Governance

UNHCR estimates that in recent times around 65 million people worldwide have had to flee their homes, which is the highest number since the Second World War.The structural factors are poverty and lack of prospects, corruption, insufficient rights and freedom, absence of the rule of law, and the oppression of minorities.Structural factors are long-term and are, on the whole, not the sole cause of refugee movements.

It is apparent that almost all decisive structural factors and drivers for flight are inextricably bound up with "governance deficits".

Governance and Flight - Development Approaches  (PDF, 347 KB, non-accessible)

The vote by the British people on 23 June to exit the EU has caused astonishment and uncertainty not only in Europe but all over the world. Many developing countries are also wondering what effects the vote and the Brexit announcement will have for them.

This issue of Development in Brief describes the expected effects on the real value of British ODA, the amount and substantive direction of future European development cooperation, and the potential economic effects on developing countries through trade and financial markets.

What does Brexit mean for developing countries?

The latest World Development Report issued by the World Bank highlights the potential of the internet to promote development. But most of the world’s poor have no access to the internet, or are unable to pay internet operators’ usage fees and therefore have to stay offline. Some service providers, however, have started offering basic access to poorer people free of charge (“zero-rating”).

The current edition of Development policy in Brief presents the concept of zero-rating and discusses the potential benefits and risks of zero rating that may be associated with the spread of zero-rating in the context of development cooperation.

“Zero-rating”: a tool for improving access to the Internet for the poor

Public institutions continuously collect data on various topics to which they increasingly grant free public access. The growth in "open data" is creating opportunities for public administration and for the private sector not only in industrialised economies, but in developing countries, too.

This edition of Development in Brief reveals how citizens may benefit from open data and discusses its requirements and its limits for development cooperation.

Open data: Free access to data has social benefits

Is the world becoming more democratic? Democracy seemed to be gaining ground across the globe for a long time. However, a number of political science analyses and indicators have recently pointed out an opposite trend: the implementation of civil and political rights is increasingly under pressure in many countries.

In light of this, this edition of Development in Brief looks at the trends, the various causes of this development and the factors which could be crucial for a turnaround.

Democracy under pressure

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Fight against tax loopholes – the BEPS action plan of the OECD

How Effective Is Budget Support? Results From Recent Evaluations

More accountability through mobile citizen participation

Does Aid Discourage Domestic Revenue Mobilization?

Good Governance, Qualitative Growth, Employment

Decentralization Matters for the Poor