'A destructive combination of earthquakes, floods, droughts and other hazards make South Asia the world's most disaster-prone region. The effects are aggravated by climate change, unsuitable social and development policies, and environmental degradation. The effect is to slow or block development and keep millions trapped in poverty.

Oxfam's experience shows that successful disaster risk reduction policies, integrated into development work, save lives and money, making vulnerable communities more...

In January 2007, local non-governmental organizations in eight post-war countries publish the results of 18 months of research into the integrity dimensions of post war reconstruction. Reports are published in draft from Afghanistan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Mozambique, Palestine, Sierra Leone and Lebanon. A report on East Timor is forthcoming.
Eight local groups undertook research using a shared terms of reference. The research is the basis for an advocacy and monitoring agenda to promote more...

The democracy/dictatorship problem in most 3rd world countries is well-known. The only way to resolve that problem is to have all 3rd world elections run by an external Global Electoral Commission. But the sheer logistics and cost of that have always been a serious obstacle. Now, using normal standard sms with normal standard TAN envellopes, the integrity and security of voting systems globally can be totally guaranteed, and at a fraction of the cost of conventional paper-based voting. By Mr A more...

Resource flows from extractive industries can be a lifeline for postconflict countries, helping to fund critical reconstruction needs. But these resources present issues not found elsewhere in the economy and need to be well managed. Sector governance principles that apply to oil-producing countries in general are even more important in postconflict countries. This Note discusses these principles and shows how they apply in two cases, Timor-Leste and Sudan. By Robert Bacon and Silvana Tordo. Pub more...

The Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) is the successor to the Coalition Provisional Authority Office of Inspector General (CPA-IG). SIGIR was created in October 2004 by a congressional amendment to Public Law 108-106.
The amendment allows SIGIR to continue the oversight that CPA-IG had established for Iraq reconstruction programs and operations. Specifically, SIGIR is mandated with the oversight responsibility of the use, and potential misuse, of the Iraq more...

The General Assembly, acting concurrently with the Security Council has operationalized a new United Nations peacebuilding body that will aim to prevent countries from falling back into violence - through reconstruction, institution building and other assistance - once fighting stops. Adopting a historic measure, setting up a United Nations Peacebuilding Commission to help post-conflict countries manage the difficult transition from war to peace, the Assembly also established a support office wi more...

The Rose Revolution in Georgia was quickly hailed in the West as a democratic success story, inspiring a series of other "people-powered revolutions," such as the ones in Ukraine, Lebanon, and Kyrgyzstan.
However, the euphoria surrounding the revolution has given way to the reality that democratic reforms are not progressing as they should. President Saakashvili has had a number of important successes, including police reform and development of market-based solutions to the social protection s more...

With the United Nations being "hammered" daily by attacks alleging fraud and mismanagement in some of its key programmes, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today vowed to make the UN more accountable and transparent, and told staff that he wanted "us all to be proud of the Organization we work for…and be determined to move ahead."

This briefing paper outlines the key issues relating to the structures of local governance in Afghanistan, particularly in terms of elected provincial and district councils. In particular, author Sarah Lister argues for the postponement of district elections (currently set to coincide with parliamentary elections) to allow more time for broader discussion and greater consensus around the role of district councils. March 2005. PDF, 10 pp.

"Accepting Responsibility: Moving Beyond Political and Economic Dependence in
Post Conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina" by Sanja Omanovic. February 9, 2004.
In the decade that has passed since the signing of the Dayton Peace
Agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina has gone through the painful process of trying
to rebuild a country that was destroyed physically, socially, economically, and
politically. Reconstruction of the infrastructure, which drew billions of
dollars in aid from the international more...