Sweden takes over the EU Presidency from the Czech Republic during a crucial period for the renewal of EU institutions, and for EU leadership on issues impacting development. The Czech presidency’s EU agenda was already hit by the financial crisis well before its own government fell apart. The Swedish presidency now enters the summer with the financial and economic crisis and climate change at the top of its priorities. By Denise Auclair
With leadership from larger Member States France and Germany, the EU prepared a common position for the London G20 summit in April. With Development Ministers only scheduled to meet in May, the Czech presidency worked informally to include development concerns in the G20 position. However, the impression was generally of difficulty by Development Ministers to influence their Finance Minister colleagues, meeting regularly and taking the lead on the G20 process ... ... this article comes up in WDEV 4/Jul-Aug 2009 and is for subscribers only. For direct log in >>> click here.If you have no subscription >>> pick your option or >>>
After decades of isolation - imposed by major OECD countries out of concern for the country's human rights violations - Myanmar is emerging as a new darling of the "West" - judging by the accelerating succession of visits by senior officials and gurus. New groups of investors are waiting to enter the country as soon as possible.
Persistent high unemployment, the euro area debt crisis and premature fiscal austerity have already slowed global growth and factor into the possibility of a new recession. Now the United Nations have downgraded significantly its forecasts for the world economy in the next year.
Eastern European states are in for a new round of the crisis. The external control of the banking sector and high reliance on external credit has landed the countries of Eastern Europe in a vulnerable position. Now, credit flows from Western banks are drying up again. Hungary has been the first country in the region to ask for IMF support again.
While the G20 efforts to manage global aggregate demand, exchange rate management and stronger regulation of the international financial sector have not worked out quite as planned, in Cannes the Group was further solidifying its role in directing the system of multilateral institutions.
In November 2011, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is celebrating its 50th anniversary.The new Minister, Dirk Niebel of the (neo)-liberal FDP has launched a 'radical change of course'. In the recent edition of the Reality of Aid shadow report the change is analyzed.