Australian aid evaluation forum: DFAT policy, Indonesia roads and PNG health
On Monday April 10 at 2pm, the Development Policy Centre and the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) will host their latest Australian Aid Evaluation Forum. The forum will discuss DFAT’s new aid evaluation policy and plan, and evaluations of two important projects: the Eastern Indonesia National Roads Improvement Project, perhaps the largest Australian-aid-funded infrastructure project ever, and the Australian Doctors International remote and rural integrated health patrols, which are co-funded by the Australian and PNG governments. Further details on the event here. Register your interest here.
Post-boom PNG
The management of the exchange rate is one of the key instruments a country has at its disposal to protect against economic shocks. In this public seminar at 215pm, on Tuesday 11 April, Marcel Schroder provides an overview of recent economic developments in Papua New Guinea, and argues that the PNG RER is overvalued by approximately 20%. Register here.
Democracy in Africa
Africa has a rich history, diverse cultures and abundant natural resources. Despite this, the overwhelming majority of Africans remain poor, disenfranchised and oppressed. In a public event at 1230pm, on Wednesday 12 April, former Eritrean Ambassador to the EU and author Andebrhan Welde Giorgis will discuss the drivers of the democratic deficit in Africa and the continent’s prospects for the future. You can read more about the event here, and register your attendance here.
What good global public goods?
In this discussion Paper and blog, reflecting on an interview with economist Inge Kaul, Robin Davies argues that the concept of a global public good in aid policy narratives has generally been used in an unduly restricted and self-serving way. He proposes that it might be deployed to greater effect were it linked more specifically to concrete, realistic global public policy commitments aimed at eliminating certain of the world’s ‘bads’ — in effect, by declaring them public enemies. The unabridged version of the interview is annexed to the paper, and a link to the audio recording can be found in the blog.
Measuring change in Australian aid
In a new paper on the post-2013 changes to Australian aid, Terence Wood, Camilla Burkot and Stephen Howes draw on data from the 2013 and 2015 Australian Aid Stakeholder Surveys to examine the extent and significance of the changes. You can read the article (open access) here, an APPS Policy Forum summary here, or the In brief here.
Upcoming events
Australian aid evaluations: new aid evaluation policy; Indonesia roads; and PNG health
2 – 5pm, Monday 10 April, Weston Theatre, Crawford School, ANU. Details here.
Papua New Guinea after the resource boom – Marcel Schroder
215 – 345pm, Tuesday 11 April, Coombs Seminar Room B, Coombs Building 9, Fellows Road, ANU. Details here.
Democracy in Africa: past, present and future – Andebrhan Welde Giorgis
1230 – 130pm, Wednesday 12 April, Brindabella Theatre, Crawford School, ANU. Details here.
Tertiary education in the Pacific – trends and issues – Rajesh Chandra
530 – 7pm, Wednesday 12 April, Hedley Bull Theatre 2, Hedley Bull Centre (130), Garran Road, ANU. Details here.
Complexity in governments and markets – Vito Tanzi
5 – 630pm, Wednesday 19 April, Weston Theatre, Crawford School, ANU. Details here.
Coping with high risk and uncertainty in aid policy design and practice – Adam Forde
12.30 – 1.30pm, Wednesday 26 April, Seminar Room 7, Level 2, JG Crawford Building 132, Lennox Crossing, ANU. Details here.
Aid Budget Breakfast
9 – 1030am, Monday 10 May, Molonglo Theatre, Crawford School, ANU. Details here.
2017 Pacific Update
20 – 21 June, The University of the South Pacific (USP), Suva, Fiji. Details here.
2017 PNG Update
10 – 11 August, The University of Papua New Guinea, Waigani Campus, Port Moresby. Details here.
Blog highlights
Gendered humanitarian leadership gap
On the blog
Public enemies: global public goods in aid policy narratives by Robin Davies
PNG at 40: reflecting on the past to build a solid future for Papua New Guinea by Paul Barker
Reflections on governance and corruption at the 2017 AAC by Rob Lamontagne
Cash or program aid – a delicate balance by Sam Koim
Book review: becoming comfortable with the complexity of ‘How Change Happens’ by Thushara Dibley
The violence engendered on Manus Island cannot be ignored by Michelle Nayahamui Rooney
The recent Fairfax story on ni-Vanuatu seasonal worker exploitation by Stephen Howes
The role of regionalism in financing development in the Pacific by Raymond Prasad
The gendered leadership gap and the humanitarian sector by Ayla Black
Budgetary data in PNG: taking the long view by Rohan Fox and Stephen Howes
In brief
Fortnightly links: worms, inequality, paywalls and happiness
New publication on land transformations in Melanesia
New Zealand needs an aid campaign–here’s how to get it
Gauging change in Australian aid – new journal article
This is the fortnightly newsletter of the Development Policy Centre at Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University, published every second Friday.
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