International Community News:
Since The World Bank (the affectionate name for the United Nations’ International Bank for Reconstruction & Development or IBRD) is having their annual meetings this month, there's a lot of development news out there. Central Asian governments who want to access the Bank's programs need to know what priorities the Bank is currently working with in order to tailor their requests . . . especially since the international aid environment is very tight right now. Partly that low dollar-supply for aid is related to rising energy costs, which make food cultivation and distribution much more expensive for poor and developing states–and for the aid agencies that assist them.
Agriculture
First, the IBRD is citing a new emphasis on small agriculture world-wide. Though the report mostly covers Africa, it could be good news for farmers in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Poverty Reduction, Development
Second, the President of the World Bank Mr. Zoellick will also be visiting China on behalf of poverty-reduction efforts later on this year.
Third, Mr. Zoellick is also on record as saying that the private sector can take point on many development projects with the IDA and IFC arms of World Bank activities.
Environmental & Energy Issues
Fourth, in time for the Environment for Europe Conference (October 10-12, 2007), two key World Bank reports are out on Central Asia. "Integrating Environment in Key Economic Sectors in Europe and Central Asia", and "Integrating Environment into Agriculture and Forestry: Progress and Prospects in Eastern Europe and Central Asia" . The Conference was held in Belgrade. Here are some of the findings of the reports:
Failure to integrate environment into agriculture and forestry will have major economic and human health implications. For example, soil salinity in Uzbekistan is estimated to cost that country over €700 million per year, nutrient contamination of the Baltic Sea primarily from agriculture and forestry is estimated to have caused up to €4.5 billion in damages.
These two reports are available at this portal page.
Fifth, the IBRD will be increasing its funding for energy provision, particularly technologies under its Clean Energy Investment Initiative. The Bank hopes to fund this with USD 10 billion over the next three years–as opposed to the USD 7 billion of the preceding funding period.
The Asian Development Bank is also earmarking USD 1 billion for China and India for its Clean Energy and Environment Programme.
Just an update. . . Have a great day, everybody!