Splendid letter in the Financial Times today from the most senior civil servant in the British Department for International Development on the rumour that Andrew Mitchell used to stamp the word ‘bollocks’ on advice that did not meet his standards.
Photos from running in Hyde Park and along the Regents Canal in London, January 2013
I flinch every time I hear about the ‘do no harm principle’ or ‘policy coherence in development’. So what is the right way to describe the policies of rich countries that affect poor countries?
Aaron Swartz, who died on January 11th, worked and fought for key freedoms of our time: the right to information, to share knowledge and ideas, and to speak freely. This blog post considers the importance of these issues for development, and what we might do to continue his fight.
Two interesting ideas from economists on gun control. First: require gun owners to take out liability insurance. Second, create a fund which for every dollar the NRA pays to a political candidate would pay $2 to the opponent.
We are back from a few days in Dubrovnik. Here are some photos.
At the request of some of my colleagues I have written a short guide explaining how I manage my emails. If your new year’s resolution for 2013 is to work a little smarter, there may be something in here which helps.
Europe’s approach to development could be characterized as energetically tackling the symptoms of poor economic opportunities for developing countries by providing substantial and effective aid, while doing relatively little to tackle the underlying structural causes of poverty.
Christmas came early yesterday for campaigners for more effective and accountable aid, with an announcement from DFID which has raised the bar for aid transparency.
In the latest Development Drums podcast, my colleague Michael Clemens explains why migration is important for development.