leaders renew commitment to end hungerNairobi, Kenya (PANA) - World leaders who convened in Rome, Italy, Monday for the World Summiton Food Security have unanimously adopted a declaration pledging renewed commitment to eradicate hungerat the earliest date, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).    17/11/2009   Full Text...  Nov 17, 2009 We must make significant changes to feed ourselves and, most especially, to safe guard the poorest and most vulnerable," he said.Calling the over one billion hungry people in the world "our tragic achievement in these modern days," FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf stressed the need to produce food where the poor and hungry live and to boost ag ricultural investment in these regions."In some developed countries, two to four percent of the population are able to produce enough food to feed the... (Panapress.com) Nigeria: World Leaders Tackle Hunger As Mass Poverty Peaks  Nov 16, 2009 FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf also wants them to agree to increase agriculture's share of official development assistance to 17 per cent, the level it was in 1980, from the current five per cent.. This is not the first time the world body and governments will congregate to agree on the elimination of hydra-headed world ogre. (allAfrica.com) Food majors triple investment in ending hunger  Nov 13, 2009 The figure also pales when compared with $44 billion a year of official development assistance that FAO urges world leaders to agree to spend to help poor nations feed themselves. Private sector, governments, non-government organisations should work together to solve long-term problems in developing countries and eradicate hunger in the world, said Ertharin Cousin, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. food agencies in Rome. (AlertNet) * Japan pledges boost in aid at Mekong summit  Nov 8, 2009 He told a press conference the Mekong region was a priority area for Japans official development assistance (ODA) as it seeks to boost development in the resource-rich area. We strongly recognized the need for further strengthening of the Mekong-Japan relationship and cooperation to maximize the potential of the Mekong region, the statement said. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Sports) Japan steps up aid to Mekong nations  Nov 7, 2009 Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told a press conference on Saturday the Mekong region was a "priority area" for Japan's official development assistance (ODA) as it seeks to boost development in the resource-rich area. A joint declaration said "Japan commits more than 500 billion yen of ODA in the next three years" for the further development of the Mekong region, which includes Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand. (Yahoo! Asia News) Nigeria: World Food Demand May Double By 2050 - Expert  Nov 4, 2009 9 billion being spent now as official development assistance. Recommendations from the experts are expected to determine the outcome of the World Food Summit on Food Security that is slated to hold on the November 16 -18. (allAfrica.com) Africa: Green Revolution Requires Supporting Farmers, Says Agriculture Expert [interview]  Oct 27, 2009 Instead of Africa having to depend perpetually on official development assistance, we believe that Africa has to leverage the huge amount of private capital in the commercial markets to work for agriculture. The question is why money is not going to agriculture. (allAfrica.com) Economic crisis requires swift action on hunger: FAO chief  Oct 17, 2009 He suggested governments should increase agriculture's share in official development assistance to its 1980 level of 17 percent, up from five percent today. Pope Benedict XVI echoed Diouf's comments in a statement published on the FAO website. (Yahoo! Asia News) Conference on Impact of Global Financial Crisis on Women Opens  Oct 16, 2009 Dr Sheila Bunwaree, a lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Mauritius, said official development assistance was on decl= ine despite commitments and pledges made by donor countries to scale up suppo= rt. She said the crisis should open a chapter of negotiations of new form= s of relationship and institutions, which could provide equal opportunities= to both the developed and the developing countries. (Ghana Web, Ghana) Copenhagen must result in more aid to poor countries  Oct 12, 2009 Providing finance for adaptation - helping communities prepare for more severe storms, longer droughts, more tropical disease - ought to have minimal overlap with existing official development assistance. These development funds must not be shifted sideways. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion) Nigeria: Banking Sector Criticised for 'Corruption'  Sep 25, 2009 "The scale and scope of bribery in business is staggering. The consequences are dramatic. In developing and transition countries alone, corrupt politicians and government officials receive bribes believed to total between US$20 and 40 billion annually - the equivalent of some 20 to 40 per cent of official development assistance. The cost is measurable in more than money. "When corruption allows reckless companies to disregard the law, the consequences range from water shortages in Spain,... (allAfrica.com) Poor must not be forgotten in climate fight  Sep 22, 2009 So too is the idea that official development assistance should be shifted - like an accounting entry - and rebadged as ''climate aid. This notion surfaced in draft proposals last week among EU member states. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion) Joint action vital to battle crisis  Sep 14, 2009 Developed countries should significantly increase their official development assistance, provide support to developing countries for economic and social development unconditionally, increase technological and capital support to developing countries in the field of agriculture, energy conservation, environment protection, renewable energy, transportation infrastructure construction, education and health care, so as to improve their capabilities in agriculture, especially grain production, energy... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion) EU pledges billions to break climate talks deadlock  Sep 11, 2009 "This will not come at the expense of official development assistance," he said. (Editing by Dale Hudson and Keiron Henderson). (AlertNet) Arroyo slips another scandal noose  Sep 5, 2009 On February 2008, the company issued a statement saying that it has neither done anything wrong nor has it bribed anyone" to secure the project. Legal experts interviewed by Asia Times Online, however, believe that the Ombudsman may have erred in the ruling. They said that executive immunity laws don't allow the president to rule with impunity, particularly when the acts are allegedly criminal in nature. Others have raised questions about the ombudsman's independence: the current Ombudsman's... (Asia Times Online) Africa: Transnational Archipelago  Aug 20, 2009 Remittances, as well as official development assistance, account for a significant proportion of national income and of the income of most Cape Verdean families, although statistical estimates differ widely. Cape Verdean emigrants and the Cape Verdean government have taken the lead in facilitating these transfers and limiting the cost of wire-transfer services, as noted in the article excerpted below about Citizens Bank in Dorchester, Massachusetts. (allAfrica.com) Vietnam Railways Plans to Adopt Japan Bullet-Train Technology, Nikkei Says  Aug 13, 2009 Vietnam may seek to secure funds for the project from Japans official development assistance program, as well as the Asia Development Bank and the World Bank, the Nikkei said. The report didnt identify any companies that could benefit from the project. (Bloomberg -- Japan) UN CLIMATE WARNING: 'WE HAVE 4 MONTHS TO SECURE FUTURE OF PLANET'...  Aug 13, 2009 I am talking here about new money not re-packaged Official Development Assistance. This is one of the most important issues which we are going to discuss on September 22nd in New York, and this year again at the G20 Summit Meeting in Pittsburgh on September 24th. (The Drudge Report) Zimbabwe: Lest We Forget [editorial]  Aug 10, 2009 This day also marks our 12th straight year without official development assistance from the Bretton Woods institutions -- the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Support from these multilateral organisations was withheld because of the illegal economic sanctions imposed by Western nations opposed to the land reform programme, the natural sequel to the 14-year war of attrition that defined some of the men and women we honour today. (allAfrica.com) UN's woman of steel  Aug 10, 2009 " Clark said that despite the financial crisis, development aid commitments from countries such as Britain, Spain and Australia remain strong. And she welcomes the fact that US President Barack Obama's administration has pledged to double official development assistance (ODA) by 2015. "When I was in Ethiopia in June I was told that Indian investment had gone from a very few hundreds million dollars four, five years ago to $4. 5-billion today. (iAfrica.com) Africa: Aid Cuts Will Hit Continent Hard, Warns AfDB  Jul 29, 2009 "ODA (official development assistance) levels should be maintained if not increased, to allow African countries to use them counter-cyclically," Marzo said. This meant spending more when economic output slowed. (allAfrica.com) Review This Discriminatory Constitution  Jul 26, 2009 The paper also revealed that the figure was bigger and stable than the total amount gotten from Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Foreign Direct Investment (IDA) for the same period. It means therefore that remittances increase as the years pass by and significantly affect, in a positive way, the economy of Ghana. (Ghana Web, Ghana) Africa: The State is Back, Announces Unctad  Jul 18, 2009 "This means fostering private investment and giving priority to domestic resource mobilisation, in addition to official development assistance." Tax extraction is weak in African LDCs. In 2000 to 2006, tax revenue amounted to only 12. (allAfrica.com) G-8 Announces Three-Year, $15 Billion Food Plan to Fight Hunger, Poverty  Jul 11, 2009 The proportion of official development assistance destined for agriculture in poor nations fell to about 4 percent now from 17 percent in the 1970s, Abdolreza Abbassian, a senior economist at the Rome-based FAO, said in a telephone interview. Given the severity of the problem, $15 billion, even $30 billion is a drop in the ocean, he said. (Bloomberg -- Germany) G-8's Broken Promises to Africa  Jul 11, 2009 According to Official Development Assistance (ODA) figures for 2008, G-8 nations delivered only one-third of the $21. 5 billion in assistance they promised in 2005. (ABC News) Africa: G8 Leaders Pledge to Meet Promises to Continent  Jul 10, 2009 They promised to make the $25 billion increase together with other donors, adding that the development assistance committee of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development has estimated that the combined commitments of G8 and other donors would increase overall ODA [official development assistance] by around $50 billion a year by 2010 compared to 2004. Last month, the global anti-poverty advocacy group, had delivered only a third of the extra help they promised $7 billion of $21. (allAfrica.com) FOOD SECURITY  Jul 10, 2009 "The tendency of decreasing ODA (official development assistance) and national financing to agriculture must be reversed," the draft statement said. G8 summits have a history of making unkept aid promises. (AlertNet) G-8 Will Not Call for New Sanctions Against Iran  Jul 9, 2009 According to Official Development Assistance (ODA) figures for 2008, G-8 nations have only delivered one-third of the $21. 5 billion in assistance they promised in 2005 to deliver to Africa by 2010, with the humanitarian group saying Italy has given only 3 percent of the $3. (ABC News -- Business) G8 to agree to open trade, boost farm aid -draft text  Jul 7, 2009 "The tendency of decreasing ODA (official development assistance) and national financing to agriculture must be reversed," the draft said. "We will aim at substantially increasing aid to agriculture and food security, including through multi-year resource commitments," it added. (AlertNet) UN concludes high-level meeting on financial crisis  Jul 1, 2009 "We achieved consensus on an ambitious outcome document including common understanding on the causes and impacts of the crisis; the need for urgent action to increase ODA (official development assistance) and speed up delivery; the need to deal with debt and global liquidity; and the need for reform of the international financial and economic system and architecture and for improved regulation and monitoring," he said. "Most importantly, we reached agreement on a process of continued engagement,... (Xinhuanet, China) South Korea in a new Asia initiative  Jun 30, 2009 To enhance cooperation in economic development, South Korea plans to triple its official development assistance to ASEAN by the year 2015. Its Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) has become more active in providing aid to developing countries. (Asia Times Online) Chinese FM calls for int'l co-op on development to address global financial crisis  Jun 25, 2009 7 percent of their gross national income (GNI) as official development assistance and act further to reduce and cancel the debt of developing countries. International financial institutions should establish financial rescue mechanisms that can provide prompt and effective assistance to developing countries, and use its new resources mainly to assist developing countries, the foreign minister said. (Xinhuanet, China) WHO says chronic diseases reach "epidemic" proportions - IRIN  Jun 21, 2009 "For other epidemics like measles, meningitis or cholera, you see and hear people dying. But in a hospital ward of dying chronic respiratory, hypertension and cancer patients, there is not as much noise," he told IRIN. Less than 1 percent of official development assistance funds chronic disease prevention and treatment, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). From WHO's overall 2008-2009 budget of US$3. (AlertNet) More Than 1 Billion People Hungry  Jun 20, 2009 Reduced remittances and a projected decline in official development assistance will further limit the ability of countries to access capital for sustaining production and creating safety nets and social protection schemes for the poor. Unlike previous crises, developing countries have less room to adjust to the deteriorating economic conditions, because the turmoil is affecting practically all parts of the world more or less simultaneously. (Science Daily) Eminent Speakers Series - Africa Has Made Steady Progress, Says Jica President  Jun 17, 2009 If I were to modify our individual assistance with conflict prevention in view, greater attention would have to be directed to comprehending and addressing situations of serious and sudden downturns," she said. Speaking about the organization she leads, Mrs. Ogata said JICA had entered into important partnership relations with the AfDB, with both organizations signing a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration with a view to ensuring sustained economic growth across the continent.... (allAfrica.com) Now Inviting Exhibitors for JETRO ZONE at FOODEX JAPAN 2010  Jun 16, 2009 Qualifications for exhibitors-Must be food and beverage manufacturer or exporter -Must be from developing countries listed in the DAC list of official development assistance recipients-Must not already have sole agent in Japan (for products to be exhibited at FOODEX). For a full description of qualifications, please refer to the JETRO Zone Rules and Regulations (below). (JCN Network, Japan) Africa: Finance Ministers to Discuss Impact of Economic Crisis  Jun 4, 2009 The theme of this year's meetings is: "Enhancing the effectiveness of fiscal policy for domestic resources mobilization." "The theme of the Conference is both timely and significant as external resource flows to Africa - official development assistance, remittances and foreign direct investments - have been declining in the aftermath of the recent global economic and financial crisis," it said. ECA experts said the theme of the conference builds on other recent high level international... (allAfrica.com) South Korea, ASEAN rap nuke test  Jun 2, 2009 " onclick="Next();" src="/images/butt_next (Channelnewsasia.com) High Level Panels Address Major Issues of Concern for Africa  May 13, 2009 Private capital flows, which have recently overtaken Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Africa (increasing from US$ 29 billion in 2000 to US$ 52. 98 billion in 2007) are now severely at risk of drying up as a result of the financial crisis. (allAfrica.com) Sweden Rules 'Gender-Based' Abortion Legal  May 13, 2009 22:34 May 12, 2009 by Well, how about you have a look at some statistics for official development assistance (ODA) by donor country ... Hint: military spending is not seen as official development assistance. (Newsmax) Africa: Global Crisis Hits Hard - 'But Don't Despair'  May 13, 2009 The report also finds that while official development assistance (ODA) increased in 2008, there are concerns over downward pressure on donor aid budgets due to the ongoing economic crisis. For most of the 1970s and 1980s, growth in Africa was largely constrained by internal factors. (allAfrica.com) Leonce Ndikumana, AfDB Research Director, Fulfilling Aid Promises  May 11, 2009 He said that, at the bilateral and multilateral levels, development partners, including the IMF and the World Bank, understand that promised aid must be sustained and that official development assistance should even be increased. He said that to better position the continent after the crisis, "it is necessary to consolidate growth bases by sustaining infrastructure investments in order to facilitate trade and private investments." He added that it was necessary to scale up internal resource... (allAfrica.com) * Foreign aid shrank last year: MOFA  May 8, 2009 Taiwan's official development assistance for other countries dropped to US$430 million last year, or 0. 11 percent of GDP, compared with the previous year's 0. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World) African Economic Outlook (AEO) 2008/09  May 8, 2009 The 2009 AEO also finds that while official development assistance (ODA) increased in 2008, there are concerns over downward pressure on donor aid budgets due to the ongoing economic crisis. For most of the 1970s and 1980s, growth in Africa was largely constrained by internal factors. (allAfrica.com) World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings-Africa Needs a Rapid Response to Crisis, Says AfDB President  Apr 30, 2009 Speaking during a press conference on "Future Development Financing in Africa," Mr. Kaberuka said he was satisfied that donor countries had not announced reductions in official development assistance ... 7% of their GDP to official development assistance based on reduced grossed domestic products. (allAfrica.com) Vietnam top official on Japan visit  Apr 19, 2009 "The trip is expected to beef up Vietnam-Japan exchanges and cooperation in all areas, especially in economy, trade, investment and official development assistance (ODA)," the government said on its website. The state Vietnam News Agency said Japan is Vietnam's second-biggest trade partner, after China, and is the country's second-largest export market after the United States. (Yahoo! Asia News) Response to Dr. Nduom's stimulus package  Apr 11, 2009 However, the economic reality vis--vis the position of Dr. Nduom generate additional questions such as: where is the money for financing the stimulus going to come from when international financial channels are blocking and domestic resources are non-existent; export receipts are dipping; official development assistance and private remittances are receding; international reserves have gone down; and public revenue sources drying up. The obvious sources of income for government -borrowing... (Ghana Web, Ghana) MADAGASCAR APPEAL  Apr 8, 2009 Some $200 million in official development assistance (ODA) has already been frozen, including all direct budget support to the government, according to the U.N. appeal document. ODA to Madagascar's public sector reached $600 million last year, 75 percent of the government's investment budget, it said. (AlertNet) Switzerland gives Ghana nine million Swiss Francs  Apr 7, 2009 The Multi-donor budget support is an official development assistance arrangement under which development partners collectively provide support to government's budget to help implement the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy II.. He said Ghana still had many challenges, especially with the global financial crisis and the agreement signed was part of measures by the Swiss government to help Ghana deal with the financial crisis. (Ghana Web, Ghana) Ban urges $300 bn for poor nations  Apr 5, 2009 "I believe that at least $300 billion should be going to official development assistance for developing countries, the most vulnerable countries, and this is very important," Ban told the BBC's Andrew Marr show at the conclusion of Thursday's London summit. The U.N. leader also played down criticism that Italy, which hosts the next meeting of leaders from the G8 countries in Sardinia in July, had failed to meet financial pledges to poor countries made four years ago at the Gleneagles summit. (India Times) G20 pledges $1.1trln to revive world economy  Apr 3, 2009 To ensure a "fair and sustainable recovery for all," the summit reaffirmed the commitment to meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals and to achieving ODA (official development assistance) pledges, including commitments on Aid for Trade, debt relief, and the Gleneagles commitments, especially to sub-Saharan Africa. STRENGTHENED FINANCIAL SUPERVISION, REGULATION. (Xinhuanet, China) French Economist Underscores Role of Micro-Finance in Efforts at Reducing Poverty  Apr 1, 2009 He also pointed to micro-finance's direct impact on poverty reduction, presenting it as "the most efficient official development assistance instrument.". Adviser to former French President, Fran;ois Mitterrand, writer and columnist for the French weekly, Le Point, Mr. Attali created PlanetFinance in 1988, a supportive structure to micro-credit that is currently in many African countries. (allAfrica.com) Whom do sanctions hurt?  Feb 21, 2009 Yet the country receives less than $3 of official development assistance per capita - as compared to $38 for Cambodia and $49 for Laos. A range of Western donors are already working successfully in Myanmar. (International Herald Tribune -- Ed/Op) Great potential for China and US to jointly tackle climate change  Feb 20, 2009 The United States should provide related Official Development Assistance as well as preferential treatment on loans, financing and technology transfer to China. "At the early stage, it is important to launch some large pilot projects. The experience of successful cases can be drawn upon and introduced gradually. Both determination and patience are essential for bilateral cooperation," he stressed. (Xinhuanet, China) Back to Economics News [ Terms Of Use | Privacy | About ] ©1998-2009 SurfWax, Inc. All rights reserved. Patents pending. Copyright SurfWax, Inc. 2009