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Africa Wants Greater Voice at IMF
Civil society in Kenya is urging the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for greater representation within its decision-making boards and the formation of a dispute resolution body. In 2008, the IMF launched an effort to reform its governance structure by soliciting feedback from a wide range of audiences, including civil society organisations. Peter Gakunu, a former executive director of a constituency representing 21 African countries on the board of the IMF, called for greater representation of African countries on the board of the IMF, where vital decisions are made, as well as within the IMF staff. After numerous dialogues across the globe, which were facilitated by New Rules for Global Finance - a coalition of development, human rights, labour, environmental and religious organisations, the draft summary of recommendations for IMF governance reform is offering valuable insights. The draft indicates a consensus among CSOs to change the scope and nature of lending policy conditionality. In addition, transparency and the increased role of the IMF in addressing the global financial crisis were cited as major concerns for CSOs in Kenya. To address these issues, the draft called for the formation of an external dispute resolution body that would contribute to lessons learned and promote the design of better IMF programmes.
African Countries Join WB Agricultural Development Initiative
Working to improve the results from their agriculture investments, eight African countries have collaborated with the World Bank and several partner agencies to design a plan to measure the effectiveness of programs with the help of a new initiative that aims to find out what works on the ground, and what does not. Agricultural Adaptations, or AADAPT, supports rigorous assessments of agricultural development projects known as ‘impact evaluations’. The program’s major goals are to gather knowledge about agricultural best practices and to provide the evidence needed for more effective agricultural policies and initiatives. AADAPT seeks to bridge knowledge gaps in the adoption of agricultural technology, irrigation and rural infrastructure, and management of natural resources. For more information on the initiative, visit: http://web.worldbank.org/
New Book Looks at Interim EPAs
“The Interim Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and African states: Contents, challenges and prospects,” (ECDPM policy Management Report 17). Bilal. S and C. Stevens (eds.) 2009. Given the conclusion of a full EPA with the CARIFORUM region along with interim EPAs (IEPAs) with some African and Pacific states, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the agreements and potential development effects of the African IEPAs as they stand in early 2009. In addition, the book outlines the negotiations that remain to be completed and the challenges facing Africa in implementation. Finally, the book provides a summary of the principle features of complex documentation on the subject and foundation for follow-up studies that will be needed to look in more detail at specific country, sectoral and other specific features of the IEPAs. To view this publication, visit www.ecdpm.org/pmr17
New Report Analyses Implications of Financial Crisis on EPAs
“Global Financial and Economic Crisis: Analysis of and Implications for ACP-EU Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs),” (Discussion Paper 92) Bilal, S., P. Draper and DW te Velde. This report discusses the role of Economic partnership agreements (EPAs) between the EU and regional groupings of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries in the context of the financial crisis and its negative effects on the most vulnerable populations. In order to stimulate development, the report discusses the need for African countries to create effective regional markets, coordinate policy and engage in resource pooling to stimulate production capacities, trade, and investment flows. EPAs between the EU and regional groupings of ACP countries should, the report concludes, be designed in a manner that contributes to these objectives. To prevent negative impacts in the short run, EPAs should be flexible and reflect the specific conditions and development approaches of each country and region. To view this publication, visit www.ecdpm.org/dp92
News Sources
“Africa Wants Greater Voice at IMF,” IPS News, 2 August 2009.
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