Archive for May, 2008
What we talk about when we talk about governance
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008The word “governance” was made up by the donors. In most countries I have worked in there is no satisfactory translation for the word governance. Indonesians sometimes use the expression “tata pemerintahan yang baik” but that’s such a mouthful that most people, regardless of how little English they actually know, end up just sprinkling the […]
Introducing first guest blogger: Joel Hellman
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008I have asked a few select guest bloggers to join me on this blog. They will no doubt enrich it by bringing in their own various perspectives and experiences from different horizons. Today I am pleased to introduce Joel Hellman as the first guest blogger on this blog…
‘Governance Matters’: A new blog on governance at the World Bank
Monday, May 26th, 2008With the just launched ‘Governance Matters’ blog, the World Bank has now fully joined the governance blogosphere. The idea was afoot for many months. There was initial pushback by a few higher ups. But support from many quarters and persistence prevailed, helped by the growing recognition of the importance of blogging in today’s world. And this personal blog I have hosted for a […]
Human Rights, Aid Effectiveness, and Development: a few findings for debate today, and tomorrow…
Thursday, May 15th, 2008Today, May 15th, an initiative called Bloggers Unite for Human Rights, was launched. The international NGO on Human Rights, Amnesty International, is partnering with BlogCatalog.com, the bloggers’ social network, so to raise global social awareness on this important issue. Bloggers around the world are being asked to post about human rights. Hundreds of postings […]
Obama vs. Clinton: distraction from world reality?
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008I don’t get it. Late in the evening I watch CNN news. For the past week it has been saturated with interminable reporting on the Obama-Clinton democratic candidate contest. Many pundits have been paraded and asked for opinions on trivia. Obscure (until now) ’superdelegates’ have been interviewed, even if it is to say that hey […]
Threat to sports: corruption or politics?
Monday, May 12th, 2008Corruption in sports has often been big news. Whether related to match-fixing in soccer, involving referees, goalies or other players — be them in Italy, Germany, Kenya, Brazil, China, or elsewhere —, or in cricket, or in other sports. Or buying the votes of some members of the International Olympics Committee (IOC), so to give the award to the the briber’s city. Or judges making backroom deals in figure […]
Gobernabilidad o Gobernanza?: ‘Governance’ en español, en breve
Thursday, May 8th, 2008[I will continue to regularly blog in english. But I take the liberty of having a brief entry in spanish, acknowledging my roots and the many bloggers and readers of this blog who originate from spanish-speaking countries and their websites. And of course anybody is welcomed to use the web-based translator (down on the right), […]
Rule of Law Matters: is it that shocking?
Tuesday, May 6th, 2008The National Townhall meeting on Rule of Law, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Law Day, did take place a few days ago. I was the only non-legal expert in the panel. Apparently that drew some curiosity, as I gather from the American Bar Association (ABA) story here. They write that it takes an economist to point out that Rule […]
World Press Freedom Day (and a few long nights…?)
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008Today is World Press Freedom Day. Timely. Because the goal of having a free press around the world remains elusive. About two-thirds of the countries in the world (and almost three-quarter of developing countries) do not have a free press, according to Freedom House. And there is no evidence that on average there has been a significant […]
Blogging responsibly for Good Governance: does the market work?
Friday, May 2nd, 2008 Last couple of blog entries where on blogging and good governance, the first focused on IFIs, the second on countries and governments, providing recent illustrations from Africa.
In fact the Christian Science Monitor (CSM) recently had an interesting article which called blogging the ‘Africans’ newest form of dissent’. Like in my previous blog entry, this article also referred to […]