· December, 2010

Stories about Development from December, 2010

Ghana: Ghana's First Oil: A Blessing or Curse?

  16 December 2010

Is oil a blessing or curse for Ghana?: “Do you see the first Oil as a blessing or a curse to Ghana? Do you think, Ghana is fortunate in terms of this first oil? Which areas do you think, the oil revenue be used in developing Ghana? What are your...

China: Ghost cities

  15 December 2010

Chandni Rathod and Gus Lubin from Business Insider presents satellite pictures of ghost cities in China. Ghost cities refer to newly built empty cities with very few residents. They one of the sources of China's GDP and economic bubbles.

Caucasus: Corruption

  14 December 2010

Social Science in the Caucasus comments on Transparency International's latest Global Corruption Barometer. While noting that corruption has increased in the world, it nonetheless notes that levels in Georgia are significantly lower than in neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Armenia: Smoking the Pipe of Peace

  14 December 2010

Ararat Magazine features a post by Global Voices’ Caucasus editor on Calumet, an ethnic lounge bar in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. Offering a laid back environment for local civic activists, artists and musicians, as well as foreigners, to unwind in, it concludes that the recently opened venue is a breath...

Caucasus: Average Internet speeds and prices

  14 December 2010

The Yerevan-based Civilitas Foundation compares the average speed and cost of Internet connections in the South Caucasus. According to that data, Armenia is well behind its two neighbors in the region with by far the slowest and most expensive connections available. Meanwhile, Georgia has by far the cheapest and fastest.

Azerbaijan: Looking in from the outside

  13 December 2010

For those living in a particular country, many things can sometimes be taken for granted. But when others from outside discover it for the first time, often experiencing new colors and traditions, a fresh insight is often the result.

Senegal: Aid is not free

  12 December 2010

jdelrosario's advice for Senegal: “Based on what I have learned this term I have two major pieces of advice for the leaders of Senegal. First and foremost I would like to make it particularly clear that nothing is free, not even aid.”

Chile: Blog Against Reduction of History Class Hours

  10 December 2010

The blog Historia y Reforma [es] (History and Reform) collects “the different positions that have been manifested against the reduction of hours for History that are scattered in various media and social networks. At the same time, readers will be able to learn about the different actions that are being...

Burkina Faso: Coping with climate change

  10 December 2010

A farmer in Burkina Faso combines farming and cattle herding to cope with climate change: “Years ago, when the forest and grass were plentiful, the stover from millet and sorghum were left on the fields. But now they are carefully stowing it as animal feed, to be used during the...

Uganda: My Country, My Death, My Destiny

  9 December 2010

Ugandan blogger Tumwikuje writes My Country, My Death, My Destiny: “The conflict I have about my country and my people, our being, our fate, our resurrection and our death is so overwhelming that I am paralyzed by fear, but running on desire.”

Burundi: One changed life

  8 December 2010

One changed life in Burundi: “Beginning with a loan of just $48, Adelaide Barutwanayo grew her clothing sales business in the markets of Gitega, Burundi, to a point where she could comfortably provide for her two children, ages 6 and 13.”

Africa: One brain drain phenomenon you haven't heard of

  8 December 2010

One brain drain phenomenon you haven’t heard of: “As it turns out, both in Kenya and Tanzania, flight controllers seem to be leaving the country for other regions and airlines. For various monetary reasons, the numbers of controllers have not been increased for quite a while.”

Mexico, World: The Impact of COP16 for Those Not Attending

  8 December 2010

Richard Grabman from The Mex Files writes, “Forgotten in there is who is affected by climate change the most — It’s not as if an Amazonian fishermen can buy carbon credits […] He… as much as Korean farmers, French pensioners, gringo bloggers, you… need to eat and are going to...