Africa CFP : Research Institute for Swahili Studies in East Africa
This post is now out of date. Please see http://www.risseascientificconference.org/ for more information.
This is a call for papers for the inaugural Rissea International Scientific Conference on Swahili Research and Development in Eastern Africa, 25th – 27th November 2010
Swahili research and development
The Research Institute of Swahili Studies of Eastern Africa (RISSEA) will be hosting its Inaugural International Scientific Conference themed ‘Swahili Research and Development in Eastern Africa’. The conference aims to bring together leading researchers, students, teachers and all other Swahili researchers for a 3 day conference in November 2010
The Research Institute of Swahili Studies of Eastern Africa (RISSEA) was conceived in 2004 and became a fully fledged directorate within the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) in 2007. RISSEA is therefore a fully fledged directorate of the NMK charged with carrying out and coordinating basic and applied research on the Swahili Speaking people of the East Africa’s coast and its Diaspora.
The Institute appreciates that apart from inquiry into the Swahili peoples, the language, Kiswahili, has the potential to serve as a medium of economical, political, and social integration in the  wider East African region hence the motivation to enhance inquiry and research into its structure, function and applicability. Indeed, the language has a role to play in the realization of Kenya’s Vision 2030 and other planning and policy strategies. The language is widely used for a variety of purposes including awareness creation and intervention in strategies at the grassroots hence it’s highly appreciated unifying role. As a result therefore, RISSEA spearheaded research should be appreciated for its role in contribution to the development of the nation and region economically, culturally and ethically; and the enhancement of uncontested African identity.
Though spoken widely in the region, there is however, need to fully understand the cultural contexts and usage of Kiswahili lexicons , in order to ease communication. The Institute researches the role that Kiswahili has and continues to play in linguistic and socio-economic development.  Swahili cultural origins and evolution forms the crust of the Institute’s research inquiry into Swahili identity and the diversity within. Ethnic communities bordering the Swahili are to be investigated and the cultural bonds that exist between these affable communities will be harnessed and utilised to encourage inter and intra ethnic coexistence in the forging of nationhood.
The East African coast, being the cradle of the Swahili is endowed with natural resources such as the sea, forest, wild animals, fisheries etc from which the livelihoods of the people have been derived and sustained. The environmental concerns thus made the Swahili utilise their traditional knowledge to ensure the resources’ existence. An inquiry into such livelihoods, past and present further inform the research agenda at the Institute.
This Research agenda of the Institute, being briefly outlined above, is captured in the objectives as articulated below:-
RISSEA Research policy Objective:
The Institute has the following objectives in the pursuit of its research agenda:
1.     To carry out scientific research into various aspects of the history and development of Swahili peoples including:
a. Â Â Â Â History and development of the people and their culture
b. Â Â Â Â Language, linguistics & Literature (oral and written)
c. Â Â Â Â Traditional and modern performances
2. Â Â Â Â To study Swahili material culture including;
a. Â Â Â Â Architecture & construction technologies
b. Â Â Â Â Scientific and technological innovations
c. Â Â Â Â Dress and aesthetics
3.     To study Swahili indigenous knowledge and its impact on the environment including:
a. Â Â Â Â Oceanography
b. Â Â Â Â Astronomy and Astrology
c. Â Â Â Â Agriculture
d. Â Â Â Â Traditional medical and spiritual Practices
e. Â Â Â Â Culinary arts
f. Â Â Â Â Â Other related aspects
How to submit papers
The Institute invites abstracts that respond to any one of the listed subthemes being derived from the broad theme as outlined.
Main theme: Swahili Research and Development in Eastern Africa
Sub Themes:
i.      Kiswahili, National and Eastern Africa identity, integration and development
ii. Â Â Â Â Swahili research and Technology innovation
iii. Â Â Â Â Research into Swahili Dialects and Development
iv. Â Â Â Â Swahili Research and Media Communication
v. Â Â Â Â Swahili Literature and culture
vi. Â Â Â Â The Swahili and Environmental challenges
vii. Â Â Â Kiswahili in the Diaspora
viii. Â Â Â The Swahili and oceanography
ix. Â Â Â Â The Swahili and maritime trends
x. Â Â Â Â The Swahili and Lifestyle
xi. Â Â Â Â Research on Swahili religious and spiritual life
xii. Â Â Â Research and the teaching of Kiswahili
Conference Dates:
Arrival, Registration and Official Opening:Â 24th November 2010
Conference dates: 25th – 27th November 2010
Official Closing :Â 27th November 2010, Evening
Excursion:
Sunday, 28th November 2010
Important Timelines:
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 30th June 2010
Communication to successful paper authors: 15th July 2010
Submission of full papers: 30th October 2010
Location and Venue: Mombasa, Whitesands Beach Hotel
Conference languages: Kiswahili & English
Registration fee:
East African Region participants: Kshs. 7,500.00 (Including Ethiopia and Somalia)
National Museums of Kenya Participants: Kshs. 3,000.00
Local University Students: Kshs. 2,000
Rest of the World participants: US $ 300
Find out more
Director, RISSEA, P.O. Box 90508, MOMBASA
Email:Â rissea@africaonline.co.ke
kmmar02@gmail.com
info@amazingspace.co.ke
RISSEA website:Â www.rissea.org
Conference website:Â www.risseascientificconference.org
Africa CFP : Africa and Its Diasporas in the Market Place – Cultural Resources and the Global Economy
This is a Call for Panels and Papers  for the Fifteenth Triennial Symposium on African Art: Africa and Its Diasporas in the Market Place: Cultural Resources and the Global Economy, University of California, Los Angeles, March 23 to 26, 2011. There are some limited grants for African presenters, so make sure you apply early. The deadline for proposals is Nov 15 2010. All proposals should be sent as requested below to program chair Doran H. Ross at dross@arts.ucla.edu.
The core theme of the 2011 ACASA symposium examines the current status of Africa’s cultural resources and the influence—for good or ill—of market forces both inside and outside the continent. As nation states decline in influence and power, and corporations, private patrons and foundations increasingly determine the kinds of cultural production that will be supported, how is African art being reinterpreted and by whom? Are artists and scholars able to successfully articulate their own intellectual and cultural values in this climate? Is there anything we can do to address the situation?
Within this broad sweep the Triennial Program Committee has identified a number of potential panel, and roundtable topics that might provoke interest. They include: (1)Publications and market driven scholarship; (2)The museum industry, the branding of artists, and creating a canon; (3)Funding of research initiatives: opportunities and challenges; (4)Selling contemporary art in Africa: artists, galleries, patrons; (5)Forging traditions: the mass production and commodification of classic genres; (6)Auctioning Africa from the 19th c. to the present day: cultural property and the market place; (7)Hiring, promotion, and tenure in downsizing economies; (8) Public vs. private sectors in the valuation of African art; (9)Copyrights and fees for intellectual and cultural property; (10)Tourism and the packaging of African expressive culture.
Of course, this list is meant to be suggestive not exhaustive, and submissions on any topic beyond the core theme are also welcome.
Guidelines for Submissions
The program committee encourages the submission of panels with four twenty minute papers plus a discussant and roundtables with a maximum of eight ten-minute presentations. Proposals for panels and roundtables seeking participants will be posted on the ACASA listserv (not on the H-AfrArts listserv) as they are received. The ACASA listserv is restricted to ACASA members and is separate from the H-AfrArts listserv. Proposals for individual papers seeking a panel will be matched appropriately or will be grouped in general panels.
Regardless of panel, roundtable, or paper, all proposals must include the following: (1)Title; (2)A proposal abstract not to exceed two hundred words; (3)Media requirements (Powerpoint, video, etc); (4)Full contact information including mailing address, phone, and email of the presenter
Participants may present one paper only, but may serve as a discussant on another panel or serve as a presenter on a roundtable. All proposals should be sent to program chair Doran H. Ross at dross@arts.ucla.edu. The deadline for panel and roundtable proposals seeking participants is November 15, 2010, and the final deadline for fully composed panels and roundtables and individual papers is December 15, 2010. As a reminder, all presenters at the Triennial must be members of ACASA prior to acceptance of their proposal.
Travel Support and Stipends
A limited number of grants for up to $2,000 will be awarded to presenters who apply and are traveling from Africa and the Caribbean. Likewise, a limited number of $500 travel stipends will be awarded to graduate students. To apply, simply indicate with your paper proposal your interest in travel support and your point of departure for Los Angeles.
via H-AfrArts
H-Net Network for African Expressive Culture
E -Mail:Â H-AFRARTS@H-NET.MSU.EDU
http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/~artsweb/
Africa Free Resource : Liberia Digital Archives
Liberia collection
A recently launched website LiberiaPedia.com provides internet users around the world free access to several rich collections of facts and stories on Liberia. The site features four databases, with others to be added: a collection of 100+ folk tales from the 1950s; an index of actions taken by the Liberian legislature between 1847 and 1940; a glossary of Liberian slangs and idioms; and a database on 15,000+ African-Americans who emigrated to Liberia between 1820 and 1904.
via Dr. C. Patrick Burrowes
Associate Professor of Humanities and Communications
Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg
Suggested Books
- Languages of Liberia: Kru Languages, English Language, Jabo Language, Grebo Language, Kissi Language, Liberian English, Vai Language
- Culture and Customs of Liberia (Culture and Customs of Africa)
CFP : Elite Formation, Consumption and Urban Spaces – Cultural Perspectives on African Decolonization
This is a Call for Papers for the conference on Elite Formation, Consumption and Urban Spaces – Cultural Perspectives on African Decolonization. Please note the deadline for abstracts 7 July 2010. There appears to be funding available for participants, so you need to get your abstracts in quickly to be considered.
Please see the website for further details or contact the organisers (see the end of the advert).
http://www.sfb-repraesentationen.de/veranstaltungen/tagungen-und-workshops/elite-formation/
Collaborative Research Centre 640 “Representations of Changing Social Ordersâ€Â Subproject African Modernity Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Berlin, Germany, 26th/27th November 2010
Venue: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, International Research Centre ”Work and Human Life Cycle in Global History”, Georgenstrasse 23, 10117 Berlin
Organizers: Regina Finsterhölzl and Daniel Tödt
Introduction: Prof. Dr. Andreas Eckert
Keynote address: Dr. Sean Nixon
Senior Discussants: N.N. // N.N.
Deadline: 7th July 2010
During the second half of the twentieth century the African continent was shaped not only by political but also by social and cultural change and crisis. In the rapidly growing cities, new social spaces and groups emerged. These actors often portrayed themselves as ‘modern’, and their emerging social practice not only mirrored this change but also played an active part in moving the boundaries of social distinction in colonial societies – between new elites, traditional elites, urban middle classes and workers as well as Europeans. This transcending of boundaries can be explored in many different ways. New marketing strategies for consumer products and luxury goods, promising a career, success, and high social status, aimed at urban elites and middle classes. Political imaginations were debated in the press; in clubs and associations an emerging collective identity could be negotiated. New cultural codes in language, clothing, behavior, leisure time and sociability evolved, at times challenging the colonial order.
Focusing on the practice and discourse of African actors, the workshop looks at decolonization not only as a political but also as a profoundly cultural process, and seeks connections between both approaches. Possible topics include advertising messages of marketing experts; the local appropriation of European consumer goods; social spaces of the urban elite and middle classes; places of sociability in the cities and debates about cultural developments and political events.
In discussions about their ongoing research projects, participants seek to explore how to analytically associate medial discourse with social practices. What are ways of handling the category ‘modernity’ in Africa – does emphasizing the view of the actors offer a prolific approach? Does it change our view of political processes in Twentieth Century Africa to follow those questions across historical caesuras like the Second World War or political independence into the history of the young postcolonial states? Does an approach like that emphasize political breaks, or does it blur the lines between them?
We welcome contributions from scholars of all disciplines working on late colonial and postcolonial Africa.
Possible topics include:
- Consumer behavior and politics of consumption in (post-)colonial settings
- Advertising and marketing in African societies
- Press and (popular) media: newspapers, magazines, radio, cinema
- New elites: cultures, discourses, places of sociability and social life; construction of gender roles, identity formation and visions of life
- Urban places/spaces of public life and emerging urban popular culture: associations, leisure activities, clubs, cinema, sports
The workshop takes the form of an extensive discussion based on papers which will be sent by the organizers to all participants beforehand. The speakers – organized in panels – will present their paper’s central points in a 10-minutes lecture followed up by a commentary and a discussion.
We invite scholars interested in presenting a paper at the workshop to send a 300-word abstract and a short biographical sketch to
african.modernity@sfb-repraesentationen.de
by 7th July 2010. Papers for the presentation must be submitted to the same email address by 31st October 2010.
The workshop will be held in English and French; however, we ask for abstracts to be in English only.
There are funds available to cover transport and accommodation for most participants. We seek to secure additional funding.
Contact information:
Regina Finsterhölzl / Daniel Tödt
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Sonderforschungsbereich 640 / Teilprojekt B2
Unter den Linden 6
D-10099 Berlin
Germanyregina.finsterhoelzl@staff.hu-berlin.de
daniel.toedt@staff.hu-berlin.deTel: +49-(0)30-2093-4984
Fax: +49-(0)30-2093-4893URL:
http://www.sfb-repraesentationen.de/veranstaltungen/tagungen-und-workshops/elite-formation/
Africa CFP : Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism
Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism Call for Papers
Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism, a tri-annual, fully-refereed journal published jointly by the Association of Nationalism and Ethnicity and Wiley-Blackwell, invites the submission of high-quality interdisciplinary articles on issues pertaining to nationalism, ethnicity and related themes. The editors are particularly interested in submissions for a special issue on Ethnicity and Nationalism in Africa. Examples of these themes include:
- African borders and identity
- Ethnicity, nationalism and conflict in the Great Lakes
- The media and ethnicity in Nigeria
- Migration and xenophobia in African cities
- Unresolved conflicts of national identity: Casamance and Western Sahara
The editors welcome submissions of work in progress as well as contributions from established scholars, research students, post-docs and lecturers in the early stages of their career. For submissions to be considered for publication in the special issue, please ensure your paper reaches us by 16 July 2010.  The word limit is 8,000 words, excluding bibliography and references. All papers must be submitted on-line via the Manuscript Central website (http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/sena). All inquiries can be
addressed to Editors at sen@lse.ac.uk.
For author guidelines and additional information, please visit SEN website:
http://www.wiley.com/bw/submit.asp?ref=1473-8481&site=1
Help with writing fundraising proposals
Proposal Writing and Fundraising Toolkit
This toolkit can be found on the Global Development Network website. It provides tips and practical suggestions for applying for funding and proposal writing. It is based on interviews with experienced research fundraisers.
I hope this will help you in your search for research funding. A large percentage of research proposals are turned down because they are not tailored to the funder. All funders provide information about how they want a funding proposal to be presented and about what they will and won’t fund. Just sending out a ‘begging letter’ will get little result. Proposal writing needs to be taken seriously and this toolkit should help you.
Go to Proposal Writing and Fundraising Toolkit to access the toolkit online
Contents of the toolkit
This toolkit is divided into six sections. Here is a brief description of each section.
Before you start
This section provides a list of things to consider before you start. Key points are grouped under what you should know about the potential donor and what you should know about yourself and your organization.Writing the proposal
This section provides a checklist of things to consider when writing a proposal, such as style, structure and clarity. Some useful links on proposal writing are also listed.Budgeting
Budgeting is a critical element of a proposal, and conveys to the donor whether an organization has the capacity to manage and account for monies in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. This section of our proposal guide outlines points to remember when you come to putting together a budget to justify the funds for which you are applying.Guide to donors
Most funding requests, estimated at 90 percent, are declined immediately, either because they fall outside a donor’s stated interest areas, or because they are inadequately prepared and do not reflect the organization’s expertise and its ability to carry out the project’s objectives. This section helps you to judge which donor to approach and how best to approach them, starting with general points followed by more detail on individual donors.Institutional insights
The case studies in this section has been compiled from researchers and institutional bodies in developing and developed countries. They provide useful insights and advice on many aspects of the proposal process, highlighting the reality of fundraising and key issues that should be considered by researchers and institutions alike.Networking
This section provides a guide to networking with donors and funders, highlighting the importance of forging and maintaining relationships.
Related articles
- Grant and Proposal Writer Internship (socialactions.net)
- Fundraising Tips for Non-Profits, Small Businesses and Individuals (promotionsandmarketing.wordpress.com)
- Writing Winning Grants: Your Funders and Your Money (thinkwest.wordpress.com)
Africa IMF Reports : Zimbabwe 2010
Harare Zimbabwe
[Photo credit: garybembridge under a Creative Commons license]
IMF reports for Zimbabwe 2010
Press Release: Statement of the IMF’s Mission to Zimbabwe
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10420.htmTranscript of a Press Briefing by Caroline Atkinson, Director, External Relations Department, International Monetary Fund (includes Zimbabwe)
http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2010/tr110410a.htmIMF Policy Paper: Review of the Fund’s Strategy on Overdue Financial Obligations
Summary: This paper reviews progress under the Fund’s strengthened cooperative strategy on overdue financial obligations. Since the last review, total arrears to the Fund declined by SDR 17.5 million to SDR 1,309.5 million. Payments to the Fund by Sudan and Zimbabwe were in excess of new obligations falling due, and a decrease in Somalia’s arrears resulted from the full settlement of its overdue obligations to the SDR Department in the context of the general SDR allocation in August 2009.
http://www.imf.org/external/pp/longres.aspx?id=4475Country Report No. 10/186: Zimbabwe: 2010 Article IV Consultation – Staff Report; Staff Supplement; Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Zimbabwe
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=24009.0Public Information Notice: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2010 Article IV Consultation with Zimbabwe
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pn/2010/pn1062.htmPress Release: Statement at the Conclusion of the 2010 Article IV Consultation Mission to Zimbabwe
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10107.htmTranscript of a Press Briefing by David Hawley, Senior Advisor, External Relations Department
http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2010/tr021810.htmPress Release: IMF Executive Board Restores Zimbabwe’s Voting Rights and Takes Steps Towards Unfreezing Access to the General Resource Account
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr1053.htm
All information via http://www.imf.org. Reports will be added as they are published.
Suggested Books
- The Economic Decline of Zimbabwe: Neither Growth Nor Equity (Studies on the African Economies)
- Zimbabwe (Bradt Travel Guide)
Africa Health : Community-Led Total Sanitation
UDD toilet South Africa
[Photo credit: Sustainable sanitation under a Creative Commons license]
There are several new publications by the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) which look like they could be of interest to African NGOs.
Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS) is a new approach to the problem of open defecation which blights many communities with limited sanitary facilities. It recognises that just providing toilets or encouraging individual household toilet construction is not enough. It focusses on behaviour change through community ownership and leadership. Although pioneered in Bangladesh the principles are very applicable to Africa too. It uses the participatory methods of intense community mobilisation to enable local people to analyse their own situation and use collective decision-making to bring about change.
Water Aid has produced an animation film which explains the 10 step process to Total Sanitation.
Facilitating `Hands On Training’ Workshops for Community-Led Total Sanitation: A Trainers’ Training Guide
Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) is spreading fast in many countries in different regions, and there is growing demand for facilitators and trainers of facilitators. This guide, produced by WSSCC and the CLTS Foundation, and authored by the distinguished Kamal Kar, fulfills the need for a resource that will support the creation of a strong cadre of trainers for front-line CLTS work. 40 pages.Download a PDF of the publication Facilitating Hands on Training Workshops for Community-led Total Sanitation
Hygiene and Sanitation Software: An Overview of Approaches
Since the 1970s, sanitation and hygiene professionals have strived to find ways to engage target groups (individuals, households, communities, institutions or even organisations) in development programmes that facilitate sanitation and hygiene behaviour change, or create a demand for related services. These are `software’ methods or approaches, as opposed to `hardware’ such as toilets and pipes. This new resource presents in one place the latest thinking and most common software approaches for improving the political, legal, institutional, financial and economic, educational, technical and social conditions within which hygiene and sanitation programmes operate. 144 pages.Download a PDF of the publication Hygiene and Sanitation Software
WSSCC 2009 Annual Report
The annual report describes the many ways in which the members, coalitions and Geneva-based secretariat of WSSCC worked in 2009 in pursuit of sanitation, hygiene and water supply for all people around the world. 32 Pages.Download a PDF of the WSSCC 2009 Annual Report in English, French or Spanish
Suggested Books (US)
- Water and Sanitation Africa
(Bi-Monthly Magazine)
- The Governance of Water and Sanitation in Africa: Achieving Sustainable Development through Partnerships (International Library of African Studies)
- Hygiene Behaviour Change through the Community Health Club Approach: A cost-effective strategy to achieve the Millennium Development Goals for improved sanitation in Africa
Africa IMF Reports : Senegal 2010
IMF reports for Senegal 2010
Country Report No. 10/368: Senegal
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Annual Progress Report
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=24516.0Country Report No. 10/362: Senegal
Sixth Review Under the Policy Support Instrument, Request for a Three-Year Policy Support Instrument and Cancellation of Current Policy Support Instrument-Staff Report; Debt Sustainability Analysis; Press Release; Executive Director Statement
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=24502.0IMF Survey: IMF Renews Support for Senegal’s Economic Reforms
The IMF extends its support for Senegal’s economic and financial policies by approving a new Policy Support Instrument to back the West African country’s economic program. The policies endorsed by the IMF focus on accelerating Senegal’s economic growth and improving its resilience to shocks.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2010/car120310a.htmCountry’s Policy Intentions Documents — Senegal
Letter of Intent, Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies, and Technical Memorandum of Understanding, November 10, 2010
http://www.imf.org/External/NP/LOI/2010/sen/111010.pdfPress Release:
IMF Executive Board Completes Final Review Under PSI with Senegal and Approves New Three-Year PSI
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10469.htmPress Release: Statement by an IMF Mission to Senegal
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10368.htm
Press Release: IMF Mission Concludes Staff Visit to Senegal
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10279.htmPress Release: IMF Completes Third and Final Review under Senegal’s ESF Arrangement, Approves US$47.7 Million Disbursement and Completes Fifth Review under PSI
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10212.htmCountry’s Policy Intentions Documents — Senegal: Letter of Intent, Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies, and Technical Memorandum of Understanding, May 7, 2010
http://www.imf.org/External/NP/LOI/2010/sen/050710.pdfPublic Information Notice: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2010 Article IV Consultation with Senegal
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pn/2010/pn1065.htmIMF Survey: Senegal Well Positioned to Regain Growth Momentum
With the right policies and quicker structural reforms, Senegal should be well positioned to regain its growth momentum. In its regular review of Senegal’s economy, the IMF says it will be critical for the authorities to fully normalize relations with the private sector.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2010/car052610a.htm
All information from http://www.imf.org
To view and print pdf files you need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader which is available at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html
For tracking globalization and its impact on individual economies, please see the new IMF Survey magazine online at http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/home.aspx News, views, and analysis from the IMF.
Suggested Books
- Senegals Groundnut Economy under Structural Adjustment: Liberalization at Risk of Failure
- Culture and Customs of Senegal (Culture and Customs of Africa)
- Africa and IMF Conditionality: The Unevenness of Compliance, 1983-2000 (African Studies)
Africa IMF Reports : Ghana 2010
Mole National Park, Ghana
[Photo credit: zug55 under a Creative Commons license]
IMF reports for Ghana 2010
Press Release
Statement at the Conclusion of an IMF Mission to Ghana
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10372.htmCountry’s Policy Intentions Documents — Ghana
Letter of Intent, Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies, and Technical Memorandum of Understanding, May 13, 2010
http://www.imf.org/External/NP/LOI/2010/gha/051310.pdfCountry Report No. 10/178: Ghana
Combined First and Second Reviews Under the Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility, Request for Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria, Modification of Performance Criteria and Rephasing of Disbursements – Staff Report; Staff Statement and Supplement; Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Ghana.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=23987.0Press Release
IMF Executive Board Completes First and Second Reviews Under Ghana’s ECF Arrangement and Approves US$119 Million Disbursement
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10235.htmWorking Paper No. 10/116: Oil Windfalls in Ghana: A DSGE Approach
Author/Editor: Dagher, Jihad; Gottschalk, Jan; Portillo, Rafael
Summary: We use a calibrated multi-sector DSGE model to analyze the likely impact of oil windfalls on the Ghanaian economy, under alternative fiscal and monetary policy responses. We distinguish between the short-run impact, associated with demand-related pressures, and the medium run impact on competitiveness and growth. The impact on inflation and the real exchange rate could be moderate, especially if the fiscal authorities smooth oil-related spending or increase public spending’s import content. However, a policy mix that results in both a fiscal expansion and the simultaneous accumulation of the foreign currency proceeds from oil as international reserves-to offset the real appreciation-would raise demand pressures and crowd-out the private sector. In the medium term, the negative impact on competitiveness-resulting from “Dutch Disease” effects-could be small, provided public spending increases the stock of productive public capital. These findings highlight the role of different policy responses, and their interaction, for the macroeconomic impact of oil proceeds.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=23830.0Press Release
Statement at the Conclusion of an IMF Mission to Ghana
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10117.htmWhat the IMF Is Doing for its African Members Such As Ghana
Opening Address by John Lipsky, First Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund at the Meeting with the Parliament Ghana
http://www.imf.org/external/np/speeches/2010/021710.htmPress Release
Statement by IMF First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky at the Conclusion of His Visit to Ghana
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr1046.htmIMF Survey: Oil Offers Hope of Middle-Income Status for Ghana
In the next few years Ghana will become an oil producer. If the country uses its new-found oil wealth wisely, it could achieve middle-income status within 10 years, IMF projections show. IMF mission chief for Ghana Peter Allum talks in an interview about Ghana’s prospects.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2010/int021710a.htmPress Release
IMF First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky to Visit Liberia and Ghana
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr1028.htmWorking Paper No. 10/25: A Model for Full-Fledged Inflation Targeting and Application to Ghana
Author/Editor: Alichi, Ali; Clinton, Kevin; Dagher, Jihad; Kamenik, Ondra; Laxton, Douglas; Mills, Marshall
Summary: A model in which monetary policy pursues full-fledged inflation targeting adapts well to Ghana. Model features include: endogenous policy credibility; non-linearities in the inflation process; and a policy loss function that aims to minimize the variability of output and the interest rate, as well as deviations of inflation from the long-term low-inflation target. The optimal approach from initial high inflation to the ultimate target is gradual; and transitional inflation-reduction objectives are flexible. Over time, as policy earns credibility, expectations of inflation converge towards the long-run target, the output-inflation variability tradeoff improves, and optimal policy responses to shocks moderate.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=23574.0
All information from http://www.imf.org. Reports will be added as they are published.
Suggested Books (US)
- IMF – World Bank and Labor’s Burdens in Africa: Ghana’s Experience
- The History of Ghana (The Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations)
- Ghana, 4th (Bradt Travel Guide)
Border Jumpers : A few words about Mauritius
Guest Post By Danielle Nierenberg and Bernard Pollack, www.borderjumpers.org
Full disclosure: We had never heard of the Republic of Mauritius until the day we bought a ticket to go there.
When we arrived people seemed shocked to meet two people from the United States—hotel clerks, cab drivers, and vendors who’ve worked on the island for years said they never met Americans before. Yet, this is clearly America’s loss because sitting in the middle of the Indian Ocean is one of the most incredible countries we’ve ever visited.
We always try to reduce our carbon footprint by traveling via public buses, but in this case a boat didn’t seem like a good option and flights from Johannesburg were extremely cheap. We resisted the temptation to splurge on an all-inclusive beach holiday and opted for the more budget hostel, pay-as-you-go experience.
“It’s not like most places in Africa,” a cab driver told us. “You can walk anywhere at night. You can leave your stuff unattended. We don’t have much crime here, people will help you—not bother you—and it’s very rare that they will steal anything from you.”
Another person I met, named Marie, said that Mauritius lacked the government corruption of most African countries, citing it as the reason people visit there over nearby islands such as Madagascar and Comoros. “We have a real democracy,” she said.
We drove across the Island learning more about the country’s agriculture, which, next to tourism, is their biggest source of income. Sugar cane is the largest export, and the plots of land growing them stretched for miles. We were told that this crop accounted for a quarter of all exports from the country. We also saw lots of pineapple and coffee being grown.
Yet, an industry that surprised us was the booming hi-tech sector. We certainly didn’t expect coast-to-coast wireless internet (3G) when we arrived (it covers 60 of the island and is affordable and widely assessable).
We also played like tourists and visited Triolet Shivala, the biggest Hindu temple on the island. The temple is dedicated to the Gods Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, Muruga, Brahma and Ganesha. This place is also the longest village on the island.
We also saw the “Coloured Earths of Chamarel,” among the oddest sites of the island. There are seven-colored dunes at Chamarel, the result from the weathering of volcanic rocks. And just a short drive away, we relaxed, eating spicy pineapple, by the breathtaking Chamarel waterfalls. And we admit it, we visited the beaches as well.
As we boarded the plane to leave, we looked at each other, and agreed that we both hope to visit this magical island again.
Border Jumper Mauritius
Suggested Books
- Mauritius Travel Pack (Globetrotter Travel Packs)
- Mauritius: Its Creole Language: The Ultimate Creole Phrase Book and Dictionary
Africa IMF Reports : Liberia 2010
IMF reports for Liberia 2010
Country Report No. 10/373: Liberia: 2010
Article IV Consultation and Fifth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility-Staff Report; Public Information Notice and Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Liberia
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=24521.0Country’s Policy Intentions Documents — Liberia
Letter of Intent, Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies, and Technical Memorandum of Understanding, November 19, 2010
http://www.imf.org/External/NP/LOI/2010/lbr/111910.pdfPublic Information Notice
IMF Executive Board Concludes 2010 Article IV Consultation with Liberia
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pn/2010/pn10157.htmPress Release
IMF Executive Board Completes Fifth Review Under Extended Credit Facility for Liberia and Approves US$6.82 Million Disbursement
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10479.htmPress Release
Statement at the Conclusion of an IMF Staff Mission to Liberia
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10370.htmCountry Report No. 10/199
Liberia: Fourth Review Under the Three – Year Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility, Request for Modification of Performance Criteria, and Financing Assurances Review – Staff Report; Informational Annex; Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Liberia
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=24024.0Country Report No. 10/194
Liberia: Poverty Reduction Strategy – Annual Progress Report
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=24017.0Country Report No. 10/193
Liberia: Joint Staff Advisory Note on the First Annual Progress Report on the Implementation of the Liberia Poverty Reduction Strategy (LPRS)
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=24016.0Country Report No. 10/192
Liberia: Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries-Completion Point Document and Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=24015.0Press Release
IMF and World Bank Announce US$4.6 Billion Debt Relief for Liberia
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10267.htmLiberia: Life after Debt, Speech by John Lipsky, IMF First Deputy Managing Director
http://www.imf.org/external/np/speeches/2010/063010.htmIMF Survey: Liberia Wins $4.6 Billion in Debt Relief from IMF, World Bank
The IMF and the World Bank decide to support the final stage of debt relief for Liberia that in total amounts to $4.6 billion in nominal terms. The move comes after the west African country reaches the final step under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2010/car062910a.htmCountry’s Policy Intentions Documents
Liberia: Letter of Intent, Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies, and Technical Memorandum of Understanding, June 7, 2010
http://www.imf.org/External/NP/LOI/2010/lbr/060710.pdfPress Release:
IMF Executive Board Completes Fourth Review Under Liberia’s ECF Arrangement and Approves US$6.55 Million Disbursement
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10254.htmPress Release: Statement at the Conclusion of an IMFMission to Liberia
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10157.htmCountry Report No. 10/91
Liberia: Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative Request for Additional Interim Assistance; and Press Release
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=23785.0
Press Release
IMF Executive Board Approved Additional Interim Assistance Request Under the Enhanced HIPC Initiative for Liberia
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10100.htmPress Release
Statement by IMF First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky at the Conclusion of His Visit to Liberia
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr1039.htmPress Release
IMF First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky to Visit Liberia and Ghana
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr1028.htm
All information from http://www.imf.org
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TAKE A LOOK: For tracking globalization and its impact on individual economies, please see the new IMF Survey magazine onlineat http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/home.aspx News, views, and analysis from the IMF.
Suggested Book
Culture and Customs of Liberia (Culture and Customs of Africa)