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.

Overcoming the CAP debate: Two priorities for the EU budget

The UK's presidency over the EU came in a very challenging time. Mainly, the European Constitution had been rejected in France and The Netherlands and Tony Blair was weak at home. Nevertheless, the hopes were high. Mr. Blair’s speeches in June highlighted the main problem that the EU budget was suffering from: a huge misalignment between the priorities agreed under the Lisbon agenda and the actual budget. As he remarked, there is a problem in a Union that wants to be at the forefront of innovation and economic growth but at the same time allocates 40 percent of the budget to agricultural policies.

The opportunity of Evo in Bolivia

Is Evo Morales’ victory in the Bolivian presidential election a threat or an opportunity to the political stability of Bolivia and the Andean region? Although Mr. Morales is seen by many as the former, we tend to think that Mr. Morales and a new national political and social pact in the country can turn out to be the latter.

Innovative Consulting spreads its knowledge

The Center for Innovative Consulting (CIC) is a firm specialized in Global Politics and Public Policy Issues. CIC has a twofold objective. First, it aims at promoting debate on the most important issues that are shaping the world today. Second, CIC offers advisory services to the private sector, governments and international organizations in order to identify and provide answers to the key issues that they confront today.

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