Development Policy Centre Podcast

The changing aid landscape has implications both for donors and recipient countries. This panel explores what the new aid landscape means from a partner country perspective. Speakers discussed how the development/aid landscape in their countries has changed over the years with the emergence of new actors and new forms of finance, the opportunities and challenges new modalities and diverse partnerships offer, and how partner governments are managing this new situation in terms of public financial management, aid coordination, public perceptions and expectations.

Kylie Charlton is Managing Director and Co-founder of Unitus Capital.

Drawing on the findings of a multi-decade aid allocation analysis, and of a survey of developing country governments, Robin Davies contests the orthodoxies that the end of aid is night. He foresees a continuing and substantial role for both aid and specialised aid delivery agencies, while arguing for renewed attention to several major aspects of aid effectiveness.

Tanya Plibersek, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development, delivered the opening address at the 2015 Australasian Aid Conference.

During his recent visit to Canberra, Stephen Howes spoke to Dr Mark Dybul, the head of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Blog post available here: http://devpolicy.org/the-future-of-the-global-fund-20150223/

Tess reached out across the International Date Line to talk with the Premier of Niue, Toke Talagi. Blog post available here: http://devpolicy.org/tourism-regionalism-and-niues-quest-for-self-sustainability-an-interview-with-premier-toke-talagi-20150129/

Sir Richard Feachem is Director of the Global Health Group at UCSF Global Health Sciences, Professor of Global Health at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of California, Berkeley. From 2002 to 2007, Sir Richard served as founding Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Gabriele Bammer is a Professor at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment. Blog post available here: http://devpolicy.org/research-policy-and-the-private-sector-professor-sir-richard-feachem-on-malaria-20150106/

Has PNG been able to translate its economic boom into services for ordinary people? Based on research undertaken jointly by the National Research Institute (NRI) and the Development Policy Centre, ANU, the report ‘A lost decade? Service delivery and reforms in Papua New Guinea 2012-2012’ compares two surveys in 2002 and 2012 of some 360 primary schools and health care clinics across the country, from the national capital to the most remote districts. It assesses progress on health and education service delivery over time, and analyses the impact of important policy reforms. The report was launched in Australia by the PNG High Commissioner, Charles W. Lepani. Speakers included Dr Thomas Webster, Director of NRI and Professor Stephen Howes, Director of the Development Policy Centre. This public seminar was presented by the Development Policy Centre at Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.

The 2014 elections in Solomon Islands brought an intriguing mix of change and continuity. For the first time ever a sitting prime minister lost his seat. Yet the average incumbent survival rate was much higher than usual. The elections were preceded by the passage of legislation designed to promote political parties, and the number of candidates associated with parties increased considerably. Yet the proportion of winning candidates who were independents was actually unusually high. Meanwhile, on the campaign trail it was easy to find the rhetoric of good governance and change, but election results themselves suggest that, typically, constituency level electoral contests were won or lost through the usual mechanisms. On the other hand, new civil society groups and social media - possibly - could be seen to be playing a larger role in elections in 2014 than in previous years. In this seminar Terence Wood talked on the recent elections in Solomon Islands and the results that have emerged from them. He also disc

With the conclusion of the first democratic transition of power in the country’s history and the continuing drawdown of foreign troops, what do the people of Afghanistan think are the most critical issues facing the country? This survey, based on face-to-face interviews with a nationally representative sample of nearly 9,300 Afghan citizens, reveals their views on security, national reconciliation, the economy, development and essential services, governance and political participation, corruption, justice, gender equality, and access to information. Conducted across the country’s 34 provinces, The Asia Foundation’s series of annual surveys in Afghanistan provides an unmatched barometer of Afghan public opinion over time, serving as a resource for policymakers in government, the international community and the broader Afghan public. This event featured experts from The Asia Foundation, as well as a commentary from Professor William Maley, Director of the Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy, ANU. Professor Ian Mc

Corruption in Papua New Guinea is widely accepted to be a major development challenge. The fight against it was recently bolstered by the introduction of a new anti-corruption taskforce. In 2011 Taskforce Sweep, a multi-agency anti-corruption taskforce, was set up by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to investigate, prosecute and recover the proceeds of crime. The agency was initially successful in recouping corrupt funds, instigating numerous arrests and prosecuting a senior politician. But in 2014 Prime Minister O’Neill ordered the agency disbanded after O’Neill himself was served with an arrest warrant over his alleged role in a corruption scandal. While the legality of the PM’s decision is being decided in the courts, Taskforce Sweep continues to operate in an increasingly difficult environment. In this presentation, the Chairman of Taskforce Sweep, Sam Koim, reflected upon his experiences in fighting corruption in PNG. He explained the institutional arrangements that led to Sweep’s initial success and outline

Half of all countries in the world have eliminated malaria, mostly since the Second World War. Ambitious strategies are now being put in place to eradicate human malaria worldwide by 2050 and to eliminate malaria in the Asia Pacific region by 2030. The Asia Pacific goal has recently been discussed at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar. Sir Richard presented the historical progress with malaria elimination and the prospects and requirements for global eradication by 2050. He focused on recent dramatic progress in Asia Pacific and the Asia Pacific goal of malaria freedom by 2030. Sir Richard drew attention to the successful elimination (re-elimination) in Sri Lanka, and the striking progress in countries such as China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Outstanding challenges, such as artemisinin resistance in the Mekong Region and malaria caused by Plasmodium knowlesi, was discussed. The political and financial requirements for malaria elimination in Asia Pacific was also elaborated. Sir Richard Feachem is Director

Tess Newton Cain and Lalotoa Mulitalo, who is a Law Lecturer at the University of the South Pacific, met recently in Vanuatu. This is a recording of their conversation. Blog post available here: http://devpolicy.org/legal-challenges-law-reform-and-legal-education-an-interview-with-lalotoa-mulitalo-201401204/

Inequality is on the rise globally and in Australia. The richest 85 people own the same wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion people. World leaders and global economic institutions are increasingly raising the alarm about the risk extreme economic inequality poses to social stability and the strength and sustainability of economic growth itself. While some economic inequality is essential to drive growth and progress, the extreme levels of wealth concentration occurring today threaten to exclude hundreds of millions of people from realising the benefits of their talents and hard work. Extreme economic inequality is damaging and worrying for many reasons: it is morally questionable; it can have negative impacts on economic growth and poverty reduction; and it can weaken the social fabric. It also compounds other inequalities, such as those between women and men. Oxfam International’s Executive Director Winnie Byanyima is a grass-roots activist, human rights advocate, senior international public servant, and world

Joe Nathan is the Prime Minister of Vanuatu. Tess Newton Cain is a Research Associate at the Development Policy Centre. Blog post available here: http://devpolicy.org/political-instability-the-msg-and-regional-politics-an-interview-with-prime-minister-joe-natuman-of-vanuatu-20141113/

Many young people are interested in a career in international development. Thousands volunteer in development organisations across the country, and development studies and international relations are some of the most popular undergraduate university courses in Australia. The appeal of a career that combines doing good with international travel is undeniable. But the popularity of the field also makes it competitive, and it can be tough for students to know where to start. This public seminar, hosted by the Development Policy Centre and the ANU Aid and Development Learning Community, gave students the chance to hear from those working in the development sector. Our panelists spoke about their own careers in the aid program, NGOs and the private sector. Students also heard about some of the entry points to a development career, such as volunteering, and had the chance to ask questions. Speakers: Jacqui De Lacy, Abt JTA; Chris Adams, ACFID; Alwyn Chilver, GRM International; Ashlee Betteridge, Development Policy

Voice and Agency: empowering women and girls for shared prosperity is a major new report by the World Bank that shines a spotlight on the value of empowerment, the patterns of constraints that limit their realization, and the associated costs, not only to individual women but to their families, communities, and societies. It highlights promising policies and interventions, and it identifies priority areas where further research and more and better data and evidence are needed. In this public event, Jeni Klugman, Senior Adviser, The World Bank Group and Fellow, Kennedy School, Harvard University, presented the report’s main findings. We also assembled a great panel to discuss the report, consisting of: Elizabeth Broderick, Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission; Dame Carol Kidu, former Papua New Guinea Member of Parliament, Minister for Community Development and advocate for women’s rights; and Ewen McDonald, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The event will

In this public seminar, Dr Jude Howell, Professor of International Development at London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), argued that the securitisation of NGOs post-9/11 has raised both practical issues about aid delivery and the security of NGO workers, as well as broader questions around the purpose of aid and development of civil society. Dr Jude Howell is Professor of International Development at the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE). She was Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science Centre for Civil Society between 2003 and 2010, running a wide range of internationally focused research projects and events on civil society. She was Director of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) research programme on non-governmental public action and Series Editor of the Palgrave Press book series on Non-Governmental Public Action, in which her book The Global War on Terror, Aid and Civil Society (with Jeremy Lind), 2009, appears. She has written e

Based on Key Indicators 2014, a flagship publication of the Asian Development Bank, this presentation argued that conventional wisdom on poverty measurement fails to consider significant challenges of food insecurity, increasing inequality and rising vulnerability. Once these additional elements are brought in, the hope for an Asia free of poverty by 2020 looks unlikely. Instead, it is more likely poverty will remain prevalent in Asia beyond even 2030. Dr Guanghua Wan is Principal Economist and Head, Poverty-Inequality Research Group, the Asian Development Bank. Previously, he was Senior Economist in the United Nations and taught in a number of Universities in Australia and China. Trained in development economics and econometrics, Dr Wan is an award-wining scholar on the Chinese economy and an expert on Asia, with an outstanding publication record of more than 100 professional articles and a dozen books including two by Oxford University Press. An honorary professor of over ten top institutions in China inclu

Tess Newton Cain and Amanda Donigi, publisher of Stella magazine, met recently in Vanuatu. This is a recording of their conversation. Blog post available here: http://devpolicy.org/telling-stories-of-and-for-melanesian-women-an-interview-with-amanda-donigi-20140910/