What We’re Reading: Five ways to reduce waste in US foreign aid system

May 6th, 2011 12:01 PM UTC
By Lauren Balog

Clinton raises alarm on rising food prices: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Friday that global shortages of food and spiraling prices threaten widespread destabilization and is urging immediate action to forestall a repeat of the 2007 and 2008 crisis that led to riots in dozens of countries around the developing world. (AP)

One in three Africans is now middle class, report finds: Record numbers of people in Africa own houses and cars, use mobile phones and the internet and send their children to private schools and foreign universities, according to the African Development Bank. Mthuli Ncube, the bank’s chief economist, said the findings should challenge long-held perceptions of Africa as a continent of famine, poverty and hopelessness. (The Guardian)

Africa Investors Lose ‘Lunatic’ Tab as Rising Wealth Attracts Mainstream: Booming demand for its minerals and improved governance mean Africa is beginning to attract mainstream investors, delegates to the World Economic Forum in Africa said this week, highlighting a turnaround in the continent’s fortunes. (Bloomberg)

John Norris: Five Ways to Reduce Waste in US Foreign Aid System: The United States can improve the effectiveness of its aid program and at the same time save more than $500 million from its foreign aid budget by cutting some “wasteful” and “anti-competitive” regulations the country currently employ, according to the executive director of the sustainable security program at the Center for American Progress. (devex)

Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara to take oath: Alassane Ouattara is due to be sworn in as Ivory Coast’s president by the man who earlier denied him of victory in November’s presidential election. In December, the leader of the Constitutional Council ratified Laurent Gbagbo as the winner, leading to a four-month stand-off. Mr Gbagbo has reportedly been questioned for the first time about rights abuses while he was in power. (BBC)

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