What We’re Reading 10/7/09

Oct 7th, 2009 4:41 PM UTC
By Robyn Mitchell

BBC: Pledge for more IMF help for poor
The French and British governments have announced a $4 billion (£2.5bn) allocation to the International Monetary Fund to help poorer countries. The money will go to the IMF’s new loan facility to help countries which do not have enough money to pay for imports as a result of the economic crisis. It will come from a $250bn (£157bn) allocation distributed a few weeks ago.

Reuters: World Bank to invest $215 million in African internet
The World Bank unveiled its $215 million Central African Backbone program on Tuesday, to bring reliable, high-speed, low-cost internet access to the region for the first time. Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic will take part in the initial $26.2 million phase, the World Bank said.

The Guardian: Carbon emissions will fall 3% due to recession, say world energy analysts
A cut in greenhouse gas emissions provides countries with a unique chance to switch to less carbon-intensive energy sources, says International Energy Agency.

Washington Post: Nations Cast Plan for Expanded IMF
The push to reinvent the International Monetary Fund took a significant step forward this week, with nations agreeing to a rough timetable to come up with plans to reform its governance and expand its role in the global economy. The agreements, reached during the IMF’s semiannual meeting in Istanbul that ends Wednesday, come as the mission of the 65-year-old Washington-based institution is re-examined in the wake of the global financial crisis.

Reuters: Trade slump hits poorest countries: study
The slump in world trade this year in the wake of the financial crisis has hit the poorest countries’ export earnings particularly hard as prices tumble and volumes stagnate, a study released on Tuesday showed.

The Guardian: Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe calls for ‘friendly relations’ with west
The Zimbabwean president offered a rare olive branch to the west today, with a call for “fresh, friendly and co-operative relations” with former enemies. Robert Mugabe, subject to targeted sanctions by America and the EU, made the unusually conciliatory remarks in a speech at the opening of Zimbabwe’s parliament. But the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which is in a power-sharing deal with Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party, played down the comments, saying that the president’s words were yet to be matched by deeds.

Forbes.com: Help Women, Help The World (Op-ed)
Two authors write in Forbes Magazine to emphasize how women must play a strategic role in development planning. The piece cites statistics from Girl Effect, a popular program for women interested in development.

TAGS: What We're Reading