Increased efficiency and accountability is what development assistance needs

So far, development assistance led mainly by the World Bank has not had the expected impact on promoting economic and social development.

The response to this lack of results has been twofold. First, during the last decade, the World Bank, along with regional multilateral banks and bilateral donors, has broadened its areas of expertise. They currently range from dam building to human rights' protection and from financial advisory services toempoweringt of local communities. Second, developed countries have renewed efforts to increase aid budgets. Both are wrong policy options. Priority should be given to increasing the efficiency of development assistance.

The US and Latin America: Towards a new relationship

Recent political developments in Latin America have sparked discussions over the hands-off approach that the Bush administration has taken towards the region. Whether forced by priorities in other regions of the world, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in particular, or by a well-thought new strategy towards the region, it is clear that the role of the US in this region has been less noticeable during these last years.