Stories about Development from August, 2008
Jamaica: Independence Day
Jamaica just celebrated its 46th year of Independence from Britain and several bloggers marked the occasion with posts that ranged from thoughtful critiques to excited celebration...
Balkans: No Progress for Minorities in EU-Integration
Romano Them discusses why the countries of Southeast Europe make little or no progress in improving the lives of marginalised minorities – at least judging European Union reports.
Armenia: Corruption
The Armenian Observer commends the new prime minister, former Central Bank Chairperson Tigran Sargsyan, for what appears to be genuine efforts to combat some of the corruption that has infested...
China: Where's Our Nest?
Tiger temple interviewed construction workers of the Olympic stadium, “Bird nest”. They have built the nation's nest but themselves remain in a nest-less state. The citizen journalists will post his...
China: Increasing City Size
Fons Tuinstra from China Herald blogs about the Shenzhen city government's policy in increasing the city size by revamping the registration system and allowing floating population to settle in the...
Angola: A month to go to the polls
The electoral campaign in Angola starts officially today and Wanderley Ribeiro [pt] is motivated: “Angolan brothers, let us all be prepared and united to choose the party that we will...
Guinea-Bissau: With no magic wand, we need good will
Désiré Elisée [pt] on Guinea-Bissau's economic, socio and political situation, which, according to him, doesn't get any better. “There are no good fairies, or magic wands, but there must be...
D.R. of Congo: Biomass Charcoal
Ethan blogs about biomass charcoal in Eastern Congo.
Trinidad & Tobago: Unchained?
“Here every creed and race find an equal place but there is no solidarity. Only the Africans celebrate the fact that they are free. Only the Indians celebrate the fact...
Bahamas: Quality Teachers
“Economic growth closely depends on the interaction between new knowledge and a country’s ability to learn”: Guest blogging at Bahama Pundit, Ralph Massy stresses the importance of attracting quality teachers...
Cuba: Getting Productive
The Cuban government proposes “the handing over of idle land to those who want to make it productive”, causing Yoani Sanchez to “peruse (her) city looking for everything that is...
Bulgaria, Romania: Corruption and the EU
Every six months, the European Commission issues reports “on progress with judicial reform, the fight against corruption and, concerning Bulgaria, the fight against organised crime.” According to the latest progress reports, Bulgaria and Romania “have made genuine efforts, particularly in judicial reform, and […] progress has been made. But more work is needed.” Below are some of the views from the blogosphere.
Mozambique: 2038?
What will Mozambique be like in 30 years? Sociologist Carlos Serra provides nine "Byzantine" scenarios and invites his readers to amend them as they see fit
Cape Verde: On foreign policy and diaspora
Miguel Cruz Sousa [pt] analyzes the Cape Verdean foreign policy and the country's relationship with its diaspora. “Unemployment, social inequality, insecurity, low wages and the risk of disruption prevail here...
Budapest: Gozsdu Udvar
Budapest Guide posts photos and writes about the ongoing renovation project in Gozsdu Udvar neighborhood of Budapest.
Trinidad & Tobago: A Tale of Two Nations
Blogging from Trinidad and Tobago, KnowProSE.com tells a tale of two nations – one agricultural, the other suburban – with a chasm of development separating them: “And I'm somewhere between…trying...
Russia: “Worker Ghettos”
At Robert Amsterdam's blog, a translation of a story from a Russian newspaper on “a proposal to build designated housing for foreign laborers” in Moscow.
Central Asia: Russia to Invest in Central Asian Railways
Elena reports that Russian Railways will invest more than 4 billion USD in the development of infrastructure of the railways in Central Asian countries.
Afghanistan: The narco-state?
Joshua Foust shakes his head at the latest attempt by former US drug officials to appear more competent than they were.