The International Development Network at http://www.idn.org/ turned one
year old last week and in the latest update to our web site, we provide
a snapshot look at the transparency of some of the bilateral and
multilateral agencies and show you how often they have provided current
news to the public through their web sites. It may or may not surprise
you that USAID comes in dead last, but how poorly they compare may
indeed surprise you. The results are posted at http://www.idn.org/ and
will be updated each week.
In our first year, we have welcomed over 20,000 visitors and we look
forward to continued growth.
Here is what else is new at the IDN Web Site this week:
NEW MEMBERS
Dr. Ancha Srinivasan, is the newest sponsoring member of the IDN. Dr.
Srinivasan is a Senior Researcher at the Geospatial Analysis Center of
the Regional Science Institute (RSI). He has over 15 years experience as
an agronomist/consultant/project manager with expertise in crop-climate
interactions, environmental issues and information systems. He has an
MSc in agronomy from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, and a
PhD from Cambridge University (UK). Prior to joining the RSI, he worked
at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
(ICRISAT), Hokkaido National Agricultural Experiment Station, and the
Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS).
Dr. Srinivasan is looking for challenging opportunities in agricultural
research and development and is willing to work on short-term
assignments. You may download his curriculum vitae from the IDN Web Site
in Word 97 format or in Adobe PDF.
Information on how to become a sponsoring members may be found at
http://www.idn.org/membership/
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TOOLS YOU CAN USE
Canadian International Development Agency Planned Consultations
for 1999
This week's tool is a link to the current schedule for 1999 Canadian
International Development Agency Planned or Foreseen Consultations
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QUICK LINK OF THE WEEK
United Nations Standard Product and Service Codes
On February 23, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Dun
& Bradstreet, the world's leading provider of business credit,
marketing and purchasing information, announced the introduction of the
first global coding system intended to classify over 8,000 products and
services and to streamline their procurement and marketing, especially
via the internet.
The new system is the result of a merger of the UN's Common Coding
System (UNCCS) with Dun & Bradstreet's Standard Products and Services
Codes (SPSC). UNDP is the world's largest provider of grants for
technical assistance in developing countries, with a mandate to help
developing countries eradicate poverty, protect the environment, and
improve governance and national institutions and opportunities for
people.
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NEW LINKS
Development Bank of South Africa
Handicap International - Multi-field programs to improve the living
conditions of people in situations of handicap or vulnerability.
(French)
Human Rights Internet - key objective of the organization is to support
the work of the global non-governmental community in its struggle to
obtain human rights for all.
International Health Programs (IHP) - is a provider of training,
research and technical assistance to health care delivery and training
organizations throughout the world.
International Institute for Environment and Development - principal aim
is to improve the management of natural resources so that communities
and countries of the South can improve living standards without
jeopardising their resource base.
Management of Social Transformations (MOST) - is a research programme,
designed by UNESCO, to promote international comparative social science
research.
Partners in Population and Development - represents an alliance of
developing countries established specifically to realise the concepts of
South-South collaboration elaborated in the Cairo Programme of Action.
Students' International Health Association - Inter-disciplinary student
group at the University of Alberta with development projects in Guyana
and Tanzania.
Sustainable Development Department of the Interamerican Development Bank
- includes publications, strategies and policies on Environment, Social
Development, Microenterprise, SME Financial Markets, Indigenous Peoples,
Women in Development.
Sustainable Development Studies (THAILAND) - A study-abroad program of
Kalamazoo College (USA) for undergraduate students, is an academically
challenging experiential learning program focused on the questions
surrounding what ""sustainability"" means in a globalized world.
Rigorous classroom study and seminars are coupled with experiential
""field based"" learning opportunities with NGOs.
UNDP Bolivia (English/Spanish)
UNICEF Caribbean Area Office
These links were added on February 14:
Center for Economic Policy Analysis (CEPA) - is the research center of
the Department of Economics at the New School for Social Research.
Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) - is the
multilateral bank for the integration and development of Central
America, whose purpose is to contribute in the raising of the quality of
life of the population, providing financial and technical cooperation
resources, so as to satisfy the needs of three countries within a
culture of service and regional vision. (English/Spanish)
Central American Integration System (SICA) (Spanish)
International Arid Lands Consortium - an independent, nonprofit research
organization supporting ecological sustainability in arid and semiarid
lands worldwide.
Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association - an international
association of economists with common research interests in Latin
America.
Latin American Integration Association (LAIA)
UNDP Gender in Development Programme - advises, supports and facilitates
UNDP gender equality policy, dialogue and practice, and promotes the
empowerment of women.
USC-Canada - is a non-profit voluntary organization committed to the
enhancement of human development through an international partnership of
people linked in the challenge to eradicate poverty.
United Nations Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) -
dedicated to improving the information available to the humanitarian and
international communities on crises in sub-Saharan Africa.
WomenWatch - The UN Internet Gateway on the Advancement and Empowerment
of Women
Links with an (*) are modified links or link descriptions.
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New Publications
Trends in Private Investment in Developing Countries
National accounts normally do not break down gross domestic investment
into its private and public sector components. Private investment is
defined in this paper as the difference between total gross domestic
investment (from national accounts) and consolidated public investment.
Consolidated public investment data for each country were found mainly
in World Bank Country Economic Memoranda, Public Investment Review,
Public Expenditure Reviews, and other World Bank country reports. They
reflect efforts by World Bank missions to compile public sector data.
Where World Bank data are not available, country data were used. The
countries included in this edition represent all the developing
countries for which the relevant data are available.
You can download the data sets through the IDN Web Site.
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Conferences
Information on the following upcoming conferences is available:
BYU's Marriott School to Host Second Annual MicroEnterprise Conference
UNESCO Conference: "Indigenous and Rural Women Weavers in Latin America;
Microfinance And the Development of Micro-enterprises"
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The IDN plans to continue our growth and to expand the depth and breadth
of our information services. If you have not yet thought about a
membership/sponsorship in the IDN, we encourage you to consider becoming
a sponsor/member of the fastest growing, most comprehensive and current
International Development Web Site on the Internet! Information is
available at http://www.idn.org/membership/
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