· August, 2006

Stories about Development from August, 2006

Nigeria: Brain Gain

  31 August 2006

Unlike many countries, Nigeria is richly endowed with human and natural resources. But it’s lagging behind, in terms of development. Many emerging rich countries, Nkem Ifejika argues, are taking advantage of the little they have to transform their economies. Some even rely solely on human resources, where expert experiences gained...

Bahamas: Flat-earth policies

  30 August 2006

Riffing off of Thomas Friedman's bestseller, The Earth is Flat, Larry Smith discusses the Bahamas’ unpreparedness for participation in the current and future world order.

Serbia: Unemployment and Low Salaries

  30 August 2006

While Serbian citizens are preoccupied with bare survival, the country's media and politicians focus on the need to extradite individuals wanted by the Hague tribunal. A few days ago, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica announced he would not put up with people like Mladic, who is accused of committing atrocities...

Belize: Caye Caulker

  29 August 2006

Lee Vanderwalker posts some sepia-toned photos and a “technology timeline” of Caye Caulker, Belize.

Cambodia: Web Portal and Destructive People

  29 August 2006

Vutha in Cambodia is upset with people who are causing disruptions in a community web portal project. The project known as the Community Information Center Webportal Cambodia (CIC webportal) was inactive for a while and the blogger is helping it become active again. “Finally, I am not sure whether CIC...

Barbados: Development double standards

  28 August 2006

The Mulllins Bay Blog slams the double standard that allows wealthy developers to construct destructive barriers of dubious utility on the seashore, while “the few small home owners remaining in the area have to jump through hoops to get permission from “Coastal” to place a few rocks on the beach...

Ethiopia: PM theorises on African development

  28 August 2006

Guest blogger Gooch sharpened his satirical spear as he described a new book by Ethiopia's prime minister Meles Zenawi on Weichegud! ET Politics. “Here he is, running one of the poorest countries in the world, a country of 75 million people, a country in crisis, well on the way to...

Nigeria: Solar-powered fish project

  26 August 2006

A fishing village in Nigeria uses solar powered driers to dry their fish, reports Black Looks: “Bishop Kodji, a small fishing and canoe carving island in the Atlantic Ocean off Nigeria’s sprawling commercial hub of Lagos, has become the first village to be electrified under the Lagos State government’s pilot...

Singapore: Rod Steiger of South East Asia

  25 August 2006

Enterprise Resilience Management Blog compares Singapore to Hollywood actor Rod Steiger. Steiger took on a wide variety of roles across genres making him the most connected actor. “Connectivity is also a good thing when talking about the global economy. The Rod Steiger of Southeast Asia is Singapore. That nation has...

Russia: 113 Houses in Sokol

  23 August 2006

Copydude writes about the fate of Sokol, a Soviet-time “intellectuals’ thinkpark” near Moscow, and a common belief that “in St. Petersburg, the woman sweeping the yard will stop to discuss French impressionist film-making.”

Cambodia: Internet Experience Workshop

  21 August 2006

Cambodian cyberkid DeeDee attends an Internet Experience Sharing Workshop and blogs about it. DeeDee is a school student who represents the younger Cambodians who are exploiting the internet for infomation and learning.

Serbia: Travel Observations

  21 August 2006

Balkan Ghost of Finding Karadzic has visited Serbia and Republika Srpska and shares his observations. Here's one on Belgrade: “Belgrade's educated middle class has undergone a diaspora to western Europe in the last ten years, leaving a gap filled by a more rural demographic that has moved to the big...

A tale of two Ethiopian books

  21 August 2006

It was a tale of two books in Ethiopia’s blogosphere over the past two weeks. The first book, catchily titled African Development: Dead Ends and New Beginnings (PDF of the first draft – English), was written by Meles Zenawi, prime minister of Ethiopia, currently residing in the prime ministerial palace...